Project Setup

Create a Project for the software development being managed and set up your components as required.

Next ensure that your Versions are set up to match your Sprints (Project Administration -> Versions):

Nested Versions, Sprints Defined

Note that you should allocated Start and Release dates for each version (Sprint).

Sprint Planning

The easy (and fun) part is actually planning what work items (issues) go into your Sprints.  This is very simple in Gemini because you can quickly filter your issue base and allocate via drag-drop using the Planner feature:

Using Project Planner for Managing Sprints

Note how the Planner is influenced by what items you have filtered by: even the axis depth can be controlled to show more and less data elements.

Some tips on actual work items and selecting them for Sprints:

• Allocate Start and Due dates to issues to help people remember the order of their work items
• Allocate Estimated Effort to each issue and record actual time logs after work is complete
• Close each work item (issue) when it is completed (this means changing issue status to CLOSED)

Sprint Progress Tracking

Use the Versions tab on the Project home page to quickly track Sprint progress:

Sprint Burndown Charts

If more work items are added to the Sprint after it starts, then these can be seen as RED bars on the chart.  It’s usually useful to watch for these as they may explain why all work items have not been completed by the end of the Sprint. (Technically speaking, ALL work items should be logged and agreed upon BEFORE the Sprint starts.)

Product and Spring Backlogs

Both Product and Sprint backlogs can be viewed from the Project’s Road Map tab:

That’s it!

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• How can you capture and record application errors in a robust manner?
• What information do you need to capture in order for for Developers to correctly diagnose the root causes of application errors?
• How often are these errors affecting your end users?

And the list of common sense questions goes on, yet very few of us actual implement scientific fault logging and management best practices into our applications.  Without some scientific data to guide your Developers towards producing better applications, you have not closed the loop in terms of building and managing deployed software.

So, say Hello to our  integration between Gemini and the truly fantastic Gibraltar software from the guys over at eSymmetrix, Inc.  Some official words:

Gibraltar works with Gemini to provide an elegant, streamlined workflow for finding and fixing bugs in your applications. Every error automatically reported and intelligently processed. Gemini cases opened only for application versions you care about and each case assigned the appropriate project, area and priority.

Watch the integration video and see how Gemini + Gibraltar will really help your team deliver world class applications built and managed the right way.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzVMsrG7Q5o

More material on this integration will be made available shortly, but here are some useful resources to get you going:

• Integration introduction video
• Gibraltar + Gemini feature page
• Gibraltar product information
• Blog Post on Defect Tracking and Gibraltar

Take some time out and use the above resources to see how you can get your teams to improve their software development and ultimately, the end-user experience.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GA-pG6vi3c

Best viewed full screen and in HD format.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7YdSkg-mew

The video is best viewed in full-screen HD.

Here’s the direct YouTube video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7YdSkg-mew&hd=1

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So what’s all the fuss about?  Put simply, Gemini add-on’s like Desktop and Visual Studio allow you to select an issue and use a stopwatch style time recorder:

Essentially, you select an issue and then start the clock.  You can pause time recording when your interrupted.  If you lock your workstation when you are away from your desk, time recording is automatically paused.  Neat.

The stopwatch will continue until you press STOP and commit your time log:

Pick your time type, put in a descriptive comment and that’s it.

It’s not rocket science, but the impact of this simple feature has even take us by surprise!

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When we designed our test management software TestRail, it became apparent that an integration with bug trackers and project management tools like Gemini was a critical feature to improve the workflow between software developers and testers.  So we were very happy when we learned that CounterSoft decided to support and help us with such an integration. The result of this cooperation can be seen on our website explaining how to integrate TestRail with Gemini.

TestRail with Gemini

So what exactly is TestRail? TestRail is our comprehensive web-based test case management software.  TestRail helps testers, developers and team leads to efficiently manage, track and coordinate software testing efforts, all from a centralized and easy to use web application.

I invite you to give TestRail a try and test the Gemini integration.  You can either download TestRail for a local installation or request a hosted trial. We are also happy to announce that Gemini customers are eligible to a 20% discount on new TestRail licenses; just contact our Customer Services about this.

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Undock is designed to work with any mobile device, including the iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Blackberry, Android, Palm Pre, and Windows Mobile phones. Lightweight and lightning fast, Undock allows you to manage all of your tasks and projects wherever you are.

Undock supports both Gemini 3.6 and 3.7 releases.  With Undock there is nothing to install and nothing to change in your Gemini instance.  Simply sign-up and go.

Screenshots

Here are some actualscreenshots showing the application running on both iPhone and Android devices:

Introduction Video

See how easy it is to set up your Gemini instance with Undock:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lST22MOaZM

The Story Behind Undock

And here is the actual story behind how and why Undock was born as described by Gregory Silvano of Stature Software:

In February 2009 I had an epiphany: despite sending and receiving over 400 emails per day, my life was becoming increasingly dominated by web applications and not just email. It was this realization that prompted me to try the iPhone, since its web browser far surpassed that of my Blackberry.

