Performance Results of CMMI-Based Process Improvement

Information and Software Technology

2012

278

194

ContextAn optimal software development process is regarded as being dependent on the situational characteristics of individual software development settings. Such characteristics include the nature of the application(s) under development, team size, requirements volatility and personnel experience. However, no comprehensive reference framework of the situational factors affecting the software development process is presently available. ObjectiveThe absence of such a comprehensive reference framework of the situational factors affecting the software development process is problematic not just because it inhibits our ability to optimise the software development process, but perhaps more importantly, because it potentially undermines our capacity to ascertain the key constraints and characteristics of a software development setting. MethodTo address this deficiency, we have consolidated a substantial body of related research into an initial reference framework of the situational factors affecting the software development process. To support the data consolidation, we have applied rigorous data coding techniques from Grounded Theory and we believe that the resulting framework represents an important contribution to the software engineering field of knowledge. ResultsThe resulting reference framework of situational factors consists of 8 classifications and 44 factors that inform the software process. We believe that the situational factor reference framework presented herein represents a sound initial reference framework for the key situational elements affecting the software process definition. ConclusionIn addition to providing a useful reference listing for the research community and for committees engaged in the development of standards, the reference framework also provides support for practitioners who are challenged with defining and maintaining software development processes. Furthermore, this framework can be used to develop a profile of the situational characteristics of a software development setting, which in turn provides a sound foundation for software development process definition and optimisation.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The situational factors that affect the software development process: Towards a comprehensive reference framework

Information and Software Technology

2012

278

194

“…Software process maturity is "the extent to which a specific software process is explicitly defined, managed, measured, controlled and effective" [3], with higher levels of process maturity being associated with higher product quality, reduced production costs [4], and with increased predictability of the process results [5], [6]. Although process maturity reference frameworks can deliver benefits to any type of software development organisation, evidence from earlier studies suggests their adoption would appear to be mostly concentrated in large organisations [7], [8]. Some earlier research has investigated the reasons for nonadoption of process maturity reference frameworks in the software SME sector, with the finding that software SMEs view process maturity frameworks as being infeasible (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Hierarchy of SPI Activities for Software SMEs: Results from ISO/IEC 12207-Based SPI Assessments

Communications in Computer and Information Science

Yılmaz

2012

Abstract.In an assessment of software process improvement (SPI) in 15 software small-and -medium-sized enterprises (software SMEs), we applied the broad spectrum of software specific and system context processes in ISO/IEC 12207 to the task of examining SPI in practice. Using the data collected in the study, we developed a four-tiered pyramidal hierarchy of SPI for software SMEs, with processes in the higher tiers undergoing SPI in more companies than processes on lower level tiers. The development of the hierarchy of SPI activities for software SMEs can facilitate future evolutions of process maturity reference frameworks, such as ISO/IEC 15504, in better supporting software development in software SMEs. Furthermore, the findings extend our body of knowledge concerning the practice of SPI in software SMEs, a large and vital sector of the software development community that has largely avoided the implementation of established process maturity and software quality management standards.

“…One of the principal developments in the software process domain has been the emergence of process maturity frameworks, with ISO/IEC 15504 [5] and CMMI [6] considered the most dominant [7][8][9]. Although process maturity reference frameworks are sometimes criticised for being cumbersome and costly [10], ISO/IEC 15504 [5] and CMMI [6] have been shown to deliver significant benefits for software development [11][12][13][14][15][16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Approach to Evaluating Software Process Adaptation

Communications in Computer and Information Science

2011

Abstract. Process maturity reference frameworks such as ISO/IEC 15504 and the Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) seek to assist software process improvement (SPI) efforts by prescribing a roadmap for improving the capability of the development process. However, such frameworks are not widely adopted in the practice [1], [2], especially in smaller software development organisations where the development process is often modified based on business events [3]. Such modification of the development process represents an attempt to harmonise the process with the changing needs of the business, which is a dynamic capability. Dynamic capabilities refer to the ability of businesses to adapt to changing circumstances and according to the evolutionary theory of the firm [4], organisations that possess greater dynamic capability are more successful. This paper introduces dynamic SPI capabilitythe ability to adapt the software process relative to changing situational circumstances -as a method for evaluating software process adaptation.