SEGU Segue Software (MM)

Now Based on Advanced Architecture, SilkCentral Test Manager Allows Software Organizations to More Efficiently Manage Software Projects, Accelerate Time-to-Market Segue Software (NASDAQ-SCM: SEGU), the leader in Software Quality Optimization(TM) (SQO(TM)), today announced the release of its next-generation test management solution, SilkCentral(TM) Test Manager 8.0. SilkCentral Test Manager is a comprehensive offering for managing software quality activities throughout the entire application lifecycle. With SilkCentral Test Manager, independent software vendors and software development organizations can optimize software quality and reduce development cycle time--even when applications span multiple components, technologies and platforms. SilkCentral Test Manager provides the quality platform necessary to define, measure, manage and improve application quality from requirements through deployment. Since SilkCentral Test Manager is fully Web-enabled, it can support distributed, outsourced or centralized software quality environments. Powerful Web reporting capabilities provide up-to-the-minute visibility into the project test plan and progress made against it, enabling more efficient and effective decision making in areas such as resource allocation, schedule and overall release readiness. By gaining visibility into application quality status, development, testing and business teams can work in a parallel and collaborative manner. SilkCentral Test Manager facilitates adoption of iterative development processes, such as Agile development, where it is essential to start testing early in the development cycle and more frequently between builds, improving quality and accelerating time to market. Version 8.0 includes enhancements for Requirements Management, Test Planning, Test Execution, Issue Management and Reporting capabilities. New features include comprehensive, bi-directional support for Rational(R) Requisite Pro(R), Borland(R) CaliberRM(R) and integration with other requirements management solutions; deep integration with SilkCentral Issue Manager and other defect tracking systems such as IBM(R) Rational ClearQuest(R); a hierarchical treeview for creating and managing test suites; a new manual testing interface; and the ability to automatically schedule, execute and view results of testcase runs. A centralized common repository for all quality-related assets--to include requirements, functional and performance test plans and test results--gives application quality stakeholders access to consistent data, versus the disparate, individual silos of information still common in many organizations today. Utilizing a single, central repository provides timely information needed to prioritize quality efforts and resources in those areas that will deliver the greatest return on investment. Sophisticated reporting provides a dashboard view into overall project quality with the ability to drill down into additional levels of detail, as desired. SilkCentral(TM) Test Manager 8.0 is now based on the SilkCentral Common Architecture(TM) (SCA(TM)) which provides a number of inherent benefits including simplified access, simplified usage, data visibility and consistency, integration and extensibility. The SCA provides a series of core services such as a central data repository, collaboration services, integration services, user management services and workflow services for use by the various SilkCentral platform modules. Based on J2EE and Web services standards, the SCA provides an open and highly extensible platform for integration with both Segue and third party tools and platforms. "SilkCentral Test Manager provides us a single point of control from which to manage all quality-related activities throughout the application lifecycle," said Dan Young, automation developer, Branch Banking & Trust, a Winston-Salem-based banking and financial services firm. "With the central repository SilkCentral Test Manager offers, all quality stakeholders can have access to current, consistent information about application quality status. This level of control and visibility enables us to make sound business decisions about resource utilization, testing priorities and overall schedule commitments. SilkCentral Test Manager will return value to our business by allowing better visibility of issues more quickly, resulting in higher quality software applications delivered at a lower cost." SilkCentral Test Manager offers support for five key quality management activities: -- Requirements Management Module--Provides the framework needed for test groups to capture, organize and document key business requirements and then verify that they are testable. With shared access to these requirements, development and testing teams can work in parallel. As developers begin to build the features specified in the requirements, QA can create a test strategy and plan. -- Test Planning Module--Offers clear insight into which features must be tested to meet key requirements, allowing quality assurance personnel to design the most appropriate test--defining the nature of the test (manual or automated), test type (functional, operational or performance test), level of testing (unit, assembly, integration or pre-production release), and platforms, environments and technologies to be tested. -- Test Execution Module--After aligning test schedule with business requirements, the quality assurance organization executes and manages its tests--identifying defects, bottlenecks and integration issues along the way, while managing test coverage and progress against the test plan. With SilkCentral Test Manager, tests can also be traced back to requirements to prove compliance with relevant industry regulations. -- Issue Management Module--Defect management capabilities automatically record and facilitate the resolution of defects encountered in the software development process. -- Reporting Module--Delivers precise, consistent information, providing management with ongoing visibility into overall application quality trends, metrics and other information critical to make confident release readiness decisions. "Software applications have become increasingly complex, requiring organizations to test multiple platforms, languages and browsers under a seemingly infinite number of scenarios--and with the constant time pressure to release," said Ian McLeod, senior vice president of research and development, Lexington Development Lab. "Business requirements, coupled with market demands and competitive pressures to release software updates, can cause quality to suffer--often deteriorating brand loyalty and even a company's market valuation. SilkCentral Test Manager manages quality risks by providing all project teams throughout an organization with easy access to centralized and consistent quality metrics. SilkCentral Test Manager facilitates the implementation of software quality optimization initiatives, maximizing the potential for business success and a solid return on software and technology investments." About Segue Segue Software, Inc. (NASDAQ-SCM: SEGU) is a global expert in delivering solutions to define, measure, manage and improve software quality throughout the entire software application lifecycle. Segue's Software Quality Optimization solutions help companies reduce business risk, ensure the deployment of high quality software and increase return on investment. Leading businesses around the world, including many of the Fortune 500, rely on Segue's innovative Silk family of products to protect their business service levels, competitive edge and brand reputation. Headquartered in Lexington, Mass., with offices across North America and Europe, Segue can be reached at +1-781-402-1000 or www.segue.com. Segue and the Segue logo are registered trademarks and Software Quality Optimization, SQO, SilkCentral, SilkCentral Common Architecture and SCA are trademarks of Segue Software, Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. This Press Release may contain statements that are "forward-looking" statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of the words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "assume", "outlook", "will", "should", and other expressions which predict or indicate future events and trends and which do not relate to historical matters. You should not rely on forward-looking statements, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the control of Segue. These risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Segue to be materially different from the anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements were based on information, plans and estimates at the date of this press release, and we do not promise to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes.