Last month I developed a whitepaper and a webinar on data modeling in an Agile environment.  These works focused on what we as data modelers can do to ensure that data models (and therefore data modelers) continue to be valued on IT projecs.  This blog series touches on the key takeaways from these works.   Webinar: http://forms.embarcadero.com/Agile-or-Fragile Whitepaper: http://forms.embarcadero.com/Agile-or-Fragile-WP   Documentation   The A...

On April 28, 2015, Embarcadero announced the XE7 release of our award-winning ER/Studio data modeling and architecture suite, with new features to improve agility and collaboration in enterprise data landscapes. Let’s highlight them, and for more details and a demonstration, you can watch the on-demand webinar from April 30th. ER/Studio continues to incorporate new capabilities and features to improve the user experience, enhance the data architecture, and address emerging industry technologies...

When we review the evolution of new data architecture and development methodologies, along with the corresponding changes in corporate culture, we can see that there have been numerous approaches over the years. In the earlier days of traditional / waterfall processes for data modeling, there was a more rigid organizational structure with data modelers, programmers, and system analysts. Agile methodologies emerged in an attempt to address the shortcomings of traditional practices. The focus chan...

Ron Huizenga, ER/Studio Product Manager, gave an interview on SSWUGtv to discuss Agile data modeling. Data modeling has evolved from strictly up-front relational designs (waterfall methodology) to interactive and integrated models that respond to business and IT needs. Data professionals must adapt, be flexible and address things along with way. Data modelers and DBAs need to quickly respond to changes in short development cycles; they need to know why they’re doing it, and tie it back to the re...

Ron Huizenga, ER/Studio Product Manager, gave an interview on SSWUGtv to discuss data architecture challenges that impact us all as data professionals. These key challenges include: New methodologies Big data Multiple diverse data sources Data quality Business focus on usage of the data With many different variables and moving parts, today’s data environments required a dedicated process to manage them effectively. The best approach is still to define a design up front to ensure you ha...

Back on February 14, 1995 we launched the first version of Delphi at the Software Development Conference West in San Francisco California.  Building way beyond the previous 12 years of Turbo Pascal innovations, Delphi arrived on the scene combining a 16-bit Windows native code compiler, visual component architecture (properties, methods and events), visual two way tools IDE, Windows run-time library, and database support. Since that time, the development team has continued to add modern innovat...

Fifty years ago, today, the Berlin Wall was built, separating the city into two parts.  I've been to the beautiful city of Berlin several times.  I was in Munich when the wall was torn down, visited Berlin when the new German government center was just a hole in the ground (with pumps draining the water our of the "big dig" site), and again last year for the Delphi Tage (Delphi Day).  In 1989, I remember watching TV and seeing people using sledgehammers, chisels, metal poles, cars, trucks, and t...

Are there any of today's software development teams that aren't using some form of agile method? Dictionary.com defines agility as "the power of moving quickly and easily" and "the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly".  Both of these definitions fit perfectly with what developers (individually or in teams) need more of in their projects. Early computer software methodologies involved so-called "heavyweight" or "ad hoc" methods. When I worked at TRW in Los Angeles in the 1970's we us...

If you live in the United States, you have been witnessing the struggles between President Obama (a Democrat), the House of Representatives (controlled by the Republican Party), the Senate (controlled by the Democratic Party).  Compromise is often key to getting things done in politics, but we must never sacrifice the quality of life of our citizens and visitors.  When we are defining the feature set for our products, we have great input from our customers about everything they need and want.  A...

I am up in Hood River Oregon today for the wedding of Martha's niece.  It is a glorius day with plenty of sunshine and no clouds in sight.  During the day, we drove up to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood.  There was plenty of snow still on the mountain and people were skiing and snow boarding on the upper slopes. I saw several brides and grooms up on the mountain, obviously in love. Tonight we attended Sarah and Jeremy's wedding at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel on the banks of the mighty Co...