Software Process Improvement Success Research Articles

An empirical study on factors that affect the transition time between capability maturity model integration (CMMI) levels in Saudi Arabia

During recent years, software process improvement (SPI) has been more concerned by a software industry. Numerous studies have been made in development of SPI standards and models, or to identify factors that affect SPI success. However, these studies did not provide answers to questions about the factors that affect the transition time between CMMI (capability maturity model integration) levels, and why there are obvious differences in the organizations’ transition time between CMMI levels. The objective of this research is to identify the factors that can affect the transition time between CMMI levels. We conducted 10 interviews in 7 different Saudi’s software companies to extract the factors and compare these factors with what are in the literature to avoid redundancy, based on that we designed a questionnaire. We sent out of 117 requests to participants, 46 responded from 12 companies. We asked the participants to rank each factor on a five-point scale (high, medium, low, zero and not sure) to determine the effect of each factor. We identified 21 factors that are considered effective factors on the transition time between CMMI levels. Also we identified two new factors (Turnover of staff and Imposed partner) which were not identified in the literature. Key words: Software process improvement, CMMI (capability maturity model integration), factors, transition time, empirical study.

SPI success factors within product usability evaluation

This article presents an experience report where we compare 8 years of experience of product related usability testing and evaluation with principles for software process improvement (SPI). In theory the product and the process views are often seen to be complementary, but studies of industry have demonstrated the opposite. Therefore, more empirical studies are needed to understand and improve the present situation. We find areas of close agreement as well as areas where our work illuminates new characteristics. It has been identified that successful SPI is dependent upon being successfully combined with a business orientation. Usability and business orientation also have strong connections although this has not been extensively addressed in SPI publications. Reasons for this could be that usability focuses on product metrics whilst today's SPI mainly focuses on process metrics. Also because today's SPI is dominated by striving towards a standardized, controllable, and predictable software engineering process; whilst successful usability efforts in organisations are more about creating a creative organisational culture advocating a useful product throughout the development and product life cycle. We provide a study and discussion that supports future development when combining usability and product focus with SPI, in particular if these efforts are related to usability process improvement efforts.

Software process improvement with weak management support: an analysis of the dynamics of intra-organizational alliances in IS change initiatives

Software Process Improvement (SPI) projects are large-scale, complex organization-wide change initiatives. They require considerable investments in personnel, time and money and impact just about every aspect of software firms. The group charged with conducting an SPI project has, however, little formal authority to influence or force software professionals to engage in SPI work or to define and implement changes. The SPI literature suggests that successful SPI initiatives depend on strong commitment from top management. But what should the SPI group do if management support is weak? In this paper, we present an analysis of how an SPI group can use alliances to obtain influence and succeed when management support is weak. Our study is based on a 3-year longitudinal field study of SPI change initiatives at Denmark Electronics. Our findings show that a lack of top management support is not necessarily incompatible with success. This research opens an important new area of research on intra-organizational alliances and information system (IS) implementation. It has the potential to offer new theories and practical advice on how IS implementation projects can be more effectively managed.

Design Framework of KSPI Model (5iKSPI)

1. Abstract Several contemporary models have been developed to assist organizations to evaluate and to improve their software development processes and capabilities. There is substantial evidence that a successful software process improvement (SPI) program will result in improvements in productivity, quality, schedule, and business value. In this paper work, we have analysis several SPI models like: BOOTSTRAP, CMM, ISO, PSP, SPICE, TSP, and Trillium, and Knowledge based models like: Pillars Of Knowledge Management Model, Core Capabilities And Knowledge Building Activities Model, Organizational knowledge Management Model, Model Of Knowledge Organization, Model OF Knowledge Management Stages, Intellectual Capital Model, Spiral Of Organizational Knowledge Creation, KPMG knowledge Management Process Model. Here we design a new SPI model(5iKSPI) that based on Knowledge management techniques. 2. Literature Survey According to Suliman Al-Hawamdeh [10] the majority of those interested in knowledge management, the key drivers are organizational efficiency, maximizing organization‟s potential, competitive advantage, building a learning organization and managing intellectual capital. However, implementing knowledge management is also not that easy. Organizations wanting to implement knowledge management have to grabble with issues such as strategy, technology, organizational culture and knowledge organization. In other research from Espen Frimann et. al [5] we found that employee participation in the improvement process has a positive effect on the success of Software process improvement. Another research from Bridget Meehan et. al. [2],the finding of established that four knowledge V 2010 International Journal of Computer Applications V olume 1 N o. 14

