Process capability assessments in small development firms

[Abstract}: Assessment-based Software Process Improvement (SPI) programs such as the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), Bootstrap, and SPICE (ISO/IEC 15504) are based on formal frameworks and promote the use of systematic processes and management practices for software development. These approaches identify best practices for the management of software development and when applied, enable organizations to understand, control and improve development processes. The purpose of a SPI assessment is to compare the current processes used in an organization with a list of recommended or ‘best’ practices. This research investigates the adoption of SPI initiatives by four small software development firms. These four firms participated in a process improvement program which was sponsored by Software Engineering Australia (SEA) (Queensland). The assessment method was based on SPICE (ISO/IEC 15504) and included an initial assessment, recommendations, and a follow-up meeting. For each firm, before and after snapshots are provided of the capability as assessed on eight processes. The discussion which follows summarizes the improvements realized and considers the critical success factors relating to SPI adoption for small firms

Trust and Commitment in Professional Service Marketing Relationships in Business-to-Business Markets

This paper examines two very important concepts in marketing relationships – trust and commitment – whereby commitment is regarded as consisting of three components: affective, calculative and normative. The context of this study is professional services in a business-to-business market, more specifically the marketing research industry in Slovenia. The results show that trust in the marketing research provider and its work is very high among interviewed clients. The clients also appear to be affectively committed to the relationship with the provider, whereas calculative and normative commitment are low. The study’s results confirm the positive influence of trust on affective commitment and the weak negative influence of trust on calculative commitment.trust, affective commitment, calculative commitment, normative commitment, business-to-business markets

Performance measurement of IT service management: a case study of an Australian university

IT departments are adopting service orientation by implementing IT service management (ITSM) frameworks. Most organisations are hesitant to discuss their ITSM performance measurement practices, tending to focus more on challenges. However there are good practices that are found amidst the challenges. We present a case study that provides an account of the performance measurement practices in the ICT Division of an Australian university. This case study was conducted with the aim of understanding the internal and external factors that influence the selection of ITSM performance metrics. It also explores how and why metrics and frameworks are used to measure the performance of ITSM in organisations. Interviews were conducted to identify the specific ITSM performance metrics used and how they were derived. It was found that a number of factors internal and external to the organisation influenced the selection of the performance metrics. The internal factors include meeting the need for improved governance, alignment of IT strategy with organisation strategy, having a mechanism to provide feedback to IT customers (university staff and students). External factors include benchmarking against others in the same industry and the choice of metrics offered by ITSM software tool adopted

Champagne training on a beer budget

[Abstract]: When confronted by rapidly escalating costs for End User Computing (EUC) training and support, the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) - the local government authority for Australia’s premier tourist destination - took a proactive stance by adopting a low-cost strategy. This strategy has now been in place for about six years and, as shown in this case study, is reaping rewards in terms of productivity increases and technology diffusion. After identifying an appropriate theoretical perspective for the study, this paper describes the EUC training approach taken at GCCC, and investigates its impact on the productivity of the 1500 person workforce. Both the trainees and the trainers were surveyed to evaluate fully this low-cost strategy. Related social issues of empowering the stakeholders are examined and recommendations are made to ensure that this approach will continue to provide champagne training on a beer budget

itSMF Australia 2005 Conference: Summary of ITIL Adoption Survey Responses

[Abstract]: This report provides a summary of responses from a survey of ITIL adoption and benefits conducted at the itSMF National Conference in Brisbane. Many public sector organisations and private sector firms have adopted ITIL and are making substantial progress in implementing the framework. Although all the ITIL core functions and processes are being implemented by most of the respondents, priority has been given to implementing the service desk function and incident management process. Factors identified as most critical to successful ITIL implementation are senior management commitment and an effective ITIL champion. Important issues relate to the ability of IT staff to adapt to change, the quality of IT staff, and training for IT staff

Australian software developers embrace quality Assurance Certification

[Abstract]: This paper details a research project undertaken to assess the extent of adoption of quality assurance (QA) certification by Australian software developers. A brief history of government QA policy, the catalyst in the sudden interest in certification, is included. Primary data for the study were gathered from a survey of 1,000 Australian software developers, and were used to determine the extent of adoption of QA certification by Australian developers, their organisational characteristics, capability maturity and perceptions regarding the value of QA certification. Secondary data from the JAS-ANZ register of certified organisations enabled validation of survey responses and extrapolation of QA certification adoption. Major findings of the study revealed that 11 percent of respondents are certified to ISO 9001 or AS 3563, seven percent are in progress and 21 percent plan to adopt QA certification. It also revealed that specialist developers are adopting QA certification at twice the rate of in-house developers. Other factors found to be associated with adoption of QA certification are large development groups, developers with government or overseas clients, organisations with whole- or part-foreign ownership, and organisations undertaking corporate TQM initiatives. From the findings, detailed implications are drawn for managers and policy analysts

Higher CMM levels attained by QA certified software developers

[Abstract]: This paper addresses the question: is higher capability maturity associated with adoption of Quality Assurance (QA) certification? To assess the extent of adoption of third-party QA certification by Australian software developers, a survey of 1,000 software developers was recently conducted. The questionnaire also included an assessment of their capability maturity based on the capability maturity model (CMM). Cynics who criticise the value of QA certification may be surprised by the strong association found between adoption of QA certification and capability maturity

An evaluation of the RAPID assessment-based process improvement method for small firms

[Abstract]: With increasing interest by the software development community in software process improvement (SPI), it is vital that SPI programs are evaluated and the reports of lessons learned disseminated. This paper presents an evaluation of a program in which low-rigour, one-day SPI assessments were offered at no cost to 22 small Australian software development firms. The assessment model was based on ISO/IEC 15504 (SPICE). About twelve months after the assessment, the firms were contacted to arrange a follow-up meeting to determine the extent to which they had implemented the recommendations from the assessment. Comparison of the process capability levels at the time of assessment and the follow-up meetings revealed that the process improvement program was effective in improving the process capability of many of these small software development firms. Analysis of the assessment and follow-up reports explored important issues relating to SPI: elapsed time from assessment to follow-up meeting, the need for mentoring, the readiness of firms for SPI, the role of the owner/manager, the advice provided by the assessors, and the need to record costs and benefits. Based on a meta-analysis of the program and its outcomes, advice and recommendations are provided to small firms and assessors. As well as providing validation of the assessment model and method, the outcomes from this research have the potential to better equip practitioners and consultants to undertake software process improvement, hence increasing the success of small software development firms in domestic and global markets

Why tenure?

Academic research is a public good whose production is supported by the tuition-paying students that a faculty's research accomplishments attract. A professor's spot contribution to the university's revenues thus depends not on her spot research production, but rather on her cumulative research record. We show that a profit-maximizing university will apply a `high' minimum retention standard to the production of a junior professor who has no record of past research, but a `zero' retention standard to the spot production of a more senior professor whose background includes accomplishments sufficient to have cleared the `high' probationary hurdle.academic tenure; labour contract; up-or-out