What is our primary use case?
The primary use case is controlling and documenting project documents, requirements, tests, traceability between them, and coupling to the execution of text. Helix ALM is also used to track bugs and link them to validation testing.
How has it helped my organization?
Helix ALM is insanely configurable. We can really configure the solution and change it to do pretty much everything we want with only a couple of people. I have been in different roles along the way from principal contributor to project manager and with Helix ALM I rarely need IT, people, to make changes. I can be at an admin level and make the changes I need quickly and deploy them.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Helix ALM are traceability and flexibility.
One thing that distinguishes Helix ALM from other solutions is that it is a hybrid cloud model. Helix ALM is not a full cloud implementation like Valerian, Jira Jama, or Atlassian, where we just go through a browser onto the cloud. In the case of Helix, we have code that goes on our computer and then that communicates to the cloud. We have the backup and distribution capability of the cloud, but we have code executing on our machine, and we don't need to worry much about speed and internet lag problems.
What needs improvement?
The accountability and the equivalent to using, acting, editing, working with Word, and also importing and exporting from Word needs improvement.
Adding snapshots for testing would be a valuable addition to Helix ALM.
The functionality to import and export from Microsoft Word within Helix ALM would be a great improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and I give the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable and we currently have 100 users.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is excellent.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously to Helix ALM, I used Atlassian tools, Rational Rose Suite, Rational Unified Process, and the web-based Jama Jira.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is complexly straightforward. The vendor offers support where they come and set up the solution for a fee.
I give the setup a nine out of ten.
The deployment can take between a few days to weeks depending on the workflow and requires two people.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was completed in-house with the help of a consultant.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment with Helix ALM.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I give the solution a nine out of ten for pricing.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution a nine out of ten.
I suggest when implementing the solution, focus on the automation which allows us to configure and start simple before going complex. Do not try to deploy using all the bells and whistles at once.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
*Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
