Table Of ContentProceedings of the First
International Research
Workshop for Process
Improvement in Small
Settings, 2005
Suzanne Garcia
Caroline Graettinger
Keith Kost
January 2006
SPECIAL REPORT
CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
Proceedings of the First
International Research
Workshop for Process
Improvement in Small Settings,
2005
CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001
Suzanne Garcia
Caroline Graettinger
Keith Kost
January 2006
Software Engineering Process Management
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Table of Contents
Abstract.....................................................................................................................xi
Acknowledgements ...............................................................................................xiii
1 Introduction.......................................................................................................1
1.1 Goals/Approach of the Workshop...............................................................1
1.2 Organization of the Proceedings................................................................2
2 Research Directions.........................................................................................5
2.1 Addressing Infrastructure Issues in Very Small Settings............................5
2.2 A Multi-Method Evaluation of the Practices of Small Software Projects...12
2.3 Barriers to Adoption of the CMMI Process Model in Small Settings.........18
2.4 Measuring Performance Results in Small Settings: How do you do it and
what matters most?..................................................................................23
2.5 Results of a Field Study of CMMI for Small Settings Using Rapid Applied
Ethnography.............................................................................................27
2.6 Applying Software Engineering Standards in Small Settings: Recent
Historical Perspectives and Initial Achievements......................................39
2.7 Defect Reduction Through Objectivity in Small Settings..........................52
2.8 Team Innovation Management (TIM): Research Into Practice.................60
2.9 Critical Success Factors (CSF) in SPI Bibliography.................................72
3 Process Improvement Approaches and Models..........................................81
3.1 An Experience on Implementing the CMMI in a Small Organization Using
the Team Software Process......................................................................81
3.2 MoProSoft®: A Software Process Model for Small Enterprises.................93
3.3 Using Agile Practices and the CMMI to Achieve High Project Management
Capability in Small Settings....................................................................102
3.4 Business Benefits from Successful Process Measurements..................108
3.5 Empowered Engineers are key players in process improvements.........115
3.6 Accelerated Process Improvements for Small Settings..........................117
4 Process Improvement Tools and Techniques............................................127
CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001 i
4.1 Process Improvement as a Real Option to Extract Value from Project
Failure in Context of Small Business......................................................127
4.2 Process Performance Models - Lessons Learned from 27 SCAMPI
Appraisals for Small Companies............................................................135
4.3 A Pattern-Based Approach to Deploy Process Improvements in Small
Settings..................................................................................................157
4.4 Value-Centric Process Improvement for Small Organizations by Using
QFD and CMMI......................................................................................166
5 Regional Approaches...................................................................................175
5.1 The Capability Maturity Model (SW and Integrated) Tailored in Small
Indigenous Software Industries..............................................................175
5.2 A Software Process Improvement Solution for Small and Medium-Size
Enterprises.............................................................................................182
5.3 RAMALA: A SPI Service Provider for SMEs...........................................193
5.4 The ACTI PROFO Process Improvement Initiatives...............................202
5.5 International Research Workshop for Process Improvement in Small
Settings Position Paper CMM Fast Track (CMMFT) Programme for Hong
Kong SME Software Companies............................................................208
5.6 Quality Software Map of South America.................................................216
5.7 The Implementation of SW-CMM Level 2–A Successful Case of a Brazilian
Company’s Organizational Competence and Commitment....................228
6 Selected Case Studies.................................................................................233
6.1 A Giant Taking Small Steps....................................................................233
6.2 Small Steps, Giant Leap.........................................................................236
6.3 Software Process Improvement at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories,
Inc...........................................................................................................240
6.4 Two Case Studies in Implementing Model Based Process Improvement in
Small Organizations...............................................................................245
6.5 Process Improvement in a Small Company...........................................251
7 Workshop Highlights....................................................................................267
7.1 Keynote..................................................................................................267
7.2 Breakout Sessions Summary.................................................................267
7.2.1 Day 1..........................................................................................267
7.2.2 Day 2..........................................................................................269
7.3 Discussant Reflections...........................................................................270
8 Suggested Next Steps and Summary.........................................................273
8.1 Suggested Next Steps............................................................................273
8.1.1 Community Support....................................................................273
ii CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001
8.1.2 Online Training/Distance Learning..............................................274
8.1.3 Finding Research Sponsors........................................................274
8.1.4 Publications.................................................................................274
8.1.5 Sponsoring/Hosting Future Workshops......................................274
8.1.6 What's Happening Now/Near term .............................................275
8.2 Summary................................................................................................275
Appendix Workshop Breakout Session Results..........................................277
CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001 iii
iv CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001
List of Figures
Figure 1: Research Design....................................................................................31
Figure 2: Evolution of Published ISO/IEC Software and Systems Engineering
Standards (SC7 2005)............................................................................41
Figure 3: Relationship Between Key SC7 Standards [Coallier 03]........................42
Figure 4: Priorities and Concern Differences Based on Organization Size [McFall
03]..........................................................................................................44
Figure 5: The New Working Group’s Proposed Work Schedule............................45
Figure 6: Referenced Documents..........................................................................48
Figure 7: Measurement of Objectivity in a QA Evaluation.....................................53
Figure 8: The Intersection......................................................................................64
Figure 9: Smart Pipe Process Flow.......................................................................68
Figure 10: Smart Pipe ETVX Diagram.....................................................................69
Figure 11: CSF from Bibliography...........................................................................73
Figure 12: Critical Success Factors.........................................................................74
Figure 13: Self-Assessment Results.......................................................................85
Figure 14: Process Categories................................................................................96
Figure 15: Control Chart Plotted for Weekly Effort Burn-Down.............................105
Figure 16: Size Tracking........................................................................................110
Figure 17: Productivity Tracking.............................................................................111
Figure 18: Rapid-Q: Off The Shelf Quality System................................................120
CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001 v
Figure 19: Rapid-Q Process View.........................................................................121
Figure 20: Rapid-Q Accelerates Process Implementation.....................................122
Figure 21: Waterfall Lifecycle Model.....................................................................136
Figure 22: The Purpose for Each Phase...............................................................138
Figure 23: An Example of a Resource Model........................................................147
Figure 24: Model-driven Process..........................................................................155
Figure 25: Structure of Project Patterns................................................................159
Figure 26: Project Categorization..........................................................................160
Figure 27: Project Pattern Search Criteria............................................................161
Figure 28: Project Pattern Instantiation.................................................................162
Figure 29: Quantitative Postmortem Analysis.......................................................163
Figure 30: Research Validation.............................................................................178
Figure 31: Action Package Architecture................................................................183
Figure 32: Requirements Development Process...................................................185
Figure 33: Requirements Management Process...................................................185
Figure 34: Structure of the Requirements Engineering Action Package “Products
and Documents”...................................................................................186
Figure 35: RAMALA Knowledge Base Structure.....................................................195
Figure 36: RAMALA Software Architecture.............................................................196
Figure 37: Software Reference Model Elements Stored in RAMALA.....................197
Figure 38: Selecting Processes from the PMBOK Process Framework for
Assessment..........................................................................................197
Figure 39: Process Element Assessment Questionnaire........................................198
Figure 40: The Organization’s Software Process Elements Capacity.....................199
vi CMU/SEI-2006-SR-001
