This paper aims to explain a new approach of software process improvements (SPI). The approach will not replace the existing methods, but will support them for SPI from an additional view. The additional view consists the SPI as a networked system of the activities for SPI. The approach is an extract of a comprehensive PhD paper about SPI and defect prevention from the author. In the PhD paper the author is using over 100 important influence elements.
The title of the PhD paper is: „Ganzheitlich vernetzte Fehlerprävention im Software-Entwicklungsprozess.“ (Unmüßig 2012)
Today there are various actions and constructive methods in software process improvements used. As there are a lot of different elements and subjects in the process of improvements involved - it is a complex process. The most involved elements and subjects are e.g. the human being (management, members of staff, customer, work psychology), methods, organisations, culture etc. The author’s own experience and studies confirm that the human being is one of the most important elements in the process. The human being is much more involved in the process than considered in the daily work today. His work performance e.g. software process improvements depends on a lot of interlinked factors.
This paper will use an excerpt of 12 important elements of the above mentioned PhD paper. The elements will be interlinked. A software tool is used to interlink, present and simulate the interrelationship to the other elements. The approach and results can be used in all software process improvements (SPI) / software development processes to support the existing SPI approaches and measures. The support is based on the position (strengths) and relationship of the elements in the result matrix.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Software Development
3 Software Process Improvement (SPI) Methods
3.1 Actions
3.2 Software Process Improvement Models
3.3 SPI Manifesto
4 New approach of Software Process Improvements
4.1 Method
4.2 Model
5 Tools for interlinked SPI
6 Influence Elements of SPI
6.1 Description of the Elements
6.2 Interlinked causal interdependencies
6.3 Network of elements and Cross-Impact Matrix
7 Results
8 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper aims to introduce a holistic, networked approach to Software Process Improvement (SPI) by acknowledging the complex interdependencies between human factors, organizational culture, and technical processes. The core research focus is on how these elements interact to influence software quality and how they can be systematically managed and optimized within a development environment.
- Analysis of the human being as a central, interlinked element in SPI.
- Application of system-thinking and network-based modeling to SPI.
- Identification of key influence factors for software quality and defect prevention.
- Use of Cross-Impact Matrices and simulation tools to visualize process dependencies.
- Evaluation of system interventions to optimize software development performance.
Excerpt from the Book
6.1 Description of the Elements
(1) Target Variable The target variable is identifiable with the element “Software Process Improvement” (SPI) in the centre of Fig. 3 Elements The following elements are extracts of the elements affect the target variable directly or indirectly.
(2) Customer/User The customer/User is playing an important role in the SPI because they have to define the requirements of the Software (SW). The requirements have to be written in an understandable way and structure for the SW-Development employees/organization. Especially in the definition phase of the SW it is important to integrate the customer in the SW-Development employees/organization for a better transformation process of the requirements.
(3) SW-Development Employees The SW-Development Employees/organization is one of the central persons in the SPI. He has via processes, process-models and methods, the main tasks of the SW-Development. His qualifications have to be very high. On-going training in the SPI is mandatory for better SW and the motivation of the employees.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Discusses the limitations of existing SPI techniques and introduces the necessity of a networked approach considering both hard and soft facts.
2 Software Development: Provides an overview of current process and procedure models used in software engineering and their role in project management.
3 Software Process Improvement (SPI) Methods: Details various quality actions, improvement models like CMMI/SPICE, and the principles of the SPI Manifesto.
4 New approach of Software Process Improvements: Defines SPI as a complex network system and introduces methods and models for managing these complexities.
5 Tools for interlinked SPI: Describes the use of specialized simulation tools like GAMMA and Consideo Modeler to operationalize network-thinking methods.
6 Influence Elements of SPI: Identifies and categorizes 12 crucial factors influencing SPI, including human, organizational, and technical elements.
7 Results: Presents the analysis of influence elements through Cross-Impact Matrices and discusses the impact of simulated system interventions.
8 Conclusion: Summarizes the key findings, emphasizing that human elements are critical for successful SPI and suggesting directions for further research.
Keywords
Software, Software development, Software development process, Software process improvement, SPI, Software quality, holistic, human being, human factors, interlinked elements, Influence factors, defect prevention, processes, methods, organisation, culture, network thinking, SPI Manifesto.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on treating Software Process Improvement (SPI) not as a purely technical task, but as a complex networked system where human, organizational, and technical factors are deeply interlinked.
What are the primary themes addressed in the work?
The primary themes include systemic thinking in SPI, the impact of corporate culture and leadership, the role of motivated employees, and the application of influence matrices to identify process improvement drivers.
What is the ultimate goal of the proposed approach?
The goal is to provide a holistic view that complements existing SPI methods, helping organizations identify which levers have the strongest influence on software quality and defect prevention.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author utilizes systems theory, network-thinking models (such as those by Vester, Ulrich, and Probst), and analytical tools like the Cross-Impact Matrix and GAMMA software for modeling interdependencies.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body covers the identification of 12 key influence elements, the explanation of their causal interdependencies, and the simulation of system modifications to assess their impact on SPI success.
Which key terms characterize this study?
Key terms include SPI, network thinking, human factors, defect prevention, cross-impact matrix, and process modeling.
How does the author define the "human" role in SPI?
The human being is considered the most critical, yet often overlooked, influence element, comprising management, staff, customers, and corporate culture, which together dictate the output quality.
Why is the "Cross-Impact Matrix" significant for this research?
The matrix is significant because it allows for the visualization and quantification of relationships between disparate elements, enabling developers to see which factors are active, passive, critical, or buffering.
What does the system intervention test demonstrate?
The intervention test demonstrates how targeted management actions (e.g., focusing on leadership and motivation) can shift the system dynamics to create a more robust and active environment for process improvements.
- Citar trabajo
- Dr. Alfons Unmüßig (Autor), 2012, The Human Being as Key Element for Software Process Improvement, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/203115
