Sávio Figueiredo

Implementing Software Process Improvement Initiatives in Small and Medium-Size Enterprises in Brazil

Appropriate process implementation approaches are fundamental for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) to obtain the most of software process improvement (SPI) benefits. COPPE/UFRJ has been providing SPI consultancy services to the Brazilian software industry for more than two decades. In order to cope with factors that have influence on SPI success, we developed an approach to implement SPI initiatives based on the Brazilian software process model (named MPS model) through the adoption of a SPI strategy (named SPI-KM) and the support of a process-centered software engineering environment named Taba Workstation. This paper presents the work conducted in a group of Brazilian SMEs aiming to deploy the MPS model based initiatives using the SPI-KM strategy supported by the Taba Workstation. We also discuss the lessons learned from implementing SPI in this group of SMEs and also other lessons collected throughout previous SPI experiences.

Taba workstation: supporting software process deployment based on CMMI and MR-MPS.BR

Deployment of software processes based on reference models is a knowledge-intensive task, i.e., a great amount of technical knowledge must be applied in order to guarantee conformance and adherence of processes deployed to the reference models adopted. Moreover, software process deployers have to deal with organizational and individual cultural problems on a regular basis, for instance, resistances to organizational changes. Therefore, the success of software process deployment within an organization or organizational unit depends on both technical and social aspects of the software process deployment strategy definition and execution. This paper presents the Toba Workstation, an enterprise-oriented Process-centered Software Engineering Environment (PSEE) constituted of an integrated set of tools to support software process deployment based on the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) and the Reference Model for Brazilian Software Process Improvement (MR-MPS.BR). Software process appraisals demonstrated that the Taba Workstation constitutes one of the most important organizational assets to facilitate the success of software process deployment initiatives and to overcome the inherent difficulties.

Reference model for software process improvement: a Brazilian experience

Recent research efforts about quality in the software area demonstrate that a concentrated effort is necessary to improve software process. Mainly in Brazil, there is an urge to enhance software processes performance aiming to improve the quality of software products and to increase Brazilian organizations competitive advantages both in the national and international markets. This work describes an approach developed to establish the base for Brazilian organizations to improve software processes. The focus of this work is to increase the software development capability of small and medium size companies in a fast pace. The presented approach consists of the development of a Reference Model for software process improvement and an appraisal method for the Brazilian software industry. This model has been deployed in several Brazilian companies thorough the support of Software Development Environments. The pilot experience and empirical validation results of application of the presented approach are also described in this paper.

Knowledge Management in an Enterprise-Oriented Software Development Environment

Software Development Environments have evolved to support software developers activities, and to support organizations to achieve goals such as productivity enhancement, quality improvement, cost reducing, and decrease of time-to-market solutions. In this context, have appeared the Process-centered Software Development Environments and, more recently, the Enterprise-Oriented SoftwareDevelopment Environments. This paper presents the main approaches adopted on the Taba Workstation, a software development meta-environment, to support knowledge management in the context of Enterprise-Oriented Software Development Environments: an ontology-based infrastructure, a knowledge acquisition tool, and a community of practice system.

SPI-KM - lessons learned from applying a software process improvement strategy supported by knowledge management

Software development organizations recognize the importance of improving software processes to enhance their competitive advantages. COPPE/ UFRJ software process research group has been providing SPI consultancy services to the Brazilian software industry for more than two decades. In order to support the SPI activities of the group, a SPI deployment strategy named SPIKM that is supported by Knowledge Management and has been developed based on international and national reference models and standards. This paper presents the SPI-KM strategy and the results of an empirical study executed aiming to characterize the SPI initiatives that employed it. The study findings are presented as lessons learned and their applications are discussed in different organizations. We consider the adoption of the SPI-KM strategy and the lessons learned as important knowledge to be appreciated during SPI initiatives aiming to facilitate SPI deployment and to assure their success.

Knowledge management in a software development environment to support software processes deployment

Software Engineering is a wide area of knowledge and various other types of knowledge are required during the software development and maintenance. This paper describes a survey carried out to characterize the importance given by software developers to varying types of knowledge mentioned in the technical literature on Software Engineering. The survey results have been used to guide the elaboration and incorporation of content and tools to the TABA workstation, which allows one to configure and instantiate software development environments for different companies. This paper also addresses the use of the TABA workstation to support software processes deployment in small and medium size Brazilian companies. The goal is to increase the capability of software organizations by the adequate use of Software Engineering techniques in their development and maintenance processes.

Taba workstation: supporting software process improvement initiatives based on software standards and maturity models

International software standards and maturity models play an important role in Software Process Improvement initiatives defining best practices and providing knowledge to the definition of software processes. Nevertheless, the definition and deployment of software processes based on that standards and models is an expensive and knowledge intensive task. This paper describes an approach to the definition and deployment of software processes in small and medium size Brazilian companies supported by a Process-centered Software Engineering Environment named Taba Workstation. It also presents results related to a software process improvement initiative undertaken in a Brazilian organization that demonstrates the feasibility of the presented approach.

Taba workstation: supporting technical solution through knowledge management of design rationale

The development and maintenance of software products are knowledge intensive tasks. Due to the high turnover of software industry, there is a great probability that the original designers are unlikely to be available when problems arise and modifications are needed. Therefore, having the reasons behind the decisions recorded can be invaluable as people leave and join the software team, because the knowledge about choices of those leaving would still be available to the newcomers. This work describes an approach to support the Technical Solution process through knowledge management in the context of a Process-centered Software Engineering Environment (PSEE) named TABA Workstation. It also presents some information related to a software process improvement initiative undertaken in a Brazilian organization that demonstrates the feasibility of the presented approach.