The Structured Process Modeling Theory (SPMT): a cognitive view on why and how modelers benefit from structuring the process of process modeling

After observing various inexperienced modelers constructing a business process model based on the same textual case description, it was noted that great differences existed in the quality of the produced models. The impression arose that certain quality issues originated from cognitive failures during the modeling process. Therefore, we developed an explanatory theory that describes the cognitive mechanisms that affect effectiveness and efficiency of process model construction: the Structured Process Modeling Theory (SPMT). This theory states that modeling accuracy and speed are higher when the modeler adopts an (i) individually fitting (ii) structured (iii) serialized process modeling approach. The SPMT is evaluated against six theory quality criteria

PROPOSED FRAMEWORK FOR TAILORING AGILE-BASED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED COMPANIES

High risks are involved as well as a large number of resources are required to construct the software development processes from scratch. Most of the software development companies follow ad-hoc approaches in informal ways to tailor an existing software development process according to their requirements. Instead of devising new tailoring strategies, these approaches describe and compare the similar tailoring operations at very superficial level and mainly focus on the large sized software development companies

Investigating the relationship between software process improvement, situational change, and business success in software SMEs

While we have learned a great deal from Software Process Improvement (SPI) research to date, no earlier study has been designed from the outset to examine the relationship between SPI and business success in software development small- to- medium- sized companies (software SMEs). Since business processes are generally acknowledged as having an important role to play in supporting business success, it follows that the software development process (a large and complex component of the overall business process) has an important contribution to make in supporting business success in software development companies. However, to date we have very little evidence regarding the role of SPI in supporting business success, especially for software SMEs. The need for SPI is dependent on the extent of situational change in a software development setting, and therefore any examination of the relationship between SPI and business success would be deficient if it did not also examine the extent of situational change. Therefore, this thesis describes a novel approach to examining SPI, situational change and business success in software development companies. Furthermore, having discharged this new approach to 15 software SMEs, this thesis makes the important new discovery that the amount of SPI implemented in a software SME is positively associated with the extent of business success – especially when the degree of situational change is taken into account. This thesis describes the first published study to examine the relationship between SPI, situational change and business success in software SMEs. The findings suggest that there are business benefits to implementing SPI in software SMEs, with the degree of situational change being an important factor informing SPI initiatives. Furthermore, this research has yielded valuable new insights into the nature of SPI, situational change and business success in software SMEs

Modelo para análise da influência do capital intelectual sobre a performance dos projetos de software

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia e Gestão do ConhecimentoEsta tese propõe um modelo para analisar a influência do capital intelectual sobre a performance dos projetos de software. A maior parte do software desenvolvido profissionalmente é concebida pela execução de projetos - empreendimentos temporários que visam produzir software e documentação de acordo com as especificações dos clientes. Desta forma, o sucesso de uma organização de software é altamente dependente da performance dos projetos que executa. Torna-se crucial, então, o reconhecimento dos fatores que influenciam a performance dos projetos, possibilitando aos gestores reforçar os elementos que impulsionam os resultados atingidos e mitigar os elementos negativos. Entre os fatores possíveis, esta tese foca nos insumos baseados em conhecimento que são aplicados na execução dos projetos, recorrendo ao arcabouço teórico do capital intelectual para descrever a estrutura e o conteúdo desses recursos. Um modelo teórico é desenvolvido para descrever os elementos do capital intelectual - capital humano, capital estrutural e capital relacional - e a performance dos projetos. O questionário gerado a partir do modelo teórico é aplicado no levantamento de dados sobre projetos realizados por empresas de software da Grande Florianópolis, um polo tecnológico com importância reconhecida nacional e internacionalmente. A análise dos dados coletados é realizada a partir de um modelo de equações estruturais de mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS-SEM), que permite a validação do modelo de mensuração e a verificação das hipóteses formuladas no modelo teórico. Os resultados do modelo estatístico revelam que os três elementos do capital intelectual exercem influências positivas e significativas sobre a performance dos projetos, sendo mais determinantes o capital humano e o capital estrutural. Constata-se ainda que o nível de capital humano é positiva e significativamente correlacionado com os níveis de capital estrutural e de capital relacional aplicados aos projetos. Esses resultados confirmam a teoria de que o capital intelectual gera valor para as organizações quando seus três elementos interagem e se desenvolvem mutuamente

Investigating the process of process modeling and its relation to modeling quality : the role of structured serialization

