Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
An Integrated Framework to Guide Software Process
Improvement in Small Organizations
Francisco J. Pino
1,2
, Félix García
2
, and Mario Piattini
2
1
IDIS Research Group - Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering Faculty
University of Cauca, Street 5 # 4 - 70 Popayán, Colombia
fjpino@unicauca.edu.co
2
Alarcos Research Group - Institute of Information Technologies & Systems
University of Castilla-La Mancha, Paseo de la Universidad, 4, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
{Felix.Garcia,Mario.Piattini}@uclm.es
Abstract.
When a small organization (VSE) tackles a software process im-
provement (SPI) initiative, the model that is used least is the one that would
guide the process improvement. We believe that this is a great failing, because
it is precisely a model of this type that is the guide which is needed to articulate
all the activities related to that improvement. In this vein, to support VSEs, as
well as to guide them in detail when they wish to carry out SPI initiatives, we
have developed an integrated improvement framework. We have done this by
taking into account widely recognized frameworks and the special characteris-
tics of VSEs. This paper introduces that improvement framework, its compo-
nents and its relationship with the COMPETISOFT project. Furthermore,
through case studies, it describes our experience of the application of the pro-
posed framework in eight firms. The initial results show that it is useful, practi-
cal and suitable for addressing SPI initiatives in VSEs.
Keywords:
Improvement framework, Software process improvement, Small
companies, SPI, SMEs, COMPETISOFT.
1 Introduction
Although process reference models (e.g. ISO/IEC 12207, CMMI and ISO/IEC 15504-
5), process assessment methods (such as ISO/IEC 15504-2 and SCAMPI) and im-
provement models (like ISO/IEC 15504-4 and IDEAL) used for Software Process
Improvement -SPI- are available to all enterprises, studies such as [1-4] show that
these proposals from SEI or ISO are difficult for the vast majority of the very small
software enterprises -VSEs (i.e. firms with fewer than 25 employees, according to
[5]), to apply. This difficulty comes about because of the complexity of the recom-
mendations of the models and the consequent large investment in terms of time and
resources. In addition, many organizations remain unaware of these proposals [6].
Regarding the model that guides process improvement (improvement model), we
have found in [7] that this type of model is the one used least by small companies.
This type of model was used by 23 (of 122) companies involved in some SPI initia-
tive, that is in only 19% of the companies. This is a low percentage and we believe
