Year-end requirements wrap up: The five best whitepapers of 2011.

We’ve compiled a list of our top resources in 2011, covering topics from understanding Agile planning to the top frustrations in project management (and how to solve them):

1. Requirements Management 101. Wish someone would explain requirements management in plain English? Have stakeholders that could benefit from understanding the value at a high-level? Your executives might not care about CMMI, BABOK or the nitty gritty details of functional requirements, but they do care about delivering what was promised to customers on time. And, that’s requirements management. To make sure your projects run smoothly, make sure everyone on your team understands the basics.




2. The State of Requirements Management 2011. Let’s separate the hype from reality. The results of an industry survey shed light on the real trends, challenges and solutions in requirements management and its impact on innovation. Some results might surprise you, others will validate what you’ve been saying for years.




3. The Top Five Frustrations for Project Managers. See how you can avoid management swoop-in at the eleventh hour, or creating and sending around a dreaded 200-page plan that no one has time to read once, let alone every time a change occurs. We’ve compiled the top 5 frustrations based on what we’ve experienced and seen others endure over the years and include a tip for how to combat each one and put these tips into action.




4. The Five Challenges to Agile Planning. If you have experience with Waterfall or traditional “phase-gate” developmental processes, then you know why Agile has gained traction so quickly. It’s a nimble, collaborative way to work. But like any professional process, it takes new skills to gain the promised benefits. Learn the five major challenges that we’ve seen lead to Agile failure, as well as advice on how to make Agile work for your entire team.




5. Big Hairy Projects: An Infographic. Innovation is tough. Today’s economic pressures make innovation more difficult. Fewer teams have access to a plentiful R&D budget, making R&D funds even more valuable. So, how do teams develop ideas and transform them into successful projects? Jama Software sponsored an industry-wide survey, including over 800 project managers, business analysts & developers, to determine the trends in requirements management in 2011. Download the infographic and full report to see see how organizations deliver successful projects.