SOFTWARE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT SHARATH CHANDAR REDDY ALETI CSC 532 TERM PAPER

Introduction Software Process can be defined as a set of activities, methods, transformations and practices that people use to develop and maintain software and the associated products. Software Process can be defined as a set of activities, methods, transformations and practices that people use to develop and maintain software and the associated products. software process improvement encompasses process assessment, process refinement (traditional SPI), and process innovation (introducing major process changes).

Software Process: Objectives schedule (delivery date) functionality (features) quality (defects)

Software Process Improvement Are analyses of errors conducted to determine their process related causes? Is a mechanism used for ensuring compliance to software engineering standards?

.. Contd Resources may be invested on software process improvement to account for Resources may be invested on software process improvement to account for shorter project duration shorter project duration fewer developers using fewer labor months fewer developers using fewer labor months less time spent testing, debugging, and fixing errors less time spent testing, debugging, and fixing errors less maintenance support less maintenance support higher return on training and automated tools investment higher return on training and automated tools investment greater predictability of project results greater predictability of project results

The Process of getting Software Process Improvement started Motivation Motivation Expectation Setting Expectation Setting Visioning Visioning Business Objectives Business Objectives Software Process Improvement Infrastructure Software Process Improvement Infrastructure Selecting the Process Improvement Participants Selecting the Process Improvement Participants Managing Change Managing Change Determining the priority for the Process Improvement Implementation Determining the priority for the Process Improvement Implementation Action Planning Action Planning

Business Motivation for Process Improvement cycle time reduction cycle time reduction quality improvements in the delivered products quality improvements in the delivered products improved schedule performance because of more realistic estimates and reduced feature creep improved schedule performance because of more realistic estimates and reduced feature creep reduced internal rework and wasted effort reduced internal rework and wasted effort reduced staff turnover and increased morale reduced staff turnover and increased morale the ability to facilitate movement of people from one project to another because of common software development practices. the ability to facilitate movement of people from one project to another because of common software development practices.

Guiding Principles for Software Project Improvement The SPI initiative is intended to address business, technical, project management, and quality of life issues that are worth improving. The organization should be able to explain to stakeholders why a proposed activity or deliverable is important. The SPI initiative is intended to address business, technical, project management, and quality of life issues that are worth improving. The organization should be able to explain to stakeholders why a proposed activity or deliverable is important. Process oriented work products must be concise, must add value, and must be usable. There is no intent to produce reams of documentation. Process oriented work products must be concise, must add value, and must be usable. There is no intent to produce reams of documentation.

.. Contd The appropriate mindset for process change is to understand “what’s in it for us” as a project team, an organization, or a company and its customers, not just what’s in it for any individual. The appropriate mindset for process change is to understand “what’s in it for us” as a project team, an organization, or a company and its customers, not just what’s in it for any individual. The initiative will emphasize the importance of leveraging existing examples and templates. The organization must avoid the “not invented here” syndrome, choosing instead to borrow, buy, or adapt appropriate artifacts that already exist. The initiative will emphasize the importance of leveraging existing examples and templates. The organization must avoid the “not invented here” syndrome, choosing instead to borrow, buy, or adapt appropriate artifacts that already exist.

IDEAL MODEL The ideal model assumed depicts five phases for SPI initiative The Initializing Phase The Initializing Phase The Diagnosing Phase The Diagnosing Phase The Establishing Phase The Establishing Phase The Acting Phase The Acting Phase The Leveraging Phase The Leveraging Phase

Figure showing the phases of IDEAL Model

Process Improvement Goals Short-Term Goals Short-Term Goals Define the SPI goals for the next 6-12 months, in terms of the areas to be worked on, the improvement objectives desired, and the ways in which progress toward these goals will be measured and determined Define the SPI goals for the next 6-12 months, in terms of the areas to be worked on, the improvement objectives desired, and the ways in which progress toward these goals will be measured and determined

..Contd Long-Term Goals Long-Term Goals Describe the long-term objectives of the SPI activity, over a span of 2 to 3 years. These may be motherhood statements, but the more they can be related to business objectives and correcting known shortcomings in the current business, the more plausible they will be. Keep goals few, concise, unambiguous, and measurable. Describe the long-term objectives of the SPI activity, over a span of 2 to 3 years. These may be motherhood statements, but the more they can be related to business objectives and correcting known shortcomings in the current business, the more plausible they will be. Keep goals few, concise, unambiguous, and measurable.

Manage the Software Process Improvement program Setting the stage for SPI program Setting the stage for SPI program Organizing the SPI program Organizing the SPI program Planning the SPI program Planning the SPI program Staffing the SPI program Staffing the SPI program Monitoring the SPI program Monitoring the SPI program Directing the SPI program Directing the SPI program

Not all Processes are successful Reasons for SPI failures Lack of executive level sponsorship Lack of executive level sponsorship Lack of middle and first line management commitment Lack of middle and first line management commitment Organizational culture unwilling to change Organizational culture unwilling to change Lack of commitment to continuous SPI improvement Lack of commitment to continuous SPI improvement Lack of successful resources in SPI effort Lack of successful resources in SPI effort

Conclusion Is software process improvement worth the investment? Is software process improvement worth the investment? Can a mature process really pay for itself? Can a mature process really pay for itself?

Answer Data from many software companies demonstrate a positive return on investment for software process improvement Data from many software companies demonstrate a positive return on investment for software process improvement Measurements include Measurements include expenditures expenditures productivity productivity quality quality customer satisfaction customer satisfaction YES!

References The Process of Getting Software Process Improvement Started. Tim Kasse. The Process of Getting Software Process Improvement Started. Tim Kasse. A User’s Guide for Software Process Improvement. Bob Mc Feeley.

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