EuroSPI 2000

Practical and innovation based software process improvement to prepare for the new millenium.

European Software Process Improvement SPI and Measurements

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Enhancing the Measurement of Process Maturity and SPI effectiveness

John Elliott,
SEC, DERA UK

Abstract

This paper analyses and assesses the measurement strategies that are contained within process 'maturity' assessment methods, such as CMM and SPICE, and considers their potential extension to focus on the evaluation of the business effectiveness of SPI (i.e. to benefit both the developer and customer businesses). A common assumption is that formalised measurement procedures become more important (and necessary) when development processes are judged to be at a higher maturity level. Such procedures address project, or SPI, performance but they only partially address process effectiveness and efficiency. This paper argues for extended cost-effective measurement schemes to support many kinds of decision-making activities that apply throughout the evolution of SPI from low to high maturity; these schemes will enable the business value and payback of SPI to be continuously assessed. Furthermore, the paper proposes and outlines a measurement framework that will enable more continuous (i.e. representing a self-assessment' paradigm) business-led process 'maturity' assessment; this framework will operate across (and facilitate the integration of) business models, business-led SPI models and technically-led process maturity assessment models.

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ISCN LTD, ISCN GesmbH, Schieszstattgasse 4/24, 8010 Graz, and Coordination Office, Florence House, 1 Florence Villas, Bray, Ireland, office@iscn.at, office@iscn.com, office@iscn.ie, Editing Done: 19.7.2002