The evolution of the TIPA framework: towards the automation of the assessment process in a design science research project

Managing processes remain a key challenge for most organizations which need to preserve competitiveness. Process assessment frameworks can help by providing instruments guiding process improvement and regulation alignment. Several process assessment frameworks such as TIPA® are based on the ISO Process assessment standard series ISO/IEC 15504, currently revised in the ISO/IEC 330xx family of standards. Following a Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, this paper visits the TIPA Framework evolution throughout iterative cycles in terms of design, rigour and relevance. It investigates how original and new artefacts are being developed and improved over the period of ten years, in particular the new strategic move towards the automation of the assessment process. By demonstrating the evolution of the TIPA framework using a DSR perspective, this paper explicates design knowledge regarding the role and value of the framework within the ISO standards community and in practice

Um modelo de capacidade e maturidade para melhoria de processo de software para SaaS colaborativo

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Automação e Sistemas, Florianópolis, 2013.Atualmente, o cenário de desenvolvimento e disponibilização de software se mostra altamente exigente e dinâmico. SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) traz consigo uma série de vantagens que atraem provedores e clientes para tirarem proveito do cloud computing. Esses novos paradigmas permitem (com mais facilidade) a terceirização das soluções de TI e a colaboração entre provedores de serviços de software, tentando buscar novas oportunidades se beneficiando das alianças. As formas como as novas tecnologias e conceitos se relacionam, mudam e surgem, são muito dinâmicas, gerando grande cobrança nas empresas provedoras de serviço de software, para que elas acompanhem essas mudanças. A confiança na contratação dos serviços SaaS é uma necessidade que surge junto a essa mudança de paradigma computacional. Existem diversas frentes que vêem apoiar uma possível resolução deste problema, e uma delas é a adoção de melhoria de processo de software nesses provedores de serviços, cujas premissas da Engenharia de Software já são bastante difundidas, como fazem a norma ISO/IEC 15504 e o CMMI-DEV. Porém, os atuais modelos de referência e normas que norteiam essa necessidade são voltadas para o desenvolvimento de software tradicional, não cobrindo totalmente um ambiente de desenvolvimento SaaS e colaboração. Alguns modelos voltados para serviços também já estão disponíveis, como o CMMI for services e o MPS.br guia geral de serviços, porém, eles apresentam "serviços" como sendo um serviço atendimento ao cliente, e não como serviço de software, como é trazido nesta tese. Com isso, nesta tese de doutorado foi desenvolvido um Modelo de Capacidade e Maturidade para Melhoria de Processo de Software para Software-as-a-Service e para Colaboração. Esse Modelo é um repositório de boas práticas de processos (de desenvolvimento de serviços de software e colaboração), baseados na engenharia de software e princípios de gestão do processo. Ele é organizado em níveis de capacidade e maturidade, projetado para melhorar os processos. Esse Modelo vem oferecer uma possibilidade de adequação às exigências de qualidade para os provedores, oferecendo mais argumentos positivos em sua contratação e potencializando a colaboração entre os provedores. Abstract : Nowadays, the scenario of software development and availability hasshown highly demanding and dynamic. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)brings a lot of advantages that is attracting providers and customers whoare already familiar with the facility coming from cloud computing.These new paradigms allow (more easily) outsourcing of IT solutionsand collaboration among providers (trying to reach new opportunities tobenefit from alliances). The ways in which this new technologies andconcepts are related, emerge and change are very dynamic, generating ahuge demand to software development providers. Trustworthiness in thehiring of SaaS services is a necessity that comes close to this paradigmshift. There are several options that support this problem, and one ofthem is implement software process improvement of services providers,whose premises the Software Engineering are already known, likeISO/IEC 15504 standard and CMMI-DEV. However, current referencemodels and standards available are geared towards the development oftraditional software, do not completely covering SaaS developmentenvironment. Some models focused to services are available like CMMIfor services and MPS.br general guide for services, but they introducethe term ?service? like a customer service, differently that term softwareservice that is assumed in this thesis. Thus, in this doctoral thesis wasdeveloped a Capability and Maturity Model for Software ProcessImprovement for Collaborative Software-as-a-Service. This Model is arepository of best practices to Services Development Processes (SaaS)and Collaboration. Based on software engineering and managementprinciples of the process, it is organized into capability and maturitylevels, designed to improve processes. This Model can offer a chance toadapt to the quality demands for providers, offering more positivearguments in its hiring and supporting the collaboration among providers

Information system development in a process management environment: the dynamics of improvisation and bricolage during embedded software design

