Practitioners versus Academics Software Engineering Problems Academics Practitioners

Real world problems/ issues Solutions by academics Practitioners versus Academics

Dying Patient with a Cancer How many male and female have this type of cancer? How many patients have this cancer in UK? What is their age? How to treat this cancer? Practitioners versus Academics

The advances in the development of software engineering standards and models have not been matched by equal advances in the adoption of these standards and models which has resulted in limited success for many software projects. This suggests that the current problem is not a lack of standard or model, but rather a lack of an effective strategy to successfully implement these standards or models. Therefore, further research is needed in the domain of software engineering standards and models implementation in order to reduce development time and cost, and to improve software quality. CMMI Challenges

Implementing CMMI initiatives are more complex in the developing countries (like Pakistan) as compared to developed countries like USA due to limited resources, the model knowledge, the process definition knowledge and skills. That is why despite strong desire to improve software development processes, a very small population of organisations in developing countries have adopted process capability maturity model. For example, until 2007 there were only ten or fewer appraisals conducted in developing countries. CMMI Challenges

Nine factors from two data sets have been identified that are generally considered critical for successfully implementing SPI. These factors are: allocation of resources SPI awareness creating process action teams defined SPI implementation methodology experienced staff higher management support reviews staff involvement training CMMI Challenges

Seven barriers in both data sets have been identified critical for SPI implementation. These barriers are: organizational politics lack of support lack of defined SPI implementation methodology lack of SPI awareness lack of resources inexperienced staff/lack of knowledge time pressure CMMI Challenges

Senior management commitment Senior management commitment is an essential element for the success of SPI implementation. Management at all levels of SPI implementation should provide support and commitment. Management should also participate in different SPI implementation activities. CMMI Challenges

Staff involvement is critical for staff satisfaction and to exchange of ideas. Training is needed for developing the skills and knowledge to perform SPI implementation. Reviews are important to continuously monitor existing SPI implementation methodology/process with emerging and new trends. CMMI Challenges

SPI awareness There is a great need for awareness of SPI programmes in order to fully understand the benefits of SPI. As SPI implementation is the process of adoption of new practices in the organization, it is very important to promote awareness activities of SPI and to share knowledge among different stakeholders. SPI is an expensive and long-term approach and it takes a long time to realise the real benefits of this approach. Hence, in order to get support of management and practitioners and to successfully continue SPI initiatives it is very important to provide sufficient awareness at the very beginning of SPI implementation programs. SPI implementation is not as beneficial without sufficient awareness of its benefits. CMMI Challenges

Lack of support Lack of support can undermine SPI implementation initiatives. Often SPI initiatives are not treated as a real project. This is because SPI initiative is a long-term approach and it takes a long time to realise the real benefits of this approach. This is the reason that SPI tasks often get low priority and other tasks can easily replace SPI tasks. The management also does not understand how SPI initiative can help them in daily work. Hence, management does not support this initiative. The practitioners stressed the need to provide sufficient support for SPI initiatives. CMMI Challenges

Creating process action teams The required results of SPI cannot be achieved without a SEPG (Software Engineering Process Group). SEPG is responsible to design new process and to implement and test these new processes. SEPG is also responsible to monitor the SPI implementation process. CMMI Challenges

Experienced staff Experienced staff should be involved in SPI initiative because they have detailed knowledge and first hand experience of SPI implementation. With experienced staff less rework of the documentation items is required, real issues can be resolved, and chances of destruction are reduced. SPI initiatives can only be successful if staff members have a thorough understanding of the entire SPI process and related business. CMMI Challenges

Organizational politics Organizational politics is one of the major barriers in SPI implementation. This is because the SPI is considered a change in the organization and often people resist to this change. Organizations are made up of groups and individuals who have differing values, goals and interests. The SPI initiative may fit into one group’s goals but does not fit into others goals. There are many factors that can triggers organizational politics, e.g. reallocation of resources, promotion opportunities, low trust, time pressures and role ambiguity. CMMI Challenges