TechExcel, Inc. Unveils DevPlan; Announces Significant Feature Upgrades To DevTrack And DevTest

Company's Application Lifecycle Management Products are Fast Becoming the Standard for Knowledge-Centric Concept Design, Project Planning, Development and Testing for Software Product Development Teams

LAFAYETTE, CALIF. – TechExcel, Inc., the leading provider of knowledge-centric Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) software, today announced the general availability of DevPlan, specifically designed to manage the software development lifecycle for distributed teams. DevPlan provides a knowledge-centric solution to ensure for-market software product design and development is in alignment with enterprise business goals.

"There are many tools available for the development process, project management and issue-tracking," said Tieren Zhou, CEO and Chief Software Architect at TechExcel. "But there are few solutions available specific to application development and even fewer that encompass an integrated solution for managing the planning and the implementation processes. DevPlan enables software designers and managers to build on the philosophy that a fully-conceptualized product exists before any implementation begins. With DevPlan, managers and designers define the product vision. Then, developers and QA engineers use TechExcel DevTrack to implement the product according to the design specifications, timelines, milestone dates, and team resources. This provides software companies with a simplified way to ensure project success by matching what is implemented with what was originally designed."

TechExcel DevPlan provides immediate and tangible benefits, including:

DevPlan combines with DevTrack, TechExcel's market-leading issue-tracking solution, to provide an integrated project-planning and management solution. Boasting an array of innovative features well-suited for ALM, the product includes integrated knowledge management, issue-tracking, and team-based planning and calendaring capabilities. These features help foster collaboration, beyond typical aspects, such as a Gantt chart view, resource management and baseline comparisons.

Once an area of development is ready for implementation, DevPlan's seamless integration with DevTrack enables resources to work on their respective tasks: all work performed in DevTrack is done within the context of DevPlan's project breakdown structure. DevPlan's robust knowledge base allows all team members to remain updated with key project information. Designs and specifications are easily viewable by the DevTrack user so that no work is performed without approved concepts to drive execution. Managers can quickly identify areas that require design and schedule brainstorming sessions or presentations of completed designs to refine their vision.

TechExcel is further bolstering its leadership position with new version releases of its market leading DevTrack and DevTest products. Increasingly, more enterprises have standardized on the knowledge-centric processes that DevTrack and DevTest provides.

DevTrack 6.1

TechExcel DevTrack is the market-leading project- and issue-tracking tool for Application Lifecycle Management, helping to ensure that quality products are developed and delivered on time and on budget. By comprehensively tracking and managing all product defects, change requests, and other development issues, DevTrack facilitates teamwork between different users, teams, and even customers. Exciting new standard-edition features include HTML markup in issue descriptions and notes, and a spell-check engine that also is included with DevTrack Web. Enterprise customers can enjoy all of the benefits of DevTrack Standard Edition, as well as a new management engine which allows rapid creation of child issues across multiple versions and releases of a product, event workflow improvements and seamless integration with DevPlan.

DevTest 2.0

TechExcel DevTest enables QA teams to manage every aspect of their testing process, from test planning and team management to analyzing test results. Teams may create and manage release and test cycles, plan and assign test tasks to testing teams, execute test coverage, and submit product defects in a single application. DevTest 2.0 adds many new features that make it easier to manage QA testing for a core team, outsourced teams, and automated tools. HTML field support allows users to format text and add images or other graphics to any DevTest memo fields; resizable dialogs make DevTest data in the planning wizard and other pop-up dialogs easier to view. Teams can share private reports and easily organize views with drag and drop reporting. Enhanced knowledge views also enable easier collaboration with distributed teams. In addition, full web browser support for Internet Explorer, Safari, Netscape, and Firefox make DevTest even more accessible.

Zhou concluded, "DevPlan's unique approach to application lifecycle management gives visionary managers and designers a framework to efficiently communicate their ideas and allows these visions to drive projects to successful completion."

DevPlan, DevTrack 6.1 and DevTest 2.0 are shipping now. Organizations and the press are encouraged to contact TechExcel at 925-871-3931 or by e-mail at sales@techexcel.com to arrange personal demonstrations.