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IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) Reviews

Vendor: IBM
3.6 out of 5
1,135 followers
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What is IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)?

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management stands out for its robust Agile Scrum planning, lifecycle traceability, and tool management, offering cloud-based configurability and strong collaboration features.

Get the IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM), Microsoft Azure DevOps, Jira and more!
IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) is the #12 ranked solution in top Application Lifecycle Management Suites. PeerSpot users give IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) an average rating of 7.2 out of 10. IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure DevOps: IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) vs Microsoft Azure DevOps. IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 70% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a manufacturing company, accounting for 27% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
May 2025
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IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) mindshare

As of May 2025, the mindshare of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) in the Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Suites category stands at 3.3%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Suites

PeerResearch reports based on IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryApplication Lifecycle Management (ALM) SuitesMay 21, 2025Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersMay 21, 2025Download
ComparisonIBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) vs JiraMay 21, 2025Download
ComparisonIBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) vs Microsoft Azure DevOpsMay 21, 2025Download
ComparisonIBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) vs Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM)May 21, 2025Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Microsoft Azure DevOps4.116.7%95%133 interviewsAdd to research
Jira4.121.4%91%274 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers

Valuable Features

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) offers valuable features like rich planning with Scrum concepts, cataloging for application identification, customizable workflows, and powerful lifecycle traceability. It integrates well with Git, supports seamless collaboration, and provides strong compliance and audit capabilities. ELM is Cloud-based, cost-effective, and supports valuable resource management and CPU usage reporting. It includes a unique global configuration, aiding in requirements documentation and linking everything together, enhancing team collaboration and decision-making.
  • "The most valuable feature is how IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) allows me to present to the customer what the actual software, even hardware, will do."
  • "The transition to a SaaS-based solution is a distinct advantage."
  • "The solution is customizable."

Room for Improvement

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management needs more intuitive user interface improvements and simplified usability for non-experts. Enhanced reporting capabilities and broader integration with third-party tools are required. Tutorials and interactive guides are needed for beginners. More support for traditional methodologies, stability, and better performance tracking are desired. Users seek easier setup and integration, extended functionality beyond software management, and improved traceability and data exchange, especially in bridging tools like DNG and Rhapsody. Enhanced Git integration is also recommended.
  • "Improvement is needed in bridging DNG and Rhapsody and vice versa for better data exchange from both sides with some trigger technologies."
  • "The user interface requires significant improvement as it is overly complex."
  • "The GUI is a little bit outdated."

Pricing

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) is perceived as expensive, with users suggesting potential price reduction due to unused features. Licenses are available monthly and yearly, but setup may incur additional costs. Although not the cheapest option compared to other market tools, it is not the most expensive. Users have consistently utilized it long-term, indicating value for its cost. However, pricing is less competitive compared to some alternatives, and changes in licensing models could enhance value.
  • "The solution is not cheap."
  • "IBM Rational ALM has both monthly and yearly licensing options."
  • "This product is a little expensive and we had to pay extra to have them set it up for us."

Popular Use Cases

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) is used by organizations for Agile Scrum project management, requirements management, and test management. It is deployed on-premises for configuring features, monitoring performance, and integrating tools in pipelines. Teams utilize ELM for engineering requirements, testing, version control, and process management. In the automotive and manufacturing sectors, ELM aids development, defect management, and end-to-end development activities, while also supporting dashboards, Kanban views, and live traceability features.

Service and Support

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) customer service and support are generally responsive and helpful. Users appreciate the technical support but mention it can be slow due to hierarchical processes. There's a desire for better access to frequently asked questions to help users solve problems without calling support. Some also found support documentation lacking and noticed delays in response times, rating it average. Local vendor support and IBM officers were notably responsive and satisfactory for some users.

Deployment

Initial setup of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) varies in complexity. Some find it straightforward with a few clicks needed, while others consider it complex, requiring experienced administrators. Agile knowledge aids setup efficiency, especially for large-scale deployment. A team effort is often necessary, with installation duration varying from minutes to weeks. Certain users rely on IBM colleagues for customized setup solutions, highlighting the need for understanding ELM’s deployment intricacies.

Scalability

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) demonstrates good scalability for diverse user bases. While some note the need for extensive knowledge and improvements in specific areas, many describe it as effective for various teams, with scalability seen from both deployment and functionality perspectives. Some have successfully scaled to support thousands of users, yet others express uncertainty about further expansion. Diverse licensing models influence user capacity and expansion decisions without problems for most.

