Acknowledgments

The writing of this book was an odyssey. Along the way, numerous people helped us create something that transcends the collective skills of the coauthors. These folks fall into two rough categories: professional colleagues who helped with drafts of the proposal or reviews of the chapters, and friends and family members who provided the kind of support only those who are closest to us can give. Here, we thank our colleagues and dedicate this book to those close to us.

Special thanks:

• We are grateful to Mike Moran and Bill Hunt for guiding our proposal writing so that this book complements their own, rather than competing with it. We are especially grateful to Mike for writing the foreword.

• We are grateful to those who directed us through the publishing process, especially Bernard Goodwin, Michelle Housley, and Steve Stansel.

• We are grateful to Klaus Rusch, Daniele Hayes, Chris Williams, Jennette Banks, and Daria Goetsch for their very helpful review comments.

• We are grateful to our IBM managers, especially Klaus Rusch and Charles Chesnut, for letting this book eat a portion of our brains for more than a year.

• We are grateful to our mentors, named and unnamed, who counseled us through the ups and downs of the writing process. The authors received valuable mentorship from Aaron Dibernardo and Dave Evans.

• James is especially grateful to Professor Billie Wahlstrom for advising the M.S. thesis project that ultimately led to this book; and to Monica Piccinni, who mentored him through the writing process.

• Cynthia is especially grateful to Richard Kelley, who mentored her through the writing process and encouraged the writing of this book.