Zahran: Software Process Improvement Part I Jan Dielewicz Kai Petersen Sebastian Stein

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Agenda 1.Process Thinking 2.Process Discipline 3.Effective Process Environment 4.Process Maturity: The Second Wave of the Software Industry (short)

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Aspects of the Process Sommerville: “A software process is the set of activities and associated results that produce a software product.” Zahran:  The process must be defined.  The process performers must be trained in the process.  A process must be monitored and enforced.

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process Thinking  “Process thinking differs from conventional thinking” … “Process thinking is a natural way of thinking.” [Zahran, p. 13]  car driving as a process  valid example?  process = skill?  a group following ONE process is streamlined

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process Focus vs. Product Focus  product focus:  vertical integration  several departments  process focus:  horizontal integration  crossing several departments  matrix organisation?  product focus leads to chaos  process focus leads to stable organisation

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Internalization and Institutionalization  internalization:  individual level  following process without thinking  steering, breaking, accelerating without having to think about it  institutionalization:  organisational level  everybody in organisation follows ONE process  process is enforced in organisation

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process Maturity  degree how well process is applied  how developed the process is  process is central nervous system  ties together all parts of a company like:  people  technology  organisational structure  management

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process Discipline  Discipline is “the system of rules used to maintain control or order over a group of people” ~ Concise Oxford Dictionary  For a process to be effective it must be enforced  A disciplined process is a mature process  A mature process is defined, trained, enforced, followed and continuously improving

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Weaken negative effects  A bureaucratic process may inhibit performance  Process users must take part in designing the process  Process discipline may impede creativity  If creativity required, process has to encourage creativity  Example: brainstorming

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process documentation  Can process focus exist without documentation?  Absence of process definition takes the risk with:  Dependence on individuals  ‘Gurus’ joining the team  Disruptive new joiners  Inconsistency of process knowledge Is this different when there is a process definition?

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Benefits of process discipline (1/3)  Every individual strives for the common goal of the team.  Orchestra example  Without a maestro (the process is not managed)  Without musical notes (the process is not documented)  Without practise (the process is not trained)  With everyone playing his or her notes (the process is not enforced) Well, ok. But what about Jazz and the improvisational solos? They perform according to some basic rules and guidelines – not a detailed defined process!

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Benefits of process discipline (2/3)  Life critical situations  Crew flying plane, surgical team, high-risk mission (space shuttle)  All following a mature process: defined, trained, enforced, followed and continuously improving  What if something unexpected happens?  Say: “Sorry, nothing stated in the process documentation for this case”  Say: “Sorry no form available” Then skills and knowledge (intelligence) is in demand!

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Benefits of process discipline (3/3)

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process discipline and product quality  Good process  good quality  Good process  bad quality  Bad process  good quality  Bad process  bad quality

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process-focussed organisations (1/3)  “You could say that the mature process, like the mature adult, looks boring, and you could be right!” ~ Zahran  In a mature (in contrast to an immature) process,  roles and responsibilities are well defined  people follow a planned process constantly  people share and learn from experience  problems are analysed from a basis of sound knowledge  estimates are accurate  the progress predictable

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process-focussed organisations (2/3)  In process-focussed organisation  the process spreads across organisational functions  teams are empowered to make decisions relating the complete process  the process is customer focussed  the responsibility is shared across the functional divisions  the process goes align with the organisation’s goals

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process-focussed organisations (3/3)  Landmarks indicating process-focussed organisations  Central role of the process  Process consists of 3 components: document, training, enforcement-mechanism to follow the process  The process is more than a set of activities  End-to-end coverage  In software projects 3 main process types: management, engineering, support

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process Myths and Realities  Documentation Myth  Trust Myth  Verification Myth  Stability Myth  Sponsorship Myth  Continuous Enforcement Myth

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process Effectiveness and Efficiency REALITY?

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Making the Process more Efficient External Factors provide feedback, too!

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Feedback from External Factors  Laws (Standards, Trade Laws etc.)  Regulations (Industry- and Product-Specific)  Inspections and Certification  What else?

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Process Culture

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Megatrends in Software Industry  3 waves in software industry 1.Structured methods, Waterfall, diagrams 2.Process improvements, process maturity 3.Mechanisation of software production  in the middle of 2 nd wave:  formally define processes  try to steadily improve processes

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona History of Process Maturity  Total Quality Management (see e.g. green book by Bergman et al. chapter 3)  Humphrey, W. late 1990 th  Software Engineering Institute

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Software Process Maturity Standards and Initiatives  Capability Maturity Model (CMM) by SEI  ISO 9000  ISO/IEC  Bootstrap  TickIT

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona Levels of Process Institutionalization 1.Corporate and Organisational Level  process aligned to business goals  team members from different vertical departments formed 2.Project and Team Management Level  staff management through monitoring the process performance and NOT the individual  rewards for good process work 3.Personal Level  personal software process (PSP)

Blekinge Institute of Technology SE Karlskrona References  Bergman, B. and Klefsjö, B. (2003). Quality: from Customer Needs to Customer Satisfaction. Studentlitteratur  Sommerville, I. (2004). Software Engineering. Pearson Education  Zahran, S. (1998). Software Process Improvement. Addison-Wesley