Software processes: how important is your domain?

There was a time when researching software processes meant just that – we were interested in making sure that the process for software development was effective. We did not really have to worry about the domains in which our software was used – well, maybe that was up to the requirements engineers or even those who were interested in usability, but it did not really affect the software processes through which the software was developed. But, things have changed! Software has become more ubiquitous. Software is used in products that are governed by regulation. Software is being developed in organisations that heretofore did not consider themselves software companies – such as automotive and medical device companies. As the manner in which software is being used has changed, so too must the processes by which software is developed. This paper presents the position that software processes can no longer ignore the domain – they have to change to ensure that software can be used wherever it is needed

The capability maturity model (SW and integrated) tailored in small indigenous software industries

The Irish Software Industry is undergoing rapid change due to increased competition from low cost global software service providers. Prior to this, Ireland had emerged as one of the leading low cost software exporters in the world. Then came the downturn in the global economy, the burst of the dot com bubble, and an increasing local cost base. Ireland now faces competition in the form of developing third world economies. The Irish software industry will struggle to compete with the vast workforce of cheap but skillful labor that these economies can offer in abundance. Can the Irish software industry compete in this changing environment? Software process improvement is recognized by the Irish government as a key differentiator in this competitive environment for the future. Quality improvement in Ireland had traditionally been the preserve of large software multi-nationals and the manufacturing industry. However, since the continued development of the local Irish software industry, this community is beginning to take software quality seriously. Research into the availability of software process models and best practices and how they can be effectively applied to small software industries in the Irish mid-west region is the main topic of this paper

The impact of fear on the operation of virtual teams

Distributed software development has become the norm for the software industry today. As a result many organizations are leveraging the expertise of their existing staff by establishing virtual teams. Here we outline the results from three independent case studies undertaken over a period of eight years. The first study considered the operation of virtual teams whose members were situated in two locations in the same country. The second investigated why U.S. and Irish team members who worked very successfully while collocated, experienced serious problems when operating in virtual teams. The third focused on virtual testing teams with members based in Ireland and Malaysia. The Irish staff had extensive experience of having projects offshored to them and were now responsible for offshoring part of their work. The results from each case study highlighted the importance and impact fear played and the consequences this had for the success of the respective strategies

Software quality: from theory to practice

For over ten years, the first author of this paper (IR) has been teaching Software Quality in the traditional fashion where students are presented with materials through lecture and tutorial format. Her experience has been that concepts are difficult to convey, particularly if the students do not have prior industrial experience. Additionally, standards are topics which can become very boring to teach and learn. These difficulties have resulted in an uninteresting learning environment where it is hard to gauge what learning, if any, has been undertaken by the students. Therefore, in conjunction with the second author (YD), a problem-based learning practitioner and researcher, we investigated what other teaching methodologies could be used to improve the situation. This has resulted in IR implementing a problem-based learning instructional approach in the classroom during academic year 2009-2010. Through focusing on software systems within hospitals, students within a software quality class have developed a software quality plan supported by an academic paper. Analysing the implementation of PBL in the class, we demonstrate that students have developed a greater understanding of software quality concepts and standards. Consistent with the findings of Hmelo-Silver, it has also resulted in students experiencing and learning competencies such as team working, presentation and discussion, which are required in an industrial environment

Virtual software teams: overcoming the obstacles

As a result of the sustained popularity of Global Software Development (GSD) many organisations are increasingly leveraging this strategy to establish virtual software teams. In this paper the results from research undertaken with two Irish based companies who both utilised a virtual software team strategy is presented. One company had partnered with an organisation located in the US to develop and maintain software. The other company was the Irish division of a US multinational company who had partnered with a division in the Far East to undertake their software testing. We also describe particular cases of concern which both organisations experienced and discuss how they were addressed. Following the research in both companies, and based on the results from both of these cases, the researchers developed a framework to support the management of virtual software teams. Given the importance of GSD to the software industry this experience should be of value to anyone interested in outsourcing and virtual team software development and maintenance

Distributed inter-organisational outsourcing: a case study.

As more and more software organisations continue their integration into a burgeoning global business community, the effective management of relatively new types of working arrangements, such as those enabled by virtual teams and distributed software development (DSD), assumes heightened importance. Membership of this community promises increased opportunities along with wellpublicised risks. The ability to harness the capabilities of people, process and technology in a distributed environment is, however, considered a greater challenge than in its co-located equivalent. Although pertinent to software vendors of all sizes, the literature to date has primarily concentrated on DSD from the perspective of larger organisations. Paradoxically, however, the majority of organisations developing software globally are small in size. This study seeks to restore the equilibrium somewhat by using a case study approach to investigate DSD in the context of a small software provider based in Ireland. The findings emphasise particular difficulties in relation to communication, people management, trust, skills and training, and the lack of standard or consistent process, and describes how the company is dealing with them. Appreciating and understanding these difficulties can help small companies and clients alike to better prepare for the challenges of DSD and outsourcing

Entrepreneurship education: towards an industry sector approach

This paper considers the requirements for an industry sector approach to entrepreneurship education – The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Sector. We present a modified Process Framework for Entrepreneurship Education focusing specifically on ICT. The primary components of the Process Framework are described (inputs, process and content, assessment and outputs) to assist in the design of relevant and targeted entrepreneurship education courses to create an entrepreneurial mindset for graduates in this sector. This Framework can be modified to suit courses focusing on other industry sectors

Uncovering the reality within virtual software team

To support software development globalisation, organisations are increasingly implementing virtual team strategies. However, these teams have to work within the confines of the factors which distance introduces, thus not always allowing effective coordination, visibility, communication and cooperation to take place. The successful implementation and management of such teams must be done differently to those at single-site locations. To establish what factors significantly affect the implementation of virtual teams, the authors carried out qualitative research in two organisations in Ireland. Results from this research demonstrate that many factors are reality for those involved in global software development. In this paper we present five of these factors and discuss the impact these had on the virtual teams. These five are: use of communication tools, project management, process engineering, technical ability and knowledge transfer and motivational issues. If these are not explicitly addressed by management it can lead to serious problems

Problem based learning in the software engineering classroom

Software engineering lecturers are faced with the teaching of concepts which sometimes are not easy for inexperienced students to understand. Therefore, it can be useful to consider and use non-traditional teaching methods which can improve students’ learning. In this paper, we discuss problem-based learning and how its use can improve students’ understanding of concepts. We present factors which should exist in ‘pure’ problem-based learning. We then describe how one of the authors used problem-based learning in a class who were required to understand information flows through software engineering diagramming techniques, with the ultimate view to being able to analyse and design computerized information systems. This problem-based learning class was observed and analysed by the second author. The analysis presented focuses on the problem-based learning factors, how they were implemented in class, and the strengths and weaknesses of the use of problem-based learning in this way. In conclusion, the authors discuss how the teaching could be improved through modifying the teaching method for a future class in which problem-based learning will be used. This modification is expected to enhance the students’ learning and their experience

The design and development of software process reference models – experiences and lessons learnt

Software process reference models can serve as a tool for simplifying process problem solving. Through a series of research phases using sources in industry and academia, we developed a software process reference model for the derivation of products from a software product line. In this paper we describe how empirical evidence was used in the development of that process reference model while following an evolutionary multi-method research approach. A discussion on the selection of research methods for construction of process reference models is included. We explain how the different phases of the research formed a continuum in which the model was continually adjusted. Finally, we document important lessons learnt on software process reference model construction. The goal of this paper is to contribute to both the improved understanding of real world reference model construction and to the practical implementation of reference model construction guidelines