process definition and rollout a better approach ©1998 pragma s ystems c orporation pragma s ystems...

Process Definition and Rollout A Better Approach

©1998 pragma SYSTEMS CORPORATION

pragma SYSTEMS CORPORATION849 Lincoln Avenue

Glen Rock NJ 07452201-612-7451 Business201-612-6117 Facsimile

[email protected]

©1998 pragma SYSTEMS CORPORATION Serverpc:processMax Release Baseline:Collateral Materials:Spin pmax.ppt

SW-CMM CharacteristicsSW-CMM

AuditorSoftware Development and Maintenance Organization

Written in passive voice to support auditors


SW-CMM Characteristics

Examples:

Software Project Planning (a Level 2 Key Process Area)

Activity 6

One of 25 key practices

Software Configuration Management (a Level 2 Key Process Area)

Activity 10

One of 21 key practices

The project’s software development plan is developed according to a documented procedure.

Software baseline audits are conducted according to a documented procedure.


SW-CMM Size Characteristics

Maturity Level

Key Process Areas (KPA) No. of Goals per KPA

No. of Key Practices per KPA

5

4

3

2

Process change managementTechnology change managementDefect prevention

Software quality managementQuantitative process management

Peer reviewsIntergroup coordinationSoftware product engineeringIntegrated software managementTraining programOrganization process definitionOrganization process focus

Software configuration managementSoftware quality assuranceSoftware subcontract managementSoftware project tracking and oversightSoftware project planningRequirements management

TOTALS TOTALS

Subtotal

Subtotal

Subtotal

Subtotal

Subtotal

Subtotal

Subtotal

Subtotal333 9

33 6

2322323 17

444332 20

52

191918

1318

9172019161116

211722242512

56

31

108

121

316


Key Process Areas

18 Key Process Areas

5 major sections in each Key Process Area

No one person can fully satisfy any one Key Process Area

Several people are required to initiate action in each Key Process Area


SW-CMM Characteristics

Especially not written to support software development and maintenance project personnel

Not written to support process definers/ documenters


Process Improvement Industry

Solution space for Internal Business Challenges

People Process

Technology


Process Improvement Industry

Usual approach:

Internal staff, facilitated sessions, and the SW-CMM, starting with page 1 of Level 2

Result:

Many false starts and if successful, a Key Process Area by Key Process Area solution


KPA by KPA Approach

Customized Key Process Area solutions are more familiar and easier to understand than the SW-CMM, but still require a significant study and interpretation effort by each project.

Easy to define, hard to rollout

Scenario of the 1990s

©1998 pragma SYSTEMS CORPORATION


SPI Project Initiation

Process-oriented informal group begins meeting over brown bag lunches. At least one of them has an urgent proposal deadline and 2 or 3 have been to a process-related conference.

One of them gets appointed SEPG Leader and is allowed to charge 1 day per week for this work.

Process Action Teams (PAT) are formed, with Key Process Area-type names and PAT Leaders are appointed.

PATs are allowed to meet and charge overhead 4 hours per week per person usually on Friday afternoons.


Wild Enthusiasm

Appoint a full-time SEPG Leader.

Increase the budget for the PATs.

Write the charters for the PATs and the SEPG.

Replace some of the PAT Leaders and some of the PAT membership.

Exit Criteria for Wild Enthusiasm:$250K to $1M must have been spent and6 to 18 months must have past.


Mild Enthusiasm

A Software Process Improvement Plan is developed (revised) by the SEPG Leader.

Reform the PATs with 1 or 2 full-time people on each PAT and replace some of the PAT Leaders and membership.

SEPG Leader tracks progress against the Plan.

One or two strong PAT leaders get promoted into line management or otherwise get pulled back onto project or proposal work.

The SEPG Leader leaves or is removed.

Exit Criteria for Mild Enthusiasm:$500K to $2M must have been spent andAt least 24 months must have past.


Disillusionment

Pressure intensifies from the sponsor to get an official assessment.

