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.