Stability

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) showcases a blend of stability, with some tools like Rational Team Concert exhibiting high stability, while others like Rational Design Manager demonstrate lower stability. Many describe ELM as mostly stable, but some report issues requiring frequent reboots. User ratings vary between four to nine out of ten. Instances of bugs and slow loading are mentioned, yet some trust the renowned brand for reliability and stability across different company implementations.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
27%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
9%
Transportation Company
7%
Healthcare Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Comms Service Provider
5%
Educational Organization
3%
Real Estate/Law Firm
3%
Retailer
3%
Insurance Company
3%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
2%
University
2%
Construction Company
1%
Performing Arts
1%
Engineering Company
1%
Wholesaler/Distributor
1%
Consumer Goods Company
1%
Energy/Utilities Company
1%
Logistics Company
1%
Non Profit
1%

Compare IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) with alternative products

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Learn more about IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management provides rich capabilities for Agile project management, facilitating requirements and test management, configuration management, and version control. Its integration with IBM Doors supports comprehensive requirements handling, and the cloud-based platform enhances collaborative efficiency across teams. Despite needing advances in user-friendliness and reporting, ELM's global configuration and compliance features make it invaluable in demanding environments.

What are the key features of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management?
  • Scrum-based planning: Supports Agile methodologies with rich planning tools.
  • Lifecycle traceability: Offers complete traceability across development stages.
  • Customizable workflows: Adaptable workflows with Kanban for flexibility.
  • Git integration: Supports efficient version control and collaboration.
  • Global Configuration: Manages complex configurations globally.
  • Compliance and reporting: Ensures robust auditing and comprehensive reporting capabilities.
What benefits should be evaluated in reviews?
  • Collaboration: Enhanced sharing across platforms for seamless teamwork.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Delivers efficient tools that optimize project spend.
  • Comprehensive requirement handling: Facilitates detailed requirement management through IBM Doors integration.

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management is vital in sectors like automotive and manufacturing, where it implements Agile frameworks to manage requirements, conduct testing, and handle defects. It integrates into development pipelines ensuring live traceability and visibility, supporting critical engineering processes efficiently.

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) was previously known as IBM Engineering Rhapsody, Rational ALM, MKS.

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) customers

Tennis Australia, WeCloud AB, Port Otago Limited, Logicalis US, Valmer, The Chevrolet Volt, Ashurst

Related questions

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When evaluating Application Lifecycle Management suites, what aspects do you think are the most important to look for?
  • 14
Looking for suggestions - we need a test management and defect tracking tool which can be integrated with an automation tool.
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Looking for a Comparison of JIRA, TFS & HP ALM as a Test Management Tool
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Do you have any feedback on the HPE ALM Octane release that came out in June 2016?
  • 14
How does Digite's Swift ALM tool compare with HPE ALM or JIRA?
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Would you use one or both ALM and JIRA to manage the SDLC and production support work?
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What ALM software do you recommend for building web apps?
  • 69
What is better for ALM: Scrum or Kanban?
  • 6
What features should one consider when choosing an ALM suite?
  • 39
What is your recommended Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) product for a large enterprise?

Product Categories

Product Categories
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Suites

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IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) reviews

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Juergen Albrecht - PeerSpot user
Managing Director at CCC Systems Engineering Suisse GmbH
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Apr 16, 2025
Combining tools for effective data analysis while customization and integration need improvement

Pros

"The most valuable feature is how IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) allows me to present to the customer what the actual software, even hardware, will do."

Cons

"Improvement is needed in bridging DNG and Rhapsody and vice versa for better data exchange from both sides with some trigger technologies."

What is our primary use case?

Most of my primary use cases involve the combination of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) and DOORS, including both Classic DOORS and DNG. I bring these tools together with data exchange, graphical exchange, and a lot of customizing for testing, linking, analysis, and document generation.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is how IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) allows me to present to the customer what the actual software, even hardware, will do. It helps them gain an impression of the complexity of the functionality and find an easier way to decide whether to implement it. A picture says more than one thousand words, which is why I work with the combination of ELM and the specification of DOORS. The automation capabilities I built use column-based scripts for analysis to search, fetch, and transfer information. When I open modules, it automatically analyzes the changes since the last opening by me.
*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (661 words)
Harold Pogue - PeerSpot user
Global IT Director of Digital Platforms. Digital and Connected Commerce at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Dec 8, 2022
A complex deployment that is not stable, but is cloud-based

Pros

"The word emulation and importing is good."

Cons

"The interconnectivity between packages is a major support problem and can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

The team of 15 to 20 software engineers uses IBM Rational ALM and Jira for testing. They coupled different online packages together because the Duration Enterprise was impossible to use.

How has it helped my organization?

