SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 A Unified Reference Model for the Processes of Software and System Life Cycles Terry Rout Software Quality Institute Griffith University

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 SC7 Life Cycle Standards  Processes for the Product Life Cycle:  ISO/IEC : Software Life Cycle Process  ISO/IEC TR : Software Process Assessment  WD 15288: Systems Life Cycle Processes  Individual Life Cycle Processes:  WD Software Measurement Process  ISO/IEC 14598: Software Product Evaluation  Standards for:  Software Maintenance  Configuration Management  Project Management

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 The Current Situation: Confusion  Processes defined through prescribed sets of activities and tasks  Processes described through purpose statement and description of outcomes of implementation

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 ISO Software Life Cycle Processes PRIMARY PROCESSES SUPPORTING PROCESSES ORGANISATIONAL PROCESSES Acquisition Supply Development Operation Maintenance Documentation Configuration Management Problem Resolution Management Improvement Infrastructure Training Quality Assurance Verification Validation Joint Review Audit

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 ISO The Process Dimension PRIMARY PROCESSES SUPPORTING PROCESSES ORGANISATIONAL PROCESSES Documentation Configuration Management Problem Resolution Quality Assurance Verification Validation Joint Review Audit Acquisition Acquisition Preparation Supplier selection Supplier management Customer acceptance Supply Operation System operation Customer support Requirements elicitation Development System analysis and design Software requirements analysis Software design Software implementation Software integration Software testing System integration and testing Maintenance Management Quality Management Risk Management Improvement Process establishment Process assessment Process improvement Organisational alignment Infrastructure Human Resource Management Project Management Reuse Measurement

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 The Way Forward: Agreement  Processes will be described in terms of purpose and outcomes  will additionally define activities and tasks for recommended / desired implementation  will define a scale for measurement / evaluation of capability

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 Process Outcomes  Ideally, each outcome would have the following characteristics:  capability-neutral (“capability” is used here in the sense of 15504)  role-independent (“role” is explained later)  succinct  not a restatement or functional decomposition of the purpose  phrased in terms of a continuing responsibility to:  (1) produce and maintain an artifact;  (2) achieve and maintain a state; or  (3) meet a constraint.

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 Identifying Processes  Desirable characteristics for processes include:  Consistent with each other  Autonomous  Non-overlapping  Cohesive  Low coupling with other processes  Cover the existing set of standards

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 Relationship of Life Cycle Standards

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 What is missing?  The current proposal within SC7 is for a list of “defined” processes only  There is no architecture established that describes the relationships between processes  To ignore these relationships can only in the long term lead to confusion

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 A proposal for a reference process architecture  Separation of product life cycle from enterprise-driven “sustaining” processes.  A classification of the “sustaining” processes drawn from, but not identical to, and  The concept – embodied in – that processes may contain other (“component” or “subsidiary”) processes within their scope.

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 GERAM: Four essential view types and their contents

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 Product Life Cycle Processes  Product Identification Process  Product Concept Derivation Process  Product Requirements Definition Process  Product Design Process  Product Implementation Process  Product Operation Process  Product Decommissioning Process

SQI © T.P. Rout and Griffith University, 1996 Sustaining Life Cycle Processes  Commercial Processes  Project-Oriented Processes  Organizational Processes