Panic sets in. No one has actually used the processes yet.

Get PAT members to pilot the processes on their projects. Hopefully, these projects have a compelling business need to achieve Level 2.

Conduct brown bag lunches to teach the CMM to potential assessment interviewees.

Conduct a pre-assessment.


Chaos

Panic intensifies. The processes are not fully compliant with the CMM, even if they are used.

Rework and reinstall the processes on the pilot projects.

Accelerate the CMM lunches for potential assessment interviewees.


Gaming the Assessment

We no longer talk about how much money has been spent or how much time has past. We are solely focused on the impending assessment.

Stack the assessment team with PAT members and the SEPG Leader.

Overwhelm the assessment team with paper and interviewees who “speak” the CMM.

At the Findings Briefout the sponsor congratulates everyone on the great work and says s/he wants Level 3 in fewer than 12 months.


Post-Assessment Fallout–Part 1

After the assessment, the pilot projects go back to business as usual and all other projects are not interested in the agony the pilot projects endured.

Twelve months later, can’t conduct an assessment because organization would probably fail Level 2.


Post-Assessment Fallout –Part 2

Search for the guilty.

Punish the innocent.

Promote the nonparticipants.

If the business need for the SW-CMM still exists, define the requirements.


The Project Perspective

Process people consume a lot of overhead $$.

Process people produce a lot of binders filled with pictures of boxes and arrows.


Pithy (but not useful or accurate)

Sayings from the Field

You can’t buy a process for intellectual work, you must create it yourself.

You must document the as-is process first.

Document what you do and you are a Level 2.


KPA by KPA Approach

Role Process KPAs

Requirements Management

Software Project Planning

Software Project Tracking and Oversight

Software Subcontract Management

Software Quality Assurance

Software Configuration Management







.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Senior Manager

Project Manager

Project Software Manager

Standards Compliance Manager

SCM Manager

Software Subcontract Manager


Role Based Approach

Role Process KPAs

.

.

.

Senior Manager Responsibilities

Project Manager Responsibilities

Project Software Manager Responsibilities

Standards Compliance Manager Responsibilities

SCM Manager Responsibilities

Software Subcontract Manager Responsibilities







.

.

.

.

.

.

Senior Manager

Project Manager

Project Software Manager

Standards Compliance Manager

SCM Manager

Software Subcontract Manager


Role of the SEPG

project products

project activities

Project’s Plan

Project’s Defined Process

SEPG advises

ABC’s External Customer

Requirements

ABC Corporation’s Organization Standard Process

SEPG advises

SEPG capturesLesson Learned

SEPG capturesLesson Learned

ABC’s Customer


Software Engineering Process Group

Develop the SPI Project Plan

Monitor Progress in Preparation for Progress and Strategic Reviews with the Sponsor

Provide Consulting to Project Personnel in the Use of the Processes

Identify Needs for New Tools and Processes

Document Requirements for New Tools and Processes

Evaluate New Tools and Processes

Evaluate and Select Good Worked Examples of Software Work Products for Reference by Other Projects

Prepare Process Change Requests

Implement Approved Change Requests to the Processes


Software Process Improvement Sponsor

Approve the Software Process Improvement Plan

Approve Organizational Software Process Policies

Conduct SPI Project Strategic Reviews

Conduct SPI Project Progress Reviews

Communicate SPI Objectives

Create Incentives for use of the Processes

Approve Changes to the Organization’s Process

Enforce the use of Processes with his/her Direct Reports


Lessons Learned from the Role-Based Approach

Study and interpretation of the SW-CMM is removed from the critical path for project personnel.

Processes look familiar and business-oriented.

Learning curve for role-based processes is much shorter and less frustrating than for KPA-based processes.

Individual and organizational resistance is much less than with the KPA-based approach.

process definition and rollout a better approach ©1998 pragma s ystems c orporation pragma s ystems...

Documents

key process area slide

key process area activity

processmax release baseline

software baseline audits

collateral materials

process definers documenters

kpa approach customized

maintenance organization