Requirements for a software process improvement support and learning environment

Abstract

Summary form only given. Small organizations require external support to initiate software process improvement (SPI). Obstacles in using international SPI models could be lowered with a collection of appropriate means. The described support and learning environment covers steps, tools and roles needed to rapidly achieve effective improvement of software processes. To enable efficient use of the SPI models, appropriate processes, roles, methods and tools are needed, too. The SPI related needs for technology transfer are remarkable, especially in small organizations. The SPI itself requires supportive training and consultation, but also the needs for knowledge, skills, methods and tools in the software engineering and management areas should be addressed. A baseline of the required features for a supporting environment is derived from the improvement process models and experiences of software organizations' needs. Extended features increase the functionality of the environment. The outcomes of the improvement process provide a complementary list of requirements for the environment. The SPI environment consists of the SPI process, related views and information. The SPI process is a collection of process steps defined in SPI models. Different views for different situations provide the flexibility needed in everyday SPI work. SPI related information is accessible through the environment's repositories. A tentative outline of an effective support environment enabling rapid software process improvement is presented.