Reengineering of the software development process in a technology services company

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the need of a reengineering of the software development process in a Mexican technology services company. In general, the main risk faced by small- and medium-sized software developers (SMEs) is the inability to meet delivery times or to adjust to project requirements, whether through lack of follow-up on the critical activities of the development process or through an inadequate distribution of workloads among members of the project team. Design/methodology/approach The methodology used to carry out the reengineering of the software development process is Hammer and Champy, which consists of six stages: introduction to the current situation of the company and the need for change; identification of the business processes; selection of the business process to be redesigned; understanding of the process selected; proposal for reengineering the business process selected; and the results of the comparison between the current situation of the process and the proposed reengineering of the process through the use of Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN 2.0). Findings Based on the results, the paper shows the importance of the analysis and implementation of the reengineering in a software development company. It describes step-by-step how to apply the methodology of Hammer and Champy in a business process through simulated scenarios, using BPMN 2.0. By carrying out the implementation of the proposed reengineering, the company would therefore save 45.12 percent of costs, 41.17 percent of time, and a better distribution of resources, at the same time guaranteeing the satisfaction of its clients. Originality/value The study addresses the current needs of small- and medium-sized software developers, providing a step-by-step guide to the implementation of a process reengineering methodology, performing an analysis and modeling of processes in BPMN 2.0 and providing results through a simulation of the critical process, with the aim to observe the flow of activities and the significant improvements that would be achieved by implementing the reengineering proposal. This simulation schema allows business owners to observe the potential of the changes and to verify the positive impact they would have on the company before beginning to make operational changes in the organization.

Business process reengineering for designing a knowledge-enabled customer-centric competitiveness strategy

“…BPR was proposed to deliver the highest value to customers and companies. By implementing BPR, companies can significantly improve critical areas such as costs, time, quality, customer service and better resource distribution while guaranteeing client satisfaction (Lopez et al, 2019). However, Al-Mashari et al (2001) criticized the lack of an integrative and holistic view of BPR as making changes to one part affects the other as they are interconnected.…”

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Governance Processes: A Case Study

“…A single respondent stated that the Solution Maintenance Plan artifact is in place, which may be a warning about whether this artifact is actually implemented in the agency. There are several works in the literature [3,[51][52][53][54] which assert the importance of organizations having a well-defined software development process, especially in relation to government agencies, which require maturity level 3 for an organization to be able to provide software development services to any agency of the Brazilian Government. Regarding the analysis of the basic ICT processes, we can conclude that only the ICT People Management process and its respective artifacts (Talent Bank (Skills and Competencies) and Role and Responsibility Definition Form) are not implemented in the agency.…”

The Role of Business Process Modeling Notation in Process Improvement: A Critical Review

“…Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) has become a linchpin for enhancing organizational efficiency and process improvement across various industries. As a standardized graphical notation, BPMN allows for the detailed modeling, analysis, and refinement of business processes, proving its indispensability in sectors ranging from technology and health care to supply chain management (Lopez-Arredondo et al, 2020;Negara & Doni, 2020;Szelągowski et al, 2022;Zarour et al, 2020).…”

“…The scientific literature provides specific insights into BPMN solutions to organizational process challenges. Through its standardized notation, BPMN offers a clear representation of business processes, enabling effective modeling and analysis across various domains (Lopes & Guerreiro, 2023;Lopez-Arredondo et al, 2020). Its capability for integration with other process improvement tools, such as VSM, amplifies its analytical strengths, making BPMN a potent tool for pinpointing inefficiencies and improvement areas (Soliman et al, 2022).…”