Lately, the focus of organizations is changing fundamentally. Where they used to spend almost exclusively attention to results, in terms of goods, services, revenue and costs, they are now concerned about the efficiency of their business processes. Each step of the business processes needs to be known, controlled and optimized. This explains the huge effort that many organizations currently put into the mapping of their processes in so-called (business) process models. Unfortunately, sometimes these models do not (completely) reflect the business reality or the reader of the model does not interpret the represented information as intended. Hence, whereas on the one hand we observe how organizations are attaching increasing importance to these models, on the other hand we notice how the quality of process models in companies often proves to be insufficient. The doctoral research makes a significant contribution in this context. This work investigates in detail how people create process models and why and when this goes wrong. A better understanding of current process modeling practice will form the basis for the development of concrete guidelines that result in the construction of better process models in the future. The first study investigated how we can represent the approach of different modelers in a cognitive effective way, in order to facilitate knowledge building. For this purpose the PPMChart was developed. It represents the different operations of a modeler in a modeling tool in such a way that patterns in their way of working can be detected easily. Through the collection of 704 unique modeling executions (a joint contribution of several authors in the research domain), and through the development of a concrete implementation of the visualization, it became possible to gather a great amount of insights about how different people work in different situations while modeling a concrete process. The second study explored, based on the discovered modeling patterns of the first study, the potential relations between how process models were being constructed and which quality was delivered. To be precise, three modeling patterns from the previous study were investigated further in their relation with the understandability of the produced process model. By comparing the PPMCharts that show these patterns with corresponding process models, a connection was found in each case. It was noticed that when a process model was constructed in consecutive blocks (i.e., in a structured way), a better understandable process model was produced. A second relation stated that modelers who (frequently) moved (many) model elements during modeling usually created a less understandable model. The third connection was found between the amount of time spent at constructing the model and a declining understandability of the resulting model. These relations were established graphically on paper, but were also confirmed by a simple statistical analysis. The third study selected one of the relations from the previous study, i.e., the relation between structured modeling and model quality, and investigated this relation in more detail. Again, the PPMChart was used, which has lead to the identification of different ways of structured process modeling. When a task is difficult, people will spontaneously split up this task in sub-tasks that are executed consecutively (instead of simultaneously). Structuring is the way in which the splitting of tasks is handled. It was found that when this happens consistently and according to certain logic, modeling became more effective and more efficient. Effective because a process model was created with less syntactic and semantic errors and efficient because it took less time and modeling operations. Still, we noticed that splitting up the modeling in sub-tasks in a structured way, did not always lead to a positive result. This can be explained by some people structuring the modeling in the wrong way. Our brain has cognitive preferences that cause certain ways of working not to fit. The study identified three important cognitive preferences: does one have a sequential or a global learning style, how context-dependent one is and how big one’s desire and need for structure is. The Structured Process Modeling Theory was developed, which captures these relations and which can form the basis for the development of an optimal individual approach to process modeling. In our opinion the theory has the potential to also be applicable in a broader context and to help solving various types of problems effectively and efficiently

PROPOSED FRAMEWORK FOR TAILORING AGILE-BASED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED COMPANIES

High risks are involved as well as a large number of resources are required to construct the software development processes from scratch. Most of the software development companies follow ad-hoc approaches in informal ways to tailor an existing software development process according to their requirements. Instead of devising new tailoring strategies, these approaches describe and compare the similar tailoring operations at very superficial level and mainly focus on the large sized software development companies

ISDM tailoring on complex information systems projects

This thesis explores issues related to how methodologies for guiding the development of complex Information Systems (“Information Systems Development Methodologies” or “ISDMs”) are tailored in practice. A model of ISDM tailoring was proposed, refined and tested through case studies. The tailoring of an ISDM was observed in three large, commercial IS development projects undertaken by Sysco, a global provider of Information Technology (IT) hardware, software, and services. The model represents an ISDM as existing in three states: the Methodology-as-Documented, the Methodology-as-Anticipated, and the Methodology-in-Action. The model also proposes that transitions between pairs of states can occur in two fundamentally different ways: Contingent tailoring, which is a pro-active response to known or assumed project characteristics; and Improvised tailoring, which is a reactive response to emerging project conditions, drawing on the knowledge and experience of the tailoring practitioner. Exemplars of the three states, and of transitions of both types between these states, have been identified and documented. The implications for theory include: Identifying and defining the three states in which an ISDM can exist; Identifying and defining two types of transition between states; and Developing a model which represents the different states and the transitions between them observed in the course of this research. Implications for the practice of ISDM tailoring include: Identifying the need to incorporate into documentation and training materials associated with an ISDM, recognition of the third, intermediate state in which an ISDM can exist, the Methodology-as-Anticipated, and the identification of the two types of transitions between states. These findings are captured in a “Model of Methodology Tailoring”, developed and refined in the course of the thesis

Software Process Models and Project Performance

In this paper we review the progress in software process research and the role of process improvement in enhancing business outcomes of software projects. We first describe the process view of software development. Next, we review the literature on software process research and discuss some of the leading software process models. The business value of software process improvements and empirical evidence from the software industry are also discussed in this paper. We conclude with a discussion of current challenges in software process research and directions for future research.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46018/1/10796_2004_Article_242160.pd