Software Quality Assurance Software Process Improvement and Capability DEtermination

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Software Quality Assurance Software Process
Improvement and Capability DEtermination

• Seminar Oana FEIDI
• Quality Manager Continental Automotive

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What is SPICE?

• SPICE Software Process Improvement Capability
  dEtermination
• also known as ISO/IEC 15504 is an international
  standard for SW process assessments
• Mainly used in Europe and Australia by the
  automotive industry
• Goal
• To provide assessment results that are
  repeatable, objective, comparable
• Future
• Automotive SPICE launched in April 2006
• its usage will increase mainly driven by HIS
  (Audi, BMW, Daimler Chrysler, Porsche,
  Volkswagen), Ford Volvo, Fiat
• Each OEM have different target level if these
  are not met, then
• Suppliers are requested to improve the
  development processes
• In case of high risks/low capability levels, the
  suppliers are excluded from sourcing

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The Goal of Process Assessment Improvement
Rating
Process
Assessment
Improvement

• The goal of an improvement is to change an
  organizations processes so that they achieve a
  higher ability to meet its businesses goals
• Assessments deliver the input for any improvement
  by detecting strength and weaknesses in the
  organizations processes
• Assessments are also a tool used by customers to
  ascertain the ability of their suppliers to meet
  their needs

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SPICE Models Structure
Processes

• The reference model architecture for this
  assessment model is 2-dimensional
• Process dimension ? contains processes in groups
• Process Capability dimension ? allows the
  capability of each process to be measured
  independently

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SPICE Models Structure

• Process dimension
• Characterized by set of purpose statements which
  describe in measurable terms what has to be
  achieved in order to attain the defined purpose
  of the process
• Process Capability dimension
• Characterizes the level of capability that an
  organization unit has attained for a particular
  process or,
• May be used by the organization as a target to be
  attained
• Represent measurable characteristics necessary to
  manage a process and improve its capability to
  perform

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Process structure
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Process structure
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Capability Dimension overview
Level 5 Optimizing process
The process performance is optimized to meet
current and future business needs.
Level 4 Predictable process
The process is performed consistently in practice
within defined control limits. The quality of
work products is quantitatively known.
Level 3 Established process
The process is managed and performed using a
defined process. Projects are using a tailored
version of the standard process.
Level 2 Managed process
Base practices of the process are planned and
tracked. Products are conformed to standards and
requirements.
Level 1 Performed process
Base practices of the process are performed ad
hoc and poorly controlled. Work products of the
process are identifiable.
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Capability Level 1 2

• Level 1

• Level 2

• The purpose of the process is generally achieved
• Work products proof implementation of base
  practices
• No documented process
• No planning or checks of performance of the
  process
• No quality requirements for work product are
  expressed

• The performance of the process is planned and
  checked
• The responsibility for developing the work
  products is assigned to a person or team
• Requirements for the work products are
  identified, documented and traced
• Work products are put under configuration
  management and quality assurance
• No documented or defined process

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Capability Level 3

• A documented standard process with tailoring
  guidelines exists and is used in the project
• Historical process performance data is gathered
• Experience from the performance of the process is
  used for process improvement
• Resources and needed infrastructure for the
  performance of the process are identified and
  made available
• The process is not yet quantitatively understood
  or managed
• Process improvement is reactive

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Process Dimension overview

• Primary Life Cycle Processes Category
• Acquisition
• Supply
• Engineering ENG.4 (Software requirements
  analysis), ENG.5 (Software design), ENG.6
  (Software construction), ENG.7 (Software
  integration), ENG.8 (Software testing)
• Supporting Life Cycle Processes Category
• Support SUP.1 (Quality assurance), SUP.2
  (Verification), SUP.8 (Configuration
  management), SUP.10 (Change request management)
• Organizational Life Cycle Process Category
• Management MAN.3 (Project Management), MAN.5
  (Risk Management)
• Process Improvement PIM.3 (Process Improvement)
• Reuse REU.2 (Reuse program management)

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Process Attributes
Level
Attributes

• Process innovation
• Continuous optimization

Level 5

• Process measurement
• Process control

Level 4

• Process definition
• Process deployment

Level 3

• Performance management
• Work product management

Level 2

• Process performance

Level 1
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Measure capability levels

• The fulfillment of a process attribute (PA) is
  measured along a scale from 0 100 in the
  following predefined stages
• N (not achieved) 0 15
• The are no or only very limited indications of PA
  fulfillment
• P (partially achieved) 16 50
• There are some indicators that the PA is
  implemented to the measured extent. In some
  aspects the process remains unpredictable,
  though.
• L (largely achieved) 51 85
• There is evidence that the PA is implemented to
  the measured extend in a useful and systematic
  way. Process performance might still show some
  weaknesses
• F (fully achieved) 86 100
• There is evidence for a complete and systematic
  PA execution to the measured extent. Process
  performance does not show any significant
  shortcomings due to the analyzed processes

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SPICE Assessments

• Assessment input
• purpose
• scope
• constraints
• qualified assessor
• extended process definition

• Assessment instrument
• process indicators
• process management indicators

Process
Planning
Data collection
Data analysis
Process rating
REPORT
Assessment

• Assessment output
• process capability level ratings
• assessment record

• Process model
• process purpose
• practices

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SPICE Assessments results
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Debate

• Lets rate the base practices for ENG.6 (Software
  construction) in your organization

SOFTWARE CONSTRUCTION Software implementation
Module/Unit testing
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Merry Christmas Happy New Year! See you in 2009!