An empirical study on software process improvement in ... · An empirical study on software process improvement in automotive Fabio Falcini, Giuseppe Lami. F. Falcini G. Lami 2 Purpose

An empirical study on software process improvement in automotive

Fabio Falcini, Giuseppe Lami

F. Falcini G. Lami 2

Purpose

To present the main results and approach of an empirical study on SW Process Improvement in the automotive industry conducted using the data from a sample of Automotive SPICE assessments (around 25 companies/35 assessments/45 projects) performed by the authors worldwide (6 countries) in the last five/six years.

This empirical study (that is in progress) is aimed at analysing commonalities and challenges in implementing process improvement according in the automotive field according Automotive SPICE process models.

Automotive SPIN 2015


Purpose (2)

In particular to investigate:- recurrent process gaps and to group them conveniently in a

less technical language- status reached after a loop of process improvement.

For these commonalities an analysis (from a process improvement point of view) is also provided in terms of:

- External factors- Internal factors- Enabling methods/technologies


F. Falcini G. Lami Automotive SPIN 2015 4

Authors

Giuseppe Lami is a principal Automotive SPICE assessor with more than 20 years of SW engineering research. He is the head of System & SW Evaluation Center at CNR.

Fabio Falcini is a principal Automotive SPICE assessor and ISO 26262 consultant and collaborates with the System & SW Evaluation Center at CNR.

Automotive SPICE History

Automotive SPICE Inaugural Meeting 28/11/2001

…..

Automotive SPICE Process Reference Model 21/8/2005

…..

Automotive SPICE Official Launch, Munich 24/4/2006

Automotive SPICE Recall Event, Goteborg, 25/09/2006

….

and now Automotive SPICE 3.0 ...Automotive SPIN 2015


Automotive SPICE 2.5 PAM



SW Process ImprovementTypically the following pattern applies to improvement initiatives:



Assessments context



Average assessment scope



Approach

This study is based on a step-wise approach.

S.1 the organizations assessed by the authors are classified in terms of product domain, team size, company size , location, and type of assessment.



Approach (2)

S.2 the gaps found with higher occurrence (at base practice level) are identified and analyzed.

S.3 the gaps are clustered with the aim of finding a more general “language” to better promote their improvement

S.4 An averaged evaluation of the “jump ahead” at base practice and process levels as well as an elaborations on:

- External improvement drivers- Internal improvement drivers- Enabling methods and technologies


MAN.3 Project Management Project Management is the process of planning,

organising, staffing, monitoring, and leading a project.

Project Management deals with reality, problems, delays, changes, obstacles and, sometimes, opportunities that arise in a project.

Mix of technical, human, and other activities.

Objective: complete projects in time, quality, and budget.



MAN.3 Project Management

Not defined/performed formally:- practice not or poorly documented- outcomes not sufficiently aligned with ASPICE expectations

Defined/performed formally:- practice adequately documented- outcomes aligned with ASPICE expectations- sufficient process awareness



MAN.3 Frequent weakenessesMAN.3 BP.3: Determine and maintain estimates for project attributes;MAN.3 BP.6: Define and maintain project schedule;MAN.3 BP.8: Establish project plan;MAN.3 BP.10: Monitor project attributes.



MAN.3 Gap Clusters

MAN.3.GC1 - Operative scheduling definition and control is informal [BP.6].MAN.3.GC2 - Poor project planning update and dissemination [BP.8].MAN.3.GC3 - Lack of estimations [BP.3].MAN.3.GC4 - Poor effort management [BP.8, BP.10]



Pivotal Base Practices

A pivotal base practice is a process basepractice whose adequate implementation plays a crucial role in making substantialimprovement steps for the all the process itself.

Potential Use - Process Improvement planning- “Quick” process check



MAN.3 Project Management


Rating SPICE 3.0....

Fabio Falcini


ENG.3 System Architectural DesignThe purpose of the system architectural design process is to

identify which system requirements are to be allocated to which elements of the system.

At the top level, system architecture describes all system elements, their relation to each other, and interfaces.

For each element of the system the allocated system requirements must be known.



ENG.3 System Design



ENG.3 Gap Clusters

ENG.3.GC1 – The definition of system architecture interfaces as well as many aspects of the architecture itself are not documented as required [BP.1, BP.3].

ENG.3.GC2 – Traceability information (with emphasys on system requirements allocation) are not documented as required [BP.2, BP.6].



ENG.3 System Architectural Design



ENG.4 SW Requirements Analysis



ENG.4 Gap Clusters

ENG.4.GC1 – Analysis of SW Requirements is conducted is not documented as required [BP.2, BP.3].

ENG.4.GC2 – Traceability information are not documented as required [BP.6, BP.7].



ENG.4 SW Requirements Analysis



ENG.8 SW Testing



ENG.8 Gap Clusters

ENG.8.GC1 – Full repetibility of SW Test is not guaranteed [BP.2, BP.4].

ENG.8.GC2 – Traceability information are not documented as required [BP.5].



ENG.8 SW Testing



Conclusions

When completed this study shall provide useful insight (given the fact that relevant literature is almost totally missing) that can be beneficial for automotive software process improvement community.

.

Business Needs +

Common improvementopportunities



Contacts and thanks

Fabio.Falcini67(at)gmail.comGiuseppe.Lami(at)isti.cnr.it

stay tuned....

Documents

An empirical study on software process improvement in ... · An empirical study on software process improvement in automotive Fabio Falcini, Giuseppe Lami. F. Falcini G. Lami 2 Purpose