Danube training and ScrumWorks Pro help government team adopt Scrum practices to replace legacy applications and deliver improved community services

BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 9, 2008 – Danube Technologies, Inc., http://www.danube.com, the leader in software and training for the Scrum method of agile software development, is helping the Idaho Dept. of Health & Welfare (IDHW) develop mission-critical software with its ScrumCORE™ training and ScrumWorks® Pro project management software. With Danube, IDHW project leaders are managing a three-year development project that will automate the eligibility process and improve the delivery of key social services to more than 25 percent of the state’s population.

Replacing a 22-year-old legacy mainframe system, one that is counted on by a large percentage of citizens for vital services, required a flexible, incremental approach to software development. IDHW turned toward Danube and the Scrum method which provided the necessary structure, agility and visibility needed for such a large and complex project.

The original EPICS system crashed repeatedly when first introduced in 1986, interfering with the delivery of State benefits. Danube’s approach to Scrum mitigates these risks by emphasizing a rigorous definition of “done,” applied early and often, rather than only testing at the end. Working with Danube two decades later, the IDHW team built a cohesive organization of more than 65 developers, internal stakeholders and Product Owners that collectively met each and every milestone of the “four-phase,” three-year project. Key benefits identified have included:

• Increased accessibility to view all project sprints along with expected dates of delivery

• Ability for the entire department to view impediments and assist in removing these barriers to keep the project on track

• Enhanced prioritization of work identified and ability to load tasks into new distinct products inside of ScrumWorks Pro, resulting in improved communications between the project and management

• Success of project in streamlining essential services to the citizens of Idaho has established a foundation for future software development projects in the state

From the beginning of the engagement, called “EPICS Replacement,” the IDHW project team committed to the Scrum process to develop a single, coherent n-tier solution that is made up of best-in-class products. The project started with Danube’s ScrumCORE division providing Scrum training and consulting to ensure the Scrum method helped deliver improved software and also served as a means of reengineering business processes for efficiency. To coordinate and provide visibility for the project, the IDHW chose Danube’s ScrumWorks Pro, the only software tool designed to be 100 percent dedicated to Scrum success. It allows teams, Product Owners and stakeholders to manage every aspect of Scrum at the program, product release and sprint levels. It also offers role-based project tracking, reporting and requirements traceability for building successful Scrum projects based on best practices.

The EPICS Replacement project is well underway for phased deployment in 2009. To date, the State has remained on track by adhering to the principles of Scrum and through the use of ScrumWorks Pro, with developers and stakeholders using the system daily to update key tasks and eliminate impediments. IDHW also reports the success of the project will likely result in other Idaho State government agencies following suit for future software development projects.

“When I dropped in on the IDHW team recently, I was particularly impressed that the transformation had become ‘self-sustaining,’” said Michael James, the Danube Certified Scrum Trainer who worked onsite as an embedded coach for the project. “With more than two years of experience, the organization has become even more committed to Scrum, agile, and lean principles. The fact that the team overcame all the challenges of state government bureaucracy to accomplish this is all the more impressive. I’m proud that Danube’s products and services contributed to this success.”

About Danube Technologies Founded in 2000, Danube provides software and training exclusively focused on the Scrum method of agile software development. The company’s ScrumWorks® Pro and ScrumWorks Basic products are licensed to more than 92,000 software professionals worldwide, making it the most widely used software in the industry for managing Scrum projects. Danube complements its software offering with a comprehensive schedule of ScrumCORE™ training courses, which are taught globally by Danube’s five Certified Scrum Trainers. The company’s on-site software delivery model makes it the leading choice for enterprises of all types, including large corporate and government organizations, which require the utmost in security, compliance, ease-of-use and customization. Danube’s customers include Adobe, Amazon.com, AMD, F5, General Electric, HP, Intel, Intuit, Kofax, LexisNexis, Microsoft, Motorola, Oracle, QVC, Siemens, and Sun Microsystems. Danube is self-funded and has achieved steady organic growth as Scrum has emerged as the preferred agile method for developers and executives. The company is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash. and has a sales office in Portland, Ore. Please visit www.danube.com or call (503) 248-0800 for more information on Danube.

Danube Press Contact: Christie Denniston Catapult PR-IR Office: 303-581-7760, ext. 13 Cell: 303-827-5164 cdenniston@catapultpr-ir.com