process implementation

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SOFTWAREPRODUCTIVITY CONSORTIUM

© 2003, Software Productivity Consortium NFP, Inc.

Process Implementation

Sarah SheardSoftware Productivity

ConsortiumThursday, July 3, 2003

or,We’ve documented all our

processes—what’s left to do?

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Introduction

• Processes are defined

• Rest is easy, right?

Don’t bother the workers, just write compliant processes…

3And we’ll institutionalize them…

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What is institutionalization?

No, not that kind!

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We can’t afford to follow

processes, we’ve got a crisis here!

Not Institutionalized

Quick, get the processes! We’ve got a crisis here!

Institutionalized

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So what does it take?

1. Manage as a project

2. Obtain management support

3. Establish policy

4. Establish measurement baseline

5. Train employees and managers

6. Tailor processes

7. Maintain process assets

8. Ensure processes are being used

9. Learn Lessons

10. Improve Processes

11. Appraise the organization

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© 2003, Software Productivity Consortium NFP, Inc.Manage as a project

• Use your project management process

• Obtain funding, the right people, and tools

• Create implementation plan including measurable milestones– Use this presentation as

a starting point

• Track progress against plan

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Obtain management support

Who’s assigned to what

projects?

DB needs

DB

Use the DB

How many “projects” are there?

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Establish policy

• Sponsor ensures policy requires use of processes

• Publicize policy

• Take action if not followed

You were doing Hero in a Process

zone…

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What does each process

element cost?

Establish measurement baseline

Survey the territory now

$1 $7$2

$2$4

$3

$1

ProcessData

StoreData

Plan measurement

Validate data

CollectData

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Train employees and managers

• Engineers and software developers don’t instinctively know how to implement processes– May need tutoring in

change management

• Employees must be trained in all processes they are to follow– Concentrate on what’s different

• Managers may not know how to use processes to manage– Managing with data

If I knew when the specs would

be ready, I could staff up

on time

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Tailor processes• Show projects how to adapt the

standard processes to their needs– Add or modify activities– Schedule and plan resources

per project constraints

• Improve tailoring guidelines based on project experience

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Maintain process assets• May need to build or improve

repository• Add places for in-work versions• Consider how to track tailoring• Consider adding examples

Amazon.com distribution center

• Measure usability of repository

• Track usage of repository

• Provide help desk

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Ensure processes are being used

• Develop auditing capability• Train auditors• Train organization on

how to respond to audits• Publicize audit plan• Audit processes• Act on results• Improve audit procedure

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Learn lessons

• Establish method for learning and recording lessons

• Avoid “write-only” lessons- learned databases

• Culture and embarrassment cause difficulties

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Improve processes

• Identify process owners• Establish process reviews

– Monthly– Yearly

• Encourage improvement ideas• Review change requests• Update, [pilot], and roll out changes

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Document Review

Interviews

Appraise the organization

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• Schedule appraisal including mini-appraisals

• Prepare for and perform mini-appraisals

• Perform official appraisal• Set new goals

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Process Implementation Requires Everyone!

• Senior management sets the tone and ensures other managers make PI happen

• SEPG drives the process improvement program to its goals

• Projects review processes, tailor standard processes, use their tailored versions, and recommend improvements

• QA audits independently

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• Frameworks Quagmire web site www.software.org/quagmire(Also IEEE Software July 2001)

Request papers of [email protected]• What is Senior Management

Commitment?• Barriers to SE Process Improvement

(#1=“We’re Different”)• Life Cycle of a Silver Bullet (CrossTalk)

Additional Resources

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Software Productivity Consortium

• Member-funded and Directed– Approx. 100 Full Members– Government Affiliates– Other

• Courses, Seminars, Advocacy• Methods development and consulting• Process improvement products,

consulting, and appraisals (e.g. plan allocating resources to these tasks)

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Any Questions?

Sarah SheardSystems Engineering

Technical LeadSoftware Productivity

ConsortiumHerndon VA

[email protected]

process implementation

Documents