Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

1 Jean Claude Derniame Software process technology is an emerging and strategic area that has already reached a reasonable degree of maturity, delivering products and significant industrial expe riences. This technology aims at supporting the software production process by pro viding the means to model, analyse, improve, measure, and whenever it is reasonable and convenient, to automate software production activities. In recent years, this tech nology has proved to be effective in the support of many business activities not directly related to software production, but relying heavily on the concept of process (i. e. all the applications traditionally associated with workflow management). This book concentrates on the core technology of software processes, its principles and concepts as well as the technical aspect of software process support. The contributions to this book are the collective work of the Promoter 2 European Working Group. This grouping of 13 academic and 3 industrial partners is the suc cessor of Promoter, a working group responsible for creating a European software process community. Promoter 2 aims at exploiting this emerging community to collec tively develop remaining open issues, to coordinate activities and to assist in the dis semination of results. The title "Software Process Modelling and Technology" [Fink94] was produced during Promoter 1. Being "project based", it presented the main findings and proposals of the different projects then being undertaken by the partners.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• 1 The Software Process: Modelling and Technology (p. 1)
• 1.1 Introduction (p. 1)
• 1.2 The Perspective of this Book (p. 2)
• 1.3 Processes and Process Models (p. 3)
• 1.4 A Simple Example: Software Change (p. 5)
• 1.5 Process Modelling (p. 7)
• 1.5.1 Basic Elements (p. 7)
• 1.5.2 Process Model Levels (p. 8)
• 1.5.3 Process Model Views (p. 9)
• 1.6 Process-sensitive Software Engineering Environments (p. 10)
• 1.7 Meta-Process (p. 11)
• 1.8 Conclusion (p. 12)
• 2 Software Process - Standards, Assessments and Improvement (p. 15)
• 2.1 Introduction (p. 15)
• 2.2 Standard Processes (p. 16)
• 2.2.1 ISO 9000-3 (p. 16)
• 2.2.2 PSS-05 (p. 17)
• 2.2.3 ISO-12207 (p. 18)
• 2.3 Assessment Methods (p. 19)
• 2.3.1 The Capability Maturity Model (p. 19)
• 2.3.2 Bootstrap (p. 21)
• 2.3.3 SPICE (p. 21)
• 2.3.4 Summary (p. 22)
• 2.4 Improvement Methods (p. 22)
• 2.4.1 Quality Improvement Paradigm (p. 22)
• 2.4.2 The Personal Software Process (p. 23)
• 2.4.3 Total Quality Management (p. 24)
• 2.5 Standards and Software Process Technology (p. 25)
• 3 Process Modelling Languages (p. 27)
• 3.1 Introduction (p. 27)
• 3.2 Requirements on Process Modelling Languages (p. 28)
• 3.2.1 Process Elements (p. 29)
• 3.2.2 PML Requirements and Meta-process Phases (p. 31)
• 3.3 Possible PML Technologies from Other Languages/Domains (p. 34)
• 3.3.1 Project Management (p. 34)
• 3.3.2 Formal Specification Languages (p. 34)
• 3.3.3 Informal Design Notations (p. 35)
• 3.3.4 Programming Languages (p. 35)
• 3.3.5 Database Languages (p. 35)
• 3.3.6 CASE Tools and Tool Integration Mechanisms (p. 35)
• 3.3.7 WorkFlow and Groupware (p. 35)
