Design of opportunity tree framework for effective process improvement based on quantitative project performance

Abstract

Nowadays IT industry drives to improve the software process on marketing and financial benefits. For efficient process improvement, work performance should be enhanced in line with organization's vision by identifying weakness for improvement and risks with process assessment results and then mapping them in the software development environment. According to organization's vision, plans should be developed for marketing and financial strategic objectives. For each plan, improvement strategies should be developed for each work performance unit such as quality, delivery, cycle time, and waste. Process attributes in each unit should be identified and improvement methods shall be determined for them. In order to suggest a PPM (project performing measure) model to quantitatively measure organization's project performing capability and make an optimal decision for process improvement, this paper statistically analyzes SPICE assessment results of 2,392 weakness for improvement by process for 49 appraisals and 476 processes which were assessed through KASPA (Korea Association of Software Process Assessors) from 1999 to 2004 and then makes SEF (SPICE experience factory). It also presents scores on project performing capability and improvement effects by level, and presents weakness for improvement by priority in the performance unit by level. And finally, this paper suggests an OTF (opportunity tree framework) model to show optimal process improvement strategies.