Polaris

Introducing Polaris - Windows-Based Customizable Workflow and Issue Tracking

Most organizations know that version control systems are an important part of the software development life cycle. However, according to the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, you need a process in place that goes beyond simply version control:

"The software process for both management and engineering activities is documented, standardized, and integrated into a standard software process for the organization. All projects use an approved, tailored version of the organization's standard software process for developing and maintaining software."

Polaris can help your organization achieve this goal. Polaris is a customizable Windows-based problem tracking and defect management tool that you can use to improve your software development process. You create the forms that allow you to keep track of the information you need as well as the users, groups, and signature chains that drive the workflow process to correct a defect. Polaris can be used on its own, or as a seamlessly integrated component of Visual Studio.NET.

Basic Features

• Issue / Problem Tracking - Software defects are tracked from the time of submittal until the problem has been corrected and each stage of the process is clearly documented.
• Process and Workflow Management - You create the workflow states and the users that can promote an issue from one state to another.
• Customizable - In addition to building your own forms, you can specify the choices that will appear in a field, as well as an icon to represent each field.
• Visual Studio.NET Addin - Polaris is tightly integrated within Visual Studio.NET so that developers do not have to leave the environment in which they work to participate in the workflow process. This promotes acceptance of the process.
• Links to your version control provider - Attach issues to files under version control so that you can trace how a problem was solved. Files can be checked in and checked out from within Polaris. Any provider, such as Razor, that supports the Microsoft SCC Interface can be used.

Using the integrated problem tracking, defect management, and workflow features of Polaris will allow you to improve your software development process and achieve a higher Capability Maturity Model (CMM) rating.

If you are looking for an issue tracking solution for Unix or Linux, take a look at Razor.