The main objective of this thesis is to make a contribution to knowledge regarding the nature of improvisation and bricolage activities in the practice of embedded software design and how the tensional relationship between process management and improvisation and bricolage can be balanced. There is a lack of understanding embedded systems development in practice, and how the difficulties correspond to prescribed and emergent processes in this context. In order to address this knowledge gap I conducted an in‐depth case study of an embedded system development project in the German automobile context between December 2004 and November 2008. The research adopted an interpretive approach, which involved the collection and analysis of qualitative data. Empirical data that was derived through interviews and observation revealed new insights as to how embedded systems are developed in practice. I adopt the position that emergent processes occur not randomly, but as purposeful agents that navigate through a turbulent environment of ongoing need to improvise with the items at hand. The finding indicates that the success to achieve the aims is bound to the capabilities to be continuously reflexive and induce corrective actions as appropriate. A theoretical conceptualisation disclosed measures that may enhance the capacity to be reflexive. The findings implied that process management frameworks help as scaffolding in order to practice improvisation and bricolage as a coping strategy. Moreover, improving the capabilities to cope with challenges means enhancing reflexive capabilities. The original contribution of this research is founded on rich descriptions and interpretations as to how embedded systems are developed in practice, and the theoretical conceptualisation that can aid to balance the tension between process management and improvisation and bricolage

A Research Agenda of Industry 4.0 from the Czech Perspective

Although the Czech Republic ranks among the most industrialized countries in Europe, it is not prepared for the coming of technological changes. For a country to take advantage of emerging technologies and the GDP growth and jobs they bring, it must be highly digitalized. Therefore, the chapter is intended to provide the Czech Republic Industry 4.0 approach with the latest issues to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The chapter aims not only to point out possible directions of development, to define proposals for measures that can support the economy and industrial base, but also to help prepare the stakeholders from the public and private sector for technological change. This chapter is based on information gathered through extensive documents using print media and research databases of European Commission focused on digital economy and society, and we also employed the available Digital Transformation Scoreboard, Digital Transformation Monitor, Europe’s digital Progress Report, Digital Index of Roland Berger, and Czech strategic digital transformation documents to systematize a research agenda of Industry 4.0. The chapter is expected to help in reviewing national digital performance strategies, and an overview of the collected outputs may help other entities to the process digitizing a society efficiently

Exploring the Collaborative Integration of Service Providers in the New Product Development Process of Automobile Manufacturers

This Doctorate of Business Administration thesis examines the collaborative integration of engineering service providers (ESPs) in the new product development (NPD) process of automobile manufacturers. Through 11 qualitative key informant interviews with leading suppliers and buyers and the analysis of two case studies with a total of 22 interviewees, the explorative study analyses collaboration models, risks, motives, barriers and best practice guidelines for the identified two most important cooperation models in the field. The thesis draws on the literature of NPD processes, collaborative NPD, early supplier involvement, knowledge management, and relationship management in the automotive sector. The theory provides an introduction and serves as a basis for the developed guideline model. The provided best practice guidelines, sorted into the categories of ‘people’, ‘process’, ‘collaboration technology’, and ‘product technology’, are expected to improve collaboration in the joint NPD of complex products or technologies if these are applied by the management. Thus, the guideline model serves as a managerial tool to set priorities in the different phases of joint development, facilitate joint activities, and optimize NPD efficiency. Insights from this research are broadly applicable in the context of outsourced development of highly complex products or technologies to service providers. The thesis concludes with the discussion of its contribution to practice and theory and with an outlook on future developments in the ESP market

Internal and external sources of capacity building in the Mexican auto-parts industry

This thesis is concerned with the study of technology upgrading in late industrialising countries. This research aims to understand the process of technology upgrading of SMEs in the automotive industry by looking at the internal and external sources of technology for these firms. To do so, the main bodies of literature of this research are i) technological capabilities and absorptive capacity, ii) global value chains, and iii) NLSs. Technology upgrading has not been a well-developed notion in the literature. The literature has focused on technical change in industrialised economies and it has omitted the process of incremental changes and the shortcomings existing in the system of innovation for late industrialising countries. To observe technology upgrading in developing countries, I look at the transfer of technology from up-to-date firms (assemblers) to the less knowledgeable firms (SMEs) and the assimilation of this technology by the latter. To look at other sources of technology, I observed the country’ context and the role of other actors in the industry. In this regard, National Learning Systems (NLSs) permit to understand and explain the differences of the process of technical change in late industrialising countries where they learnt through the diffusion of technology created somewhere else rather than the creation of it within the system. In this research, I offer new findings for the literature which has paid little attention to the process of technology upgrading and SMEs. I also confirm that the use of NLSs instead of NIS is more accurate for late industrialising countries and I offer new paths for future research in these issues

Information system development in a process management environment : the dynamics of improvisation and bricolage during embedded software design