I went into the AT&T store and loaded a single web site as a test: our Gemini project manager. With over 200 users, dozens of projects and thousands of issues, our Gemini site is the very definition of mission critical.

Gemini loaded just fine on the iPhone. Sure, it wasn’t optimized for the iPhone but in a pinch I could find and manage individual issues. It was good enough to leave my laptop behind during a family outing, and I’ve been an iPhone convert since.

But now it’s time for mobility to become a core part of our online experience. If we can easily and comfortably access our information anywhere, we can be anywhere. And I want the flexibility to be anywhere. This is how Undock was born.

Undock started as an internal application with one goal: access our Gemini data elegantly on any mobile device across many instances of Gemini; whether Stature’s or our clients’. I wanted every screen to be perfectly optimized for mobility.  I wanted it to be fast, and I wanted it to be effortless.

With the help of the Gemini API, I am pleased to say Undock is mission accomplished.

Undock provides all of the functionality found in a full Gemini site. You can view and edit issues, view issue attachments, view the issue history and comments, create an issue, and search by issue number or keyword. You can view issue lists by resource, by component, by status, and by version. You can even view your saved searches right on the home page.  And all of this is available under the existing security schemas and permissions configured in your Gemini site.

Most importantly, Undock is fast and is entirely designed around the concept of mobility. How?  If your search criteria matches a ticket number or only has one match, you’re brought right into that ticket. And just click the title bar on any page to go back to the most logical previous section. Sure, these may sound like minor features but every click counts when you’re working on a mobile device.  Undock isn’t just a mobile-friendly Gemini; it’s a mobile-optimized Gemini.

So join me and undock yourself. Manage your project from your iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Palm, or Windows Mobile phone.  Get mobile without losing your edge or your productivity.  You’ll love Gemini even more, trust me!

Gregory Silvano, Stature Software, LLC

With instant sign-up and FREE TRIAL, Undock is fully recommended by CounterSoft as an essential part of your project management tool-set.  » SIGN UP AND MORE DETAILS

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• Visual Project Planner – visualize and manipulate your issues, streamlined Agile Planning.
• Visual Studio 2008 & 2010 Add-ins –Seamless IDE integration with screenshot capture and time recording right next to your .NET code!
• Total Field Visibility Control —  hide Votes, Links, Attachments, Watchers and Issue History
• Easy Progress Tracking – allow resources to provide an indication on percentage complete, with or without time recording and work estimates
• Git & Mercurial Source Control Support – link file commits to Gemini from the leading distributed source control systems
• ASP.NET Medium Trust Support – install Gemini with leading Hosting Providers
• 15+ Bugfixes

Video: Visual Project Planner

A quick 2 minute video introducing the new Planner feature.  Great for Agile and Scrum fans everywhere!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcV_uHGdob4

Video: Visual Studio 2008 / 2010 Add-in

A closer look at the new Visual Studio Add-in for Gemini demonstrating time recording and screen capture features. Cool!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aua-80FBopA

Downloads

Change Log

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For the second year running, CounterSoft Gemini wins the best Software Project Management category award as voted for by The Code Project members.

“We’re delighted and honoured that for the second year running, The Code Project community voted Gemini as their tool of choice for managing software projects.” said Harvey Kandola, CEO.  “We always try to push the limits of product innovation as well as providing unparalleled product support to our customers.  This award proves we’re on the right track.”

Each year The Code Project asks it’s members to rate their favourite development tools at the CodeProject.com website.  In each category the highest ranked product is selected as the winner, in this case CounterSoft Gemini as the best Software Project Management tool.

About the Code Project

The Code Project is the world’s largest development community, connecting professional developers, development managers, and architects.

The Code Project is the only major developer-focused Web community built on high-quality, user-contributed content (over 15,800 articles so far).  An industry-leading community since 1999, The Code Project has more than 5 million registered members with over 3 million unique visitors each month.

http://www.codeproject.com

Read the official The Code Project Press Release

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Excerpt:

At Altius Consulting we use an issue tracking system to help our clients report any problems quickly and easily (once they have signed a Service Licence Agreement (SLA)). The system we use to track these issues is Gemini – an application developed by Countersoft (www.countersoft.com).

For some of our clients, we have developed ASP.NET front ends providing them with easy access to reporting, etc. A Google tool ELMAH (Error Logging Modules and Handlers), can then be linked into the ASP.Net website, detecting and reporting any errors that occur within the application.

Further reading:

http://tinyurl.com/3479lj9

http://tinyurl.com/3y3fpoy

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