An evolutionary cultural-change approach to successful software process improvement

With a plethora of models, systems and standards to choose for a basis of software process improvement, decisions on which to adopt may depend on a number of factors. This paper presents an evolutionary and extremely cost effective approach to implementing a software quality system that requires minimum resource and little disruption to programme delivery. The method presented, achieved a 40% improvement in the level of implementation of the AWE plc software quality management system over a 5-year period. A critical success factor is the treatment of the users' of the defined software quality system as customers, understanding their concerns and problems, and being responsive to them. The importance of a well designed system is highlighted together with the essential and extensive consultation process required to gain buy-in and lay the foundation for cultural change. This was supported with a helpful programme of facilitated self-assessment and sustained by a closely aligned training scheme. As a consequence some of the cultural elements were changed from one of thoughtless "tick-in-the-box" compliance to one of true understanding of the system requirements, true quality implementation, and subsequent added value.

Appreciative inquiry in software process improvement

AbstractTraditionally, software process improvement (SPI) has been approached from a problem‐oriented perspective commonly using models such as the IDEAL and the DMAIC. In contrast, appreciative inquiry is a strength‐based approach focusing on bringing forward the best in people and organizations to achieve successful change. While there is a significant research on SPI initiatives and the use of problem‐oriented approaches there is limited knowledge about the way in which SPI initiatives unfolds when adopting a strength‐based approach. Therefore, it is interesting to explore how software organizations familiar with problem‐solving approaches experience the use of a strength‐based approach. We present an action research study conducted at the Swedish telecom company Ericsson using appreciative inquiry to facilitate an SPI initiative implementing a new process and tool for the requirements and test case management. While the SPI initiative was considered successful, important lessons were learned regarding the use of appreciative inquiry. We conclude that the use of appreciative inquiry does not eliminate the dependence on other well‐known key factors for SPI success. Also, our study indicates that the problem‐solving mind‐set, i.e. the satisfaction of identifying and solving problems, found among many software engineers familiar with problem‐oriented approaches may impede the use of appreciative inquiry. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Combining agile software projects and large‐scale organizational agility

AbstractNowadays many new product development (NPD) software projects employ agile methodologies. Their basic premise is that a small, colocated team working closely together with the business customer can produce high‐value, high‐quality software efficiently with rapid iterations and frequent feedback. However, in large NPD organizations developing complex products those basic assumptions are not necessarily sufficient, and a more comprehensive view of agility is needed. On the basis of industrial experiences, this article presents a number of pragmatic suggestions about how and when agility could be utilized in large‐scale (embedded) software product development. We propose a framework for understanding the multidimensional nature of agility in such environments for successful software process improvement (SPI), and highlight certain practical considerations. Some industrial case examples are illustrated. We conclude that in large‐scale NPD organizations a holistic systemwide view is needed in order to really be able to take advantage of and improve software development agility. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improve by improving software process improvers

With business environments constantly changing, organisations and individuals must execute and learn in parallel to ensure they can solve today's problems and plan for tomorrow's. This action research explores how action learning can improve Software Process Improvement (SPI) success by 'improving the improvers'. The strategy is to engage SPI teams in theory studies and relate these studies to daily work to help them critically reflect on practice improvements. SPI change agents at Ericsson AB in Gothenburg, Sweden, took on this challenge, participating in a year-long action learning effort. This study presents detailed data about that effort and its impact on the organisation's SPI success rate. Four action-learning activities literature studies, workshop participation, SPI project meetings, and one-on-one coaching serve as a lens to understand and assess the effort's value. The data suggests that action learning is a useful approach for improving SPI change agents' understanding and reflection capabilities, thereby increasing the SPI success rate.

Successful process implementation

We propose measuring software process improvement (SPI) success through implementation success - the extent to which initiatives lead to actual changes in software engineering practice. First, without implementation success, SPI success is impossible. Second, only when implementation succeeds can we see how SPI initiatives affect software practices. Third, implementation success is easy to assess. Finally, focusing on implementation success is a pragmatic way to steer SPI initiatives toward success. We studied the approach and outcome of 18 different SPI initiatives conducted over a five-year period at the telecom company Ericsson AB, based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Doing so gave us insight into how SPI initiatives can best 1) ensure stakeholder commitment 2) support organizational learning 3) distribute resources over different activities 4) manage customer relations.