The main objective of this thesis is to make a contribution to knowledge regarding the nature of improvisation and bricolage activities in the practice of embedded software design and how the tensional relationship between process management and improvisation and bricolage can be balanced. There is a lack of understanding embedded systems development in practice, and how the difficulties correspond to prescribed and emergent processes in this context. In order to address this knowledge gap I conducted an in‐depth case study of an embedded system development project in the German automobile context between December 2004 and November 2008. The research adopted an interpretive approach, which involved the collection and analysis of qualitative data. Empirical data that was derived through interviews and observation revealed new insights as to how embedded systems are developed in practice. I adopt the position that emergent processes occur not randomly, but as purposeful agents that navigate through a turbulent environment of ongoing need to improvise with the items at hand. The finding indicates that the success to achieve the aims is bound to the capabilities to be continuously reflexive and induce corrective actions as appropriate. A theoretical conceptualisation disclosed measures that may enhance the capacity to be reflexive. The findings implied that process management frameworks help as scaffolding in order to practice improvisation and bricolage as a coping strategy. Moreover, improving the capabilities to cope with challenges means enhancing reflexive capabilities. The original contribution of this research is founded on rich descriptions and interpretations as to how embedded systems are developed in practice, and the theoretical conceptualisation that can aid to balance the tension between process management and improvisation and bricolage.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceWarwick Business School (WBS)University of Warwick (UoW)University of Bath (UoB)American Study and Student Exchange Committee (ASSEC)GBUnited Kingdo

Processus d'idéation de référence pour la phase amont de l'innovation

Under the rapidly increasing innovation pressure, companies are forced—more than ever before—to deal with the subject of innovation management, particularly with systematic idea generation and selection. This is especially true in technology-driven sectors such as automotive.Ideation denotes the procedure of idea generation and selection for innovations of products, services or business models with commercialisation potential on the market. It is located in the very beginning of the fuzzy front-end (FFE) of the entire innovation process and sets the course for New Product Development (NPD).In this context, this work attempts to answer the following research question: “How is it possible to create a structured approach which makes ideation the core task of the FFE, and to implement it as a process in a corporate environment such that it facilitates innovation management?” To this aim, its principal contribution is an ideation stage-gate reference process model based on a set of key success factors identified from literature and expert interviews.The proposed ideation reference process model capitalises on the strong and systematic involvement of internal and external stakeholders in ideation, and therefore follows intrinsically the modern paradigm of Open Innovation. It is designed in a way that can be integrated in existing innovation processes with reasonable effort, and it assures the alignment of ideation activities with the company’s business strategy.The validation of the proposed reference process model has been done at the German automotive supplier KSPG Automotive Group based on the derivation of a company-specific ideation process from the reference process. This derived process takes into account the company’s specific context of innovation and ideation, and is consequently focused on facilitating its integration into the company’s organisational culture and process landscape while introducing a fundamentally new approach to systematic ideation activities.In the scope of this thesis, the feasibility of the total approach as well as the ideation process itself has been demonstrated, and a concept for the broad introduction of the new process has been established. On this solid basis, perspectives for future research activities directly linked to the introduction and the improvement of the process, as well as to the determination of the applicability of the approach in different industry sectors are given.Sous la pression croissante de l'innovation, les entreprises sont plus que jamais obligées de s’occuper de la gestion de l'innovation, et plus particulièrement la génération systématique et la sélection des idées. Ceci s’applique en particulier aux secteurs technologiques tels que l'automobile.L’idéation signifie la procédure de la génération et sélection des idées pour les innovations de nouveaux produits, services où modèles d’affaires avec un potentiel commercial sur le marché. Elle se situe au début de la phase floue amont (« fuzzy front-end », FFE) du processus de l'innovation et détermine le processus de développement de nouveaux produits (« New Product Development », NPD).Dans ce contexte, cette thèse vise à répondre à la question de recherche suivante: « Comment est-il possible de créer une approche structurée qui fait de l’idéation la tâche principale de la FFE et l’implémenter comme processus dans un environnement d'entreprise pour faciliter la gestion de l'innovation? » À cet objectif, la principale contribution de ce travail est un modèle « étape – points de décision » (« stage-gate » en anglais) d’un processus d’idéation de référence qui est basé sur un ensemble des facteurs clés de succès identifiés dans la littérature et des entrevues d'experts.Le modèle de processus d’idéation de référence proposé s’appuie sur l’intégration forte et systématique des acteurs internes et externes dans l'idéation et intègre ainsi intrinsèquement le paradigme modern de l'Innovation Ouverte. Il a été conçu de manière qu’il puisse être intégré dans les processus d'innovation existants avec des efforts raisonnables, et qu’il assure l’alignement des activités d'idéation avec la stratégie commerciale de l'entreprise.La validation du modèle de processus de référence proposé a été faite chez le sous-traitant automobile allemand KSPG Automotive Group essentiellement par la dérivation d'un processus spécifique à cette entreprise à partir du processus de référence. Ce processus dérivé prend en compte le contexte spécifique de l'innovation et l'idéation chez cette entreprise et facilite par conséquence son intégration dans la culture organisationnelle de l'entreprise et son paysage de processus.Dans le cadre de cette thèse, la faisabilité de l'approche globale ainsi que le processus d'idéation lui-même ont été validés, et un concept pour l'introduction du nouveau processus a été établi. Sur cette base solide sont données des perspectives pour les prochaines activités de recherche qui sont directement liées à l'introduction et l'amélioration du processus, ainsi que la détermination de l'applicabilité de l'approche dans d’autres secteurs industriels