IBM Rational ALM did not help the organization and we ended up moving to another solution.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (291 words)
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Avijit Amitabh - PeerSpot user
Heaad of Automation Devision at Alstom Ferroviaria S.p.A.
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Oct 29, 2024
SaaS integration for enhanced value, but has a confusing interface

Pros

"The transition to a SaaS-based solution is a distinct advantage. "

Cons

"The user interface requires significant improvement as it is overly complex."

What is our primary use case?

We use IBM Rational ALM as part of our overall application suite for our manufacturing company. It is used by our engineering team to capture requirements, perform testing, and manage defects. Specifically, my test team uses this tool to capture test cases, raise defects, and map requirements to test cases.

How has it helped my organization?

IBM Rational ALM has made it much better for business teams to track everything in relation to requirements. It saves time and provides management with a central view on the overall status and dashboard. It also has reporting capabilities.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (457 words)
PeerSpot user
Product Owner at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Feb 20, 2024
Lacks features, and the GUI is a little bit outdated, though the audit trails are quite good

Pros

"The solution is customizable."

Cons

"The GUI is a little bit outdated."

What is our primary use case?

We have three modules. The DOORS module is for requirements. RTC is for storage planning and workflow planning. We also use the module for quality. We use IBM Rational ALM as the main tool to plan development.

What is most valuable?

The solution is customizable. It is quite strong in compliance and auditing. The audit trail is quite good. We can link everything together.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (452 words)
PeerSpot user
Tool Manager at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Feb 12, 2022
Product version discussed: 6.06
Integrates well with Git and the technical support is helpful, but the interface should be more modern

Pros

"The integration with Git works well. "

Cons

"One of the complaints from users is that they have to click buttons too many times for just a simple task. Changing this would lead to a better user experience."

What is our primary use case?

We are a software development company and I am a tech manager. My role includes managing the IBM ALM and GitLab tools. We have IBM ALM installed in a virtualized environment but not on the cloud.

What is most valuable?

The features for creating workflows are flexible and powerful.

The integration with Git works well. We use Git for code versioning, and it is integrated with ALM. The combination of these is good because ALM is better for the process and the requirements, whereas Git is better for version control.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (588 words)
RA
Owner at Qstec
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Dec 9, 2022
Product version discussed: Latest version
Useful workflow capabilities, enables seamless collaboration, and scalable

Pros

"One of the key advantages of IBM Rational ALM is its workflow capabilities, which enable seamless collaboration between development and production teams and ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the progress and readiness of the solution. Additionally, the solution is good for integration."

Cons

"The solution can improve in the development area and the customized applications."

What is our primary use case?

We used the complete suite of IBM Rational ALM for development and work with the infrastructure to put the application right. I'm in charge of the team, that is working with the tools, and this solution is one of them. I work with the team and approve or not to go to live with the application and modifications to the application.

What is most valuable?

One of the key advantages of IBM Rational ALM is its workflow capabilities, which enable seamless collaboration between development and production teams and ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the progress and readiness of the solution. Additionally, the solution is good for integration.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (403 words)
PeerSpot user
Technology Architect at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Jan 5, 2020
Product version discussed: Community Edition
Integration into our pipelines helps to identify pain points and streamline performance

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the reporting of the CPU usage on the dashboard. "

Cons

"The stability of this solution can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We are a central, systems integration team that provides different solutions to vendors and business partners. We have a lab available on-premises and we work with all of the latest tools available in the market. We integrate them into the pipelines, create new PoCs and use cases, and showcase the solutions to different clients. IBM Rational ALM is one of the solutions that we provide.

Our primary use case has to do with performance monitoring. We are trying to help our business users with their development and landscaping to identify exactly where their pain point areas are. Then we can help to fine-tune their applications, tools, and databases for the teams. 

How has it helped my organization?

We are working on integrating this tool directly into our DevOps pipeline. Once this is done then we will be able to supply our clients with regular updates that tell them what to look at in order to improve performance.

*Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Read full review (474 words)
PeerSpot user
Senior Architect at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Verified user of IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM)
Aug 4, 2023
The best tool in the market for anyone looking for an end-to-end solution for the ALM platform

Pros

"We have something called the GC (global configuration), which is a unique feature compared to any other competitor we have in the ALM space."

Cons

"IBM Rational ALM should remove the features not used by the customers and keep this product as lightweight as possible."

What is our primary use case?

I use IBM Rational ALM to provide solutions to various customers for their end-to-end development, like requirement gathering. The solution's RM tool is used for live traceability.

What is most valuable?

We have something called the GC (global configuration), which is a unique feature compared to any other competitor we have in the ALM space.

*Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Read full review (367 words)