Strategic Issues on Implementing a Software Process Improvement Program

TL;DR

This paper discusses strategic considerations and models for implementing and institutionalizing Software Process Improvement (SPI) programs to enhance software quality across organizations.

Contribution

It introduces strategic drivers and frameworks for planning and executing effective SPI programs in various software development organizations.

Findings

Proposes strategic drivers for SPI implementation

Analyzes models and standards for SPI planning

Provides reflections on software process engineering

Abstract

Software technology has high impact on the global economy as in many sectors of contemporary society. As a product enabling the most varied daily activities, the software product has to be produced reflecting high quality. Software quality is dependent on its development that is based in a large set of software development processes. However, the implementation and continuous improvement of software process aimed at software product should be carefully institutionalized by software development organizations such as software factories, testing factories, V&V organizations, among others. The institutionalization of programs such as a Software Process Improvement Program, or SPI Program, require a strategic planning, which is addressed in this article from the perspective of specific models and frameworks, as well as reflections based on software process engineering models and standards. In addition, a set of strategic drivers is proposed to assist the implementation of a Strategic Plan for a SPI Program which can be considered by the organizations before starting this kind of Program.