Managing the Software Process
- Why should we manage the software process? - A software maturity framework - Principles of software process change - The initial process level
(Source: Humphrey, W. Managing the Software Process. Addison-Wesley, 1989)
IMPORTANT QUOTES
"If you don't know where you are going, any road will do." Chinese
Proverb
"If you dont know where you are, a map won't help." Watts Humphrey "If you don't know where you are going, a map won't get you there any faster." Anonymous
"You can't expect to be a functional employee in a dysfunctional environment" Watts Humphrey
Why Should We Manage the Software Process?
Individuals, Teams, and Armies
History of software is one of increasing scale
Initially a few people could craft small programs Today large projects require the coordinated work of many teams
The increase in scale requires a more structured approach to software process management
People and the Software Process
Talented people are the most important element in a software organization Successful organizations provide a structured and disciplined environment to do cooperative work Alternative
Endless hours of repetitively solving technically trivial problems Time is consumed by mountains of uncontrolled detail
If the details are not managed, the best people cannot be productive First class people need the support of an orderly process to do firstclass work
Myth of the Super Programmers
Common view: First-class people intuitively know how to do firstclass work
Implication: No orderly process framework is needed Conclusion: Organizations with the best people should not suffer from software quality and productivity problems
However, studies show that companies with top graduates from leading universities are still plagued with the same problems
New Conclusion: The best people need to be supported with an effectively managed software process
Myth of Tools and Technology
Common View: Some technically advanced tool or method will provide a magic answer to the software crisis Reality: Technology is vital, but unthinking reliance on an undefined "silver bullet" will divert attention from the need for better process management
Major Concerns of Software Professionals
Open-ended requirements Uncontrolled change Arbitrary schedules Insufficient test time Inadequate training Unmanaged system standards
Very few even mention technology as a key problem
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Limiting Factors in using Software Technology
Poorly-defined process Inconsistent implementation Poor process management
Focusing on Software Process Management
Software process: the set of actions required to efficiently transform a user's need into an effective software solution Many software organizations have trouble defining and controlling this process
Even though this is where they have the greatest potential for improvement
This is the focus of the book "Managing the Software Process"
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A Software Maturity Framework
Background
Software process encompasses the set of tools, methods, and practices used to produce a software product Objectives (done simultaneously)
Produce products according to plan Improve the organization's capability to produce better products
Basic principles: Statistical process control and predictable performance The foundation of statistical control is measurement
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Background (continued)
"When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it , when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the stage of science." Lord Kelvin, a century ago
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Software Process Improvement Steps
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Understand the current status of your development process or processes Develop a vision of the desired process Establish a list of required process improvement actions in order of priority Produce a plan to accomplish the required actions Commit the resources to execute the plan Start over at Step #1
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Process Maturity Levels
Level 1 Initial Level 2 Repeatable Level 3 Defined Level 4 Managed Level 5 - Optimizing
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Level 1 - Initial
Characteristics
Chaotic planning, performance, and results Lost (i.e., forgotten) or misunderstood requirements Unpredictable cost, schedule, and quality performance
Needed Actions
Planning (size and cost estimates, schedules) Requirements and performance tracking Change control Management commitment Quality assurance
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Level 2 - Repeatable
Characteristics
Intuitive Requirements and performance are tracked Cost and quality are highly variable Reasonable control of schedules Informal and ad hoc process methods and procedures
Needed Actions
Develop process standards and definitions Assign process resources Establish methods for requirements analysis, design, coding, inspection, and testing
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Level 3 - Defined
Characteristics
Qualitative Requirements are logged, tracked, and closed out Reliable costs and schedules Improving but still unpredictable quality performance
Needed Actions
Establish process measurements Establish quantitative quality goals, plans, measurements, and tracking
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Level 4 - Managed
Characteristics
Quantitative Reasonable statistical control over product quality
Needed Actions
Quantitative productivity plans and tracking Instrumented process environment Economically justified technology investments
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Level 5 - Optimizing
Characteristics
Quantitative basis for continued capital investment in process automation and improvement
Needed Actions
Continued emphasis on process measurement and process methods for error prevention
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Principles of Software Process Change
A Perspective on the People
Better people clearly do better work However, focusing only on talent can lead into a blind alley
The best people are always in short supply You probably have the best team you can get right now With proper leadership and support, most people can do much better work than they are currently doing now
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Basic Principles of Software Process Change
Major changes to the software process must start at the top Ultimately, everyone must be involved
Participators, Spectators, and Agitators
Effective change requires a goal and knowledge of the current process Change is continuous Software process changes will not be retained without conscious effort and periodic reinforcement Software process improvement requires investment
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Time, Skill, and Money to Improve the Software Process
To improve the software process, someone must work at it Unplanned process improvement is wishful thinking Automation of a poorly defined process will produce poorly defined results
(i.e., picking a solution before understanding the problem)
Improvements should be made in small steps Train! Train! Train!
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Common Misconceptions about the Software Process
We must start with firm requirements
Reality: Use an incremental software process
If the software passes test, it must be OK
Reality: Testing should strive to find errors, not prove they don't exist
Software quality cannot be measured
Reality: There exist many analysis and design metrics
The problems are technical
Reality: Immature organizations continue to make and remake the same management mistakes
We need better people
Reality: Most problems can only be fixed through management action
Software management is different
Reality: Yes at the micro level, but no at the macro level
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A Strategy for Implementing Software Process Change
Apply three phases: unfreeze, move, refreeze Unfreeze by identifying champions, sponsors, and agents
Champions initiate the change process Sponsors are the senior managers Agents lead change planning and implementation
Move by using key elements of effective change: planning, implementation, and communication Refreeze to ensure that an achieved capability is retained in general practice
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The Initial Process Level
Characteristics (revisited)
Chaotic planning, performance, and results Lost (i.e., forgotten) or misunderstood requirements Unpredictable cost, schedule, and quality performance
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What makes Software Organizations Chaotic?
Unplanned commitments
Schedules may show what is to be done but not an achievable plan to do the work
Reliance on gurus
Believe they can do no wrong When they fail, there is almost no way for the company to recover
Belief in magic
Humans are repelled by complexity so they try to make details seem so unnecessary that the hard work is deferred while Rome burns
Problems of scale
Having learned to build small programs, we falsely believe we are prepared to build large programs using the same skills
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More on Problems of Scale
As software products become larger, they are much more difficult to understand As software knowledge is more widely distributed, common notations are needed, the notations must be documented, conflicts in standards must be resolved, and standards must be controlled and distributed With larger-scale software, similar control is needed for requirements analysis, design, coding, and testing As software size increases, prototypes or multiple releases are needed With multiple releases, more complications arise concerning release schedules and other interdependencies
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Steps toward a General Solution
Apply systematic project management
The work must be estimated, planned and managed
Adhere to careful change management
Changes must be controlled, including requirements, design, implementation, and test
Utilize independent software quality assurance
An independent technical team is required to assure that all essential project activities are properly performed
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Summary for Controlling Chaos
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) Treat large systems as a collection of interdependent smaller ones Plan the work; divide the work into manageable tasks Precisely define the requirements and time for each task Identify and control the relationships/dependencies among tasks Commit to your assigned tasks and strive to meet them Track and maintain the plan Treat software development as a learning process and recognize what you don't know 8) When the gap between your know-how and a task is severe, fix it before proceeding 9) Manage, audit, and review the tasks in progress to ensure they are done as planned based on cost, schedule, and resource estimates 10) Refine the plan as your knowledge of the job improves and the project heads for completion
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