Factors of software process improvement success in small and large organizations

Existing software engineering and organization development literature acknowledges that there are fundamental operational differences between small and large organizations. Despite this recognition, there has been no attempt to verify whether small and large software organizations implement software process improvement (SPI) programs differently in order to advance their businesses.This study examines whether an organization's size affects its SPI implementation strategy and the degree of SPI success. Based on an extensive literature review of critical factors of quality management, organizational learning, and SPI, a survey questionnaire was developed and data on the implementation of six organizational factors and the resulting organizational performance was collected through a mail survey of 120 software organizations. The findings show that small organizations reported that they implement SPI elements as effectively as large organizations, and in turn, achieve high organizational performance. The main lesson to be learned from this study is that to implement SPI at least as effectively as their large counterparts, small software organizations should capitalize on their relative strengths in employee participation and exploration of new knowledge.

De-motivators for software process improvement: an analysis of practitioners’ views

We present a study of software practitioners’ de-motivators for software process improvement (SPI). The aim of this study is to understand the nature of the issues that de-motivate software practitioners for SPI, so that SPI managers can better manage these de-motivators. This study compares what the SPI literature reports as the factors that hinder SPI success with software practitioners’ perception of the factors that de-motivate them. Focus groups are used to elicit the perceptions of over 200 software practitioners. Our findings show that software practitioners confirm what the literature reports as the major issues that de-motivate them for SPI. These issues are related to resistance to change, lack of evidence, imposed SPI initiatives, resource constraints and commercial pressures. Our findings also show that there are differences in de-motivators for SPI across staff groups and that these differences are related to the role that software practitioners have in software development generally. We offer these findings as insight to aid SPI managers to design more targeted SPI strategies.

Mapping modern software process engineering techniques onto an HEP development environment

Abstract One of the most challenging issues faced in HEP in recent years is the question of how to capitalise on software development and maintenance experience in a continuous manner. To capitalise means in our context to evaluate and apply new process technologies as they arise, and to further evolve technologies already widely in use. It also implies the definition and adoption of standards. The CMS off-line software improvement effort aims at continual software quality improvement, and continual improvement in the efficiency of the working environment with the goal to facilitate doing great new physics. To achieve this, we followed a process improvement program based on ISO-15504, and Rational Unified Process. This experiment in software process improvement in HEP has been progressing now for a period of 3 years. Taking previous experience from ATLAS and SPIDER into account, we used a soft approach of continuous change within the limits of current culture to create of de facto software process standards within the CMS off line community as the only viable route to a successful software process improvement program in HEP. We will present the CMS approach to software process improvement in this process R&D, describe lessons learned, and mistakes made. We will demonstrate the benefits gained, and the current status of the software processes established in CMS off-line software.

A framework for evaluation and prediction of software process improvement success

The literature shows that software process improvement (SPI) is a current popular approach to software quality and that many companies are undertaking formal or informal SPI programs. However, the anticipated improvements to software quality through SPI have not, as yet, been fully realised. Many companies are neither ready nor equipped to implement a successful SPI program: how do companies evaluate and validate the necessary organisational requirements for the establishment of a successful SPI program? This paper examines the outcomes of a UK study of a sample of SPI programs and compares these programs with an evaluation framework we have developed. The validated framework will help companies conduct a self-assessment of their readiness to undertake SPI.

Success factors of organizational change in software process improvement

The management of organizational change is an essential element of successful software process improvement efforts. This paper describes ten factors that affect organizational change in software process improvement initiatives based on the Capability Maturity Model or the ISO 9000 quality standards. It also assesses the relative importance of these factors and compares the findings with the results of previous research into organizational change in software process improvement. The paper is based on an analysis of published experience reports and case studies of 56 software organizations that have implemented an ISO 9000 quality system or that have conducted a CMM-based process improvement initiative. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Software Process Improvement at ABB Kraftwerksleittechnik GmbH

An initiative to improve the maturity of software processes is going on at ABB Kraftwerksleittechnik since 1991. This paper describes how this software process improvement programme relates to similar ones in other companies, how the focus of the improvement measures evolved over time, what the current status is, and, as the paper’s main part, what lessons we have learned. We summarise our experience in terms of ten theses which we consider necessary conditions for successful software process improvement programmes.