Software Process Improvement

The purpose of this paper is to communicate factors critical to successful, rapid progression up the ISO 9001 or CMM ladder. Development models like the Capability Maturity Model may not be as easy to apply as the random search for truth, but they help apply the discipline necessary to create complex software systems. This paper emphasizes that real process improvement is not easy, and anyone who believes otherwise has either never tried it or has never helped make an improvement of lasting significance. Learning better techniques and technologies is only the beginning—there are many human aspects to work through as you try to fund the improvements, sell all the players on them, and then follow up until the changes are institutionalized. In this paper, I have explored the current state of play, in an attempt to define the basic competencies required to practice best practices of software engineering in today’s industry. The source material for this comes from my organization itself. The paper offers concrete experiences that can be readily applied in the reader's workplace. While the quality benefits of software process improvement are important, the productivity benefits are even more significant. This paper also provides data on the positive, quantifiable benefits, or ROI, for software process improvement programs based on the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model for software (CMM) or ISO 9001. A healthy software engineering culture is one in which managers and practitioners share a commitment to building quality software through the application of effective and sensible software processes. This article describes some best cultural principles that my organization adopted for software development.