TABLE OF CONTENTS Key methods consist of general-purpose process improvement cycles and general-purpose process improvement criteria. Methods include software process modeling notations, software engineering standards, and software engineering life cycles. Software engineering methodologies, software engineering notations, and software engineering processes are key methods. Software engineering tools, software engineering measurement, and computer programming languages are also key SPI methods.
General-purpose process improvement cycles are used in conjunction with general-purpose process improvement criteria. These are very popular and are the preferred methods for many. Software engineering methodologies tend to integrate many of the SPI methods into a single unified approach.
General-purpose process improvement cycles are designed to be the basic frameworks necessary to begin the process of SPI. However, these frameworks tend to be diluted and ineffective at best, with little overall direction for improving software processes. These methods are not recommended for novices who need specific help to identify high-impact and high-ROI SPI methods. Examples include Six Sigma, statistical process control, plan-do-check-act, and initiating-diagnosing-establishing-acting-learning. Total quality management, total productivity management, and total cost management are also popular examples. Total resource management, total technology management, and total business management are part of this family of methods.
General-purpose process improvement criteria are used in conjunction with general purpose process improvement cycles. General-purpose process improvement cycles tend to have an appraisal stage. This stage is used to leverage the specific requirements of general-purpose process improvement criteria. These criteria have built-in mechanisms to...
