The Rosetta Stone methodology : a benefits driven approach to software process improvement

Part of the maturity process in the fields of software engineering and information technology has involved, and continues to involve, establishing best practices in the various domains that constitute the area. Specifically, from a software development perspective, there are several competing Software Process Improvement (SPI) methodologies such as the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) approach and the International Standards Organization’s ISO/IEC 15504 (previously known as SPICE). All these initiatives aim to improve an organization’s systems capabilities but they aim to do so from an Information Technology (IT) perspective. However, the majority of organizations are not IT-centric and IT is but one of several elements which contributes to their success. As a result, organizational leaders are more comfortable seeing the benefits of SPI within the context of organizational benefits and objectives and what SPI can contribute to the organization as a whole, not as a purely IT objective. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of methodologies which approach software improvement from an organizational goals and objectives perspective. In response to the lack of an organization-focused approach to SPI, the research presented in this thesis, the Rosetta Stone Methodology, has been developed. This methodology allows organizations to make SPI decisions based on business- and organizational-driven goals and objectives. The methodology allows practitioners to map from a benefits model which is organization-focused to a proven SPI methodology. The methodology itself is fully customizable and allows organizations to make adjustments to the model where they feel it appropriate. Further, in order to demonstrate the usefulness, appropriateness, and practicality of the generic methodology, the Rosetta Stone IGSI-ISM to CMMI Instance mapping (RSICMMI)is developed using a generic set of business objectives developed by IBM Consulting Services which are then mapped to an established SPI methodology, namely the CMMI (Staged) model. Using the RS-ICMMI instance of the methodology, practitioners can readily determine which specific Process Areas should be undertaken to achieve specific business objectives. A validation phase was performed whereby both the methodology and the instance mapping were reviewed by experts.