Software Process in Practice: A Grounded Theory of the Irish Software Industry

Abstract

Abstract. This paper presents the results of a Grounded Theory study of how software process and software process improvement (SPI) is applied in the practice of software development. This study described in this paper focused on what is actually happening in practice in the software industry. Using the indigenous Irish software product industry as a test-bed, we examine the approaches used to develop software by companies at various stages of growth. The study used the grounded theory methodology and the results produce a picture of software process usage, with the outcome being a theory, grounded in the field data, that explains how software processes are formed and evolve, and when and why SPI is undertaken. The grounded theory is based on two conceptual themes, Process Formation and Process Evolution, and one core theoretical category, Cost of Process. Our research found that SPI programmes are implemented reactively and that many software managers reject SPI because of the associated implementation and maintenance costs and are reluctant to implement SPI models such as ISO 9000 and CMMI.

Lessons from a Pilot Implementation of ISO/IEC 29110 in a Group of Very Small Irish Companies

“…In some cases, it is seen as nearly essential for the business. These findings support prior studies [6,7,8] in VSEs in relation to adoption of lifecycle standards and indicate there is much work yet to be done.…”

Deploying a Software Process Lifecycle Standard in Very Small Companies

“…For example, in the case of CMMI, an Australian study found that small organizations considered that adopting CMMI would be infeasible (Staples et al, 2007) and an Irish study found significant resistance due to negative perceptions surrounding levels of bureaucracy and required documentation (Coleman & O'Connor, 2006). Further investigation of the SEI CMMI by Staples and Niazi (2006) discovered, after systematically reviewing 600 papers, that there has been little published evidence about those organizations who have decided not to adopt CMMI.…”

An Innovative Approach to the Development of an International Software Process Lifecycle Standard for Very Small Entities

“…Although commercial Software Process Improvement (SPI) models (such as Capability Maturity Model Integration for Development, CMMI-DEV) (SEI, 2010) have been highly publicized and marketed, they are not being widely adopted and their influence in the software industry therefore remains more at a theoretical than practical level (Coleman & O'Connor, 2006;O'Connor & Coleman, 2009). In the case of CMMI ® , evidence for this lack of adoption can be seen by examining the SEI (Software Engineering Institute) CMMI data for the threeyear period March 2008to March 2011(CMMI, 2011, which shows that worldwide during that period less than 3,500 individual appraisals were reported, which includes many divisions of the same company.…”