Lecture : 02

The Role of
Measurement in SPM
Software Process
Management
Today’s Objective
1) What is the need to measure process?
2) Process Vs Project characteristics
3) Responsibilities and objectives of SPM
4) Software process model
5) perspective vs descriptive process model
6) relationship between product and process
Why Measure?
 Advances in technology are continually increasing
 the demand for software that is larger more robust, and more reliable over ever-
widening ranges of application
 new technologies,
 more competitive markets,
 increased competition for experienced personnel,
 demands for faster responsiveness
Concerns
 open-ended requirements
 uncontrolled changes
 insufficient testing
 inadequate training
 arbitrary schedules
 insufficient funding
 Issues related to standards, product reliability, and product suitability
 Process Vs Project Phase
1. They are enacted in the real world 1. Phases are mainly completed sequentially, but
can overlap in some project situations
2. They usually transform one or more input
products into one or more output products 2. Phases can be subdivided into subphases
by consuming further products (e.g., 3. Unlike a process, a phase is always defined by
guidelines) a start date and an end date. If this period is
finished, the phase is finished. Typically,
3. They can be performed by humans processes can be activated multiple times
(“enactment“) or machines (“execution“)
or both together 4. Typical examples of phases are the elaboration
phase, the construction phase, or the transition
4. They can be refined by subprocesses, each phase. Phases are usually used when looking
of which can also be refined at a project from a management perspective
Elements of a Software Process
1) A framework (essential supporting structure)
2) an adaptable workflow
3) A model (a real-world representation of description)

A process model can describe a process on different levels of abstraction (e.g.,

lifecycle process level, engineering process level, atomic step level
Key- Process Elements
Activities: major workflow elements
that are always performed

Actions: important management and

technical events that perform a key
project function

Tasks: work that practitioners perform

to accomplish an action
The Software Process ...
Has a common process framework containing:
framework activities - for all software projects
 work tasks
 project milestones
 software work products and deliverables
 quality assurance points

umbrella activities - occur throughout the process

 software quality assurance
 software configuration management
 software metrics or measurement
Process Framework
A process framework establishes the foundation for a complete software
engineering process by identifying a small number of framework
activities that are applicable to all software projects, regardless of their
size or complexity.
The process framework encompasses a set of “umbrella activities” that
are applicable across the entire software process, see figure(1).
umbrella activities are applied throughout a software project and help a
software team manage and control progress, quality, change, and risk.
A Common Process
Framework Common Process Framework

Framework Activities
A Common Process Task sets
Framework
Tasks

Milestones, deliverables

SQA points

Umbrella activities
Software process
Typical Generic Activities
Communication:
In this activity, heavy communication with customers and other stakeholders, requirement gathering
is done.
Planning:
In this activity, we discuss the technical related tasks, work schedule, risks, required resources etc.
Modeling:
Modelling is about building representations of things in the ‘real world’.In modelling activity, a
product’s model is created in order to better understanding and requirements.
Construction:
In software engineering, construction is the application of set of procedures that are needed to
assemble the product. In this activity, we generate the code and test the product in order to make
better product.
Deployment:
In this activity, a complete or non-complete products or software are represented to the customers to
evaluate and give feedback. on the basis of their feedback we modify the products for supply better
product.
Umbrella Activities
In the definition of software process ,activities, actions, and tasks resides within a
framework or model that defines their relationship with the process and with one
another.
Software engineering process framework activities are complemented by a number of
umbrella activities.
The software process is represented schematically in Figure, Referring to the figure,
each framework activity is populated by a set of software engineering actions. Each
software engineering action is defined by a task set that identifies the work tasks that are
to be completed, the work products that will be produced, the quality assurance points
that will be required, and the milestones that will be used to indicate progress
Typical umbrella activities include:
Typical umbrella activities include:
1. Software project tracking and control- allows the
software team to assess progress against the project plan,
take necessary action to maintain the schedule.
2. Risk management- assesses risks that may affect the
outcome of the project or the quality of the product.
3. Software quality assurance- defines the activities
required to ensure software quality.
Typical umbrella activities include:
4. Technical reviews- uncover and remove errors before they are propagated to
the next activity.
5. Measurement- defines and collects process, project, and product measures.
6. Software configuration management- manages the effects of change
throughout the software process.
7. Reusability management- defines criteria for work product reuse and
establishes mechanisms to achieve reusable components.
8. Work product production- the activities required to create work products
such as models, documents, logs, forms, and lists.
Terminology
1) Process Model  description of process (specification)
2) Atomic Process  no sub processes
3) Process Enactment  performance of Process steps
4) Process Performer  Agent (human or machine)
5) Process Script  interpretation for humans
6) Process Program  interpretation for machines
7) Process schema  process metamodel
8) Process Product  artifact
Key Responsibilities of SPM
1) Define the Process

2) Measure the Process

3) Control the Process (ensure that variability is stable so that results are predictable)

4) Improve the Proecss

Key Responsibilities of SPM
Define the Process
 It creates a disciplined and structured environment for controlling & improving the
process.
Objective:
1) Design processes that meet / support business and technical objectives
2) Identify and define the issues, models & measures that relate to the
performance of the processes
3) Provide the infrastructure required for software activities
4) Ensure the software organization has the ability to execute & sustain the
processes.
Measure the Process
 basis for detecting deviations from acceptable performance and identifying
opportunities for process improvement.
Objective:
1) Collect data that measure the performance of each process.
2) Analyze the performance of each process.
3) Retain and use the data to:
- access process stability and capability
- predict future costs and results
- plot trends
- identify opportunities
Control the Process
 means keeping the process within its normal (inherent) performance boundaries.
Objective:
1) measurement  collecting information about process performance.
2) detection  analyzing the information to identify variations in the process
that are due to assignable causes.
3) correction  remove variation due to assignable causes and remove the
results from the process drift
Improve the Process
 process can be improved by making changes that improve their existing capabilities
or by replacing existing subprocesses with others that are more effective and
efficient.
Objective:
1) understand the existing process parameters /characteristics
2) plan, justify and implement actions that will modify the processes to meet

business needs
that are due to assignable causes.
3) Access the impacts and benefits gained
Process Eng. Vs Soft Eng.