Abstract. The practice of software development has evolved considerably in recent decades, with new programming technologies, the affordability of hardware, pervasive internet access and mobile computing all contributing to the emergence of new software development processes. The newer process initiatives, which include those which are sometimes referred to as agile or lean methods, have brought with them new terms, which sometimes reflect the introduction of novel concepts. Other times, new terms correspond to long established concepts that have been repackaged. The net position is that we have a proliferation of language and term usage in the software development process domain, a problem which has implications for assessors and assessment frameworks, and for the broader community. In this paper, we explore this problem, finding that it is worthy of further research. Plus, we identify a technique suited to addressing this concern: the establishment of a canonical software process ontological model.

Abstract. In work that is ongoing, the authors are examining the extent of software development process terminology drift. Initial findings suggest there is a degree of term confusion, with the mapping of concepts to terms lacking precision in some instances. Ontologies are concerned with identifying the concepts of relevance to a field of endeavour and mapping those concepts to terms such that term confusion is reduced. In this paper, we discuss how ontologies are developed. We also identify various sources of software process terminology. Our work to date indicates that the systematic development of a software development process ontology would be of benefit to the entire software development community. The development of such an ontology would in effect represent a systematic refactoring of the terminology and concepts produced over four decades of software process innovation.

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Processes usually are defined according to the underlying standards (ISO 15504, ESA ECSS, ISO 9001, etc.) and are described with process steps to be performed by roles and producing results (outputs) from well‐defined inputs, methods and tools to support the process steps, and activities to be done and skills to be covered by roles (Messnarz Ret et al. Proceedings of the 6th European Conference on Quality Assurance, Vienna 10–12 April 1999). Assessments and the resulting improvement initiatives focus much on the processes and less on the human resources based strategies.In this article we want to emphasise that both issues are of equal importance, the processes and the highly skilled human force. We also highlight a currently running European strategy (European Qualification Network (EQN)) and a funded technology project PLATO which support the establishment of such a human resource and learning strategy in Europe. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mo¨ssbauer and EPR measurements were performed with MOP1, a novel cytochrome b model compound with two heme binding sites. The measurements show for the first site well-resolved normal B-hemichrome EPR signals with characteristic g-values of 2.95, 2.27 and 1.50 which are a feature of the parallel planes orientation of axial histidines. The second site shows a poorly resolved EPR signal with a broad peak at g % 3.5, although both sites are occupied by the same amount of heme as found in the Mo¨ssbauer spectra. This site is correlated with the axial symmetry of the g-tensor and with the perpendicular alignment of the histidine planes. The Mo¨ssbauer spectra are simulated with due account for the spin-spin relaxation taking place within one molecular unit. It shows that the Fe(III) ion in the second site is in a previously not characterised spin-mixed state and not in a pure low-spin state, such as a HALS state. The redox potential of this site is about 65 mV more positive than that of the first site.y Dedicated to Professor F. Do¨rr on the occasion of his 80th birthday.