Integrated Framework of Agile and CMMI: An Alternative Path towards Product Focused SPI for Small Companies

Abstract

Abstract-Developing quality software product is a challenging activity and yet necessary asset for most software companies especially small and medium size companies. For a Software process improvement (SPI) activity to be effective in such companies, the day to day product-focused activities needs to align with SPI activity.Different process maturity models have been developed, among them the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is the most widely used process maturity framework. However, it is considered difficult to implement for small and medium companies due to various reasons related with its difficulty and financial requirement. On the other hand, the recent software development approach is being directed towards application of agile software development methodologies. But some difficulties have also been reported regarding agile methods limitations of long term and continues guide to process improvement.Researches findings and experience reports demonstrated that, combination of agile methods and CMMI has advantages where most of which can be considered as a solution to problems associated with implementing process maturity activities in immature companies.Index Terms-Integrated framework, CMMI and agile methods, institutionalization. I. INTRODUCTIONThe design and development of software is still the most challenging and complex process; where most products suffer from un-attained requirements and fail to maintain the expected quality. Many problems are attributed to failure of software products. Regardless of how it is explained, the set of problems that are encountered in the development of computer software is not limited to software that "doesn't function properly". The affliction encompasses problems associated with how we develop software, how we support a growing volume of existing software, and how we can expect to keep pace with a growing demand for more software [1].The quality of a software product is considered to be the output of the software process used in the production process. Different software organizations follow varieties of process Manuscript received June 29, 2014; revised November 4, 2014. Tatek Engdashet is with Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (e-mail: mail4te@gmail.com).Ricardo J. Machado is with the Department of Information Systems University of Minho Guimarã es, Portugal (e-mail: rmac@dsi.uminho.pt).Dida Midekso is with the Department of Computer Science Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (e-mail: dida.midekso@aau.edu.et). maturity models to improve the software process to maintain and upgrade the quality of software developed Continuous improvement of the software process is considered as a means to guide software developing companies towards standard practices to have a software process with better capability. A standard capability model is created, as a result significant improvement on the quality of the software products, through the introduction of new techniques and new tools, is achieved [2].A number of software process maturity models ...

Implementing product focused Process improvement through The Post Iteration and Process Improvement Workshop

“…Accordingly, research findings related with combining some agile methodologies with the KPAs in the CMMI framework have demonstrated the two approaches can work together and can also be even better if they are implemented thoughtfully than they are individually [9,11,12,19]. In line with this, the attempts made and the results obtained have shown tangible evidence of achievements in software development and SPI through combining CMMI and agile methods.…”

“…In this research the PIPIW include process improvement steps and guidelines from the integrated capability improvement framework and SPI tracking model defined and explained earlier in our earlier phase of research [12]. The post-iteration workshop technique is used for this research to review activities of the previous iteration of the project and provide a mechanism for the team members to identify positive and negative aspects or difficulties to be improved in the next iteration.…”

“…The guideline is part of the component of an integrated SPI framework of agile and CMMI developed earlier [12]. The paper is organized…”

Product Focused Software Process Improvement through Integrated Framework of Agile and CMMI: A Case in Small Settings

“…The approach proposes to institutionalize practices of agile methods in a based on the CMMI framework of software process improvement. The detailed description of the framework is covered in an earlier publication of the first part of the research [26]. Among the CMMI approaches of SPI, the CMMI v1.3 continuous representation of process improvement is used.…”

“…Improving capability of specific practices can be implemented through institutionalization of the agile practices. The tracking model developed and discussed in detail in the earlier phase of this research used to track and display the capability level of a given KPA [26]. The graph is designed to visually demonstrate the status of KPAs through their corresponding specific practices.…”