Improving Software Organizations: From Principles to Practice (Agile Software Development Series) - Softcover

Mathiassen, Lars; Pries-Heje, Jan; Ngwenyama, Ojelanki

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0201758202 ISBN 13: 9780201758207

Publisher: Addison Wesley, 2001

Synopsis

Many practitioners are frustrated by software process improvement initiatives that fail, but now they can solve the problem, once and for all. Improving Software Organizations shares the field's most practical techniques for overcoming the key obstacles to process improvement. It offers a complete framework for software process improvement that draws upon the experiences of seven leading development organizations. This book contains powerful, experience-based lessons for planning, implementation, and ongoing management. Coverage includes: enhancing learning and knowledge transfer in the organization; choosing the right role for assessment methods such as CMM and Bootstrap; defining appropriate metrics for software improvement; and more. Mathiassen also offers practical guidance for maintaining the progress of a software improvement initiative once the lofty rhetoric and first wave of enthusiasm have died down.

About this title

About the Author

0201758202AB05242001

From the Back Cover

Global competition, the time sensitivity of the new Internet economy, and increasing customer demand for better software quality are pushing companies to undertake software process improvement (SPI) initiatives. Numerous software organizations worldwide have implemented these initiatives with varying degrees of success. Many have adhered to standard SPI practice, only to experience less-than-satisfactory results when the execution proves more difficult than expected and enthusiasm and resources wane.

Improving Software Organizations offers a modern perspective on SPI. It outlines and discusses what it takes to move from SPI theory to successful SPI initiatives. Based on the results of the three-year National Danish SPI Initiative, this book draws on the experiences of four world-class companies―Danske Data, Brüel & Kjær, Ericsson Denmark, and Systematic Software Engineering. It presents a proven roadmap for successful SPI. It distills in-depth studies of these organizations―the strategies, approaches, and specific techniques that yielded tangible results. It presents a comprehensive framework for planning and executing successful SPI projects throughout the project lifecycle.

Improving Software Organizations presents the major lessons learned in the four companies. It provides an overview of the theories and models that formed the basis of the SPI initiatives. It also provides an in-depth examination of the four companies¿ development organizations, how each began the SPI initiative, what mistakes were made, and how they ultimately succeeded.

You will learn:

The five key principles of the SPI focus on problems, emphasize knowledge creation, encourage participation, integrate leadership, and plan for continuous improvement

How diverse companies adapt standard

SPI theory to achieve desired results

How to structure learning conditions in SPI initiatives

Maturity level assessments, including CMM, BOOTSTRAP, and other customized approaches

Knowledge transfer, customer maturity, and organizational learning

Proper paths for carrying out risk assessments

The specifics of implementing a metrics program

Tips on improving requirements specification

For each of the five SPI principles, the book offers examples from practice that demonstrate how successful organizations approached the issue. From these examples and the more detailed case studies, you will gain the understanding of how to design, implement, and execute an SPI initiative that is right for your organization.

0201758202B10162001

Edition details

• Publisher: Addison Wesley
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0201758202
• ISBN 13: 9780201758207
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 368