1. Software Process Assessment and Improvement

2. Software Process Process is what binds people, methods and tools
A process is defined by:
Process model (ie waterfall, spiral, etc.)
Phases and timing between phases
Entry and exit criteria for each phase
Methods for performing the activities within each phase (i.e. object-oriented design, test-driven development, formal inspections, etc.)
Roles and responsibilities of workers
Workflows (requirements → design → code → test)

3. Process Issues There are good and bad processes
Processes are more or less effective or mature
Quality processes lead to quality products

4. Software Process Assessment and Improvement
Software process assessment is used to
Judge the capabilities of potential contractors
Establish a current baseline from which to start an improvement initiative
Software process improvement is important to stay competitive, lower costs, improve quality, etc.
Knowing the quality of a contractor's process will predict the likelihood of the contractor meeting schedule, costs and quality requirements.
Looking at a teams previous work give some indication of what they are likely to be able to accomplish in the future, but because all software system are unique original effort, it may not be as good indicator as the quality of the process used to produce previous results.

5. A Desirable Process is:
Defined
Measured
Controllable
Effective
Institutionalized
Defined – it can be communicated and improved.
If it’s not measurable it’s not controllable.
It’s controllable if it has built in status evaluation points.
Institutionalized – is it one or two “good apples” or is it part of the fabric of the organization?

6. Foundations of Software Process Improvement
Software process improvement principles and techniques evolved from those used in manufacturing during the industrial revolution
Based on the work of Shewhart, Deming, Crosby, Juran
Watts Humphrey and Ron Radice applied these principles of process improvement in manufacturing to software development
Ron Radice [Radice 85] applied the principles outlines by Crosby to software while at IBM. Humphrey evolved Radice's work into the CMM.
"Deming ... applied the concepts of statistical process control to industry. While there are important differences, these concepts are just as applicable to software as they are to automobiles, cameras, wristwatches, and steel."  [Humphrey 88]

7. Different Process Improvement Frameworks
Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI)
ISO 9001
ISO/IEC (SPICE)
CMM and newer CMMI has generated the most interest

8. CMMI
Version 1.1 of the CMMI came out in Version 1.2 came out in Version 1.3 came out in 2010.
CMMI integrates existing stand-alone or silo models (CMM, SW-CMM, SE-CMM, Integrated product development maturity model)
Some of the major changes in CMMI V1.3 are the support of Agile Software Development, improvements to high maturity practices and alignment of the representation (staged and continuous).

9. CMMI Process Areas CMMI contains 22 process areas:
Project Planning
Configuration Management
Measurement and Analysis
Etc…
The CMMI supports two different representations of these process areas:
Staged
Continuous

10. Staged vs. Continuous
“The staged approach yields appraisal results as one of five maturity levels. The continuous approach yields one of six capability levels.”

11. Staged Optimizing 5 Quantitatively Managed 4 Defined 3 2 Initial 1
Process unpredictable, poorly controlled, and
reactive
Process characterized for projects and is often reactive
Process characterized for the organization and is proactive
Process measured and controlled
Focus on continuous process improvement
Optimizing
Quantitatively
Managed
Defined
Initial

13. CMMI DEV Staged Representation
Level Focus Process Areas
5 Optimizing
Continuous
Process
Improvement
Organizational Innovation and Deployment
Causal Analysis and Resolution
4 Quantitatively
Managed
Quantitative
Management
Organizational Process Performance
Quantitative Project Management
3 Defined
Standardization
Requirements Development
Technical Solution
Product Integration
Verification
Validation
Organizational Process Focus
Organizational Process Definition (+ IPPD extras)
Organizational Training
Integrated Project Mgmt (+ IPPD extras)
Risk Management
Decision Analysis and Resolution
Requirements Management
Project Planning
Project Monitoring and Control
Supplier Agreement Management
Measurement and Analysis
Process and Product Quality Assurance
Configuration Management
2 Managed
Basic
Project
1 Initial
22 PA in SE/SW
Levels 2 through 5 are decomposed into PAs: cluster of related activities that achieve goals for enhancing process capability.
CMMI describes what to do, not how to do it. Has common sense, efficient, proven ways of keeping whole team going in same direction. This is what you (prog. Mgr) are probably already doing because you learned you had to.
CMMI is not a radical new approach - it is what you should be doing anyway!

14. Model Components Process Areas (PA) Specific Goals (SG) Required
Specific Practices (SP) Expected
Typical Work Products Informative
Sub-practices Informative
Notes Informative
Discipline Amplifications Informative
References Informative
Generic Goals (GG) Required
Generic Practices (GP) Expected
Generic Practice Elaborations Informative
Example process area: Configuration management (

15. Example Process Area: Project Planning
Here are the specific goals (SG) and specific practices (SP) of the Project Planning process area.
Ref:
The CMMI has required, expected and informative components. Required components are things an organization must achieve to satisfy a process area. Specific and generic goals are required. Expected components are items organizations may implement to achieve a required component. Specific and generic practices are expected components. (It’s hard to imagine accomplishing a specific or generic goal without implementing the expected components that go along with the goal. That’s why they are called “expected”.) Informative components are items that may be useful on the way to accomplishing required and expected components. Subpractices and typical work products are examples of informative components.

16. As of September 2006.

17. 2008

18. 2011
Images are from:

20. Small growth in commercial in-house.

21. Many gov contractors have to have level 3 before bidding on project.

22. CMMI rating is one way for Non-US companies to demonstrate their competency.

24. Quick reference guide: http://www. sei. cmu
Can use to give a rough approximation of organization maturity.