• 3.3.8 The PML Design Dilemma: One or Many PMLs? (p. 36)
• 3.4 Process Modelling Languages in the Promoter Context (p. 38)
• 3.4.1 The Survey Method (p. 38)
• 3.4.2 EPOS SPELL (p. 39)
• 3.4.3 SOCCA (p. 39)
• 3.4.4 Merlin (p. 40)
• 3.4.5 OIKOS (p. 41)
• 3.4.6 ALF (p. 41)
• 3.4.7 ADELE-TEMPO (p. 42)
• 3.4.8 SPADE (p. 42)
• 3.4.9 PEACE+ (p. 43)
• 3.4.10 E3 (p. 44)
• 3.4.11 PADM (p. 44)
• 3.4.12 Discussion (p. 45)
• 3.5 Other PMLs (p. 47)
• 3.5.1 APPL/A (p. 47)
• 3.5.2 MARVEL (p. 48)
• 3.5.3 Process Weaver (p. 49)
• 3.6 Possible Groups of PMLs and PSEEs (p. 50)
• 3.7 Conclusion (p. 51)
• 4 Meta-Process (p. 53)
• 4.1 Introduction (p. 53)
• 4.1.1 Overview (p. 53)
• 4.1.2 Meta-Process and Quality Improvement (p. 55)
• 4.1.3 Existing Meta-Processes (p. 56)
• 4.2 Requirements for a Meta-Process (p. 59)
• 4.3 A Model of the Meta-Process (p. 61)
• 4.3.1 Introduction (p. 61)
• 4.3.2 Control and Problem Solving (p. 61)
• 4.3.3 Consistency Management (p. 63)
• 4.3.4 Task Decomposition (p. 65)
• 4.3.5 Method Specialisation (p. 66)
• 4.3.6 Remarks on the Model (p. 66)
• 4.4 PROMOTER Reference Model (PRM) (p. 67)
• 4.4.1 Model Structure (p. 67)
• 4.4.2 Method Specialisation (p. 70)
• 4.4.3 Task Decomposition (p. 71)
• 4.4.4 Consistency Management (p. 72)
• 4.5 Validation of the PRM with Respect to Requirements (p. 73)
• 4.6 Empirical Justification of PRM (p. 74)
• 4.6.1 Introduction (p. 74)
• 4.6.2 The Customisation of PRM as QIP (p. 74)
• 4.6.3 The Customisation of PRM as PRISM (p. 76)
• 4.6.4 The Customisation of PRM as "Process Life-cycle" (p. 76)
• 4.6.5 Experience from Empirical Justification (p. 78)
• 4.7 Validation with respect to CMM (p. 80)
• 4.7.1 Introduction (p. 80)
• 4.7.2 Consistency Management (p. 81)
• 4.7.3 Task Decomposition View (p. 81)
• 4.7.4 Method Specialisation View (p. 85)
• 4.8 Validation of PRM with respect to Implementation (p. 86)
• 4.8.1 Introduction (p. 86)
• 4.8.2 Process Wise Integrator (p. 86)
• 4.8.3 The Model (p. 87)
• 4.8.4 The Scenario (p. 87)
• 4.9 Conclusion (p. 90)
• 4.9.1 Requirements (p. 91)
• 4.9.2 Managing the Process Improvement Process (p. 91)
• 4.9.3 Looking at other Meta-Processes (p. 91)
• 4.9.4 Why Use a PRM? (p. 92)
• 4.9.5 The Way Forward (p. 92)
• 5 Architectural Views and Alternatives (p. 95)
• 5.1 Basic Components (p. 95)
• 5.1.1 A Reference Model for Architectures in PSEEs (p. 95)
• 5.1.2 Dialog Management (p. 96)
• 5.1.3 Process Management (p. 98)
• 5.1.4 Workspace Management (p. 99)
• 5.1.5 Repository Management (p. 100)
• 5.1.6 Communication Management (p. 105)
• 5.1.7 Tools (p. 106)
• 5.2 Architectures for Distributed PSEEs (p. 107)
• 5.2.1 Determinant Requirements on Architectures for Distributed PSEEs (p. 107)
• 5.2.2 Architectural Alternatives for Distributed PSEEs (p. 108)
• 5.3 Example Architecture: The Distributed PSEE Merlin (p. 111)
• 5.3.1 Instance View on the Merlin Architecture (p. 111)
• 5.3.2 Type View on the Merlin Architecture (p. 111)
• 6 Cooperation Control in PSEE (p. 117)
• 6.1 Introduction (p. 117)
• 6.1.1 Objective (p. 117)
• 6.1.2 An Illustrative Example (p. 118)
• 6.1.3 Organisation of the Chapter (p. 123)
• 6.2 Moving from Traditional to Advanced Applications (p. 123)
• 6.2.1 ACID Properties (p. 123)
• 6.2.2 From ACID to Non-ACID (p. 124)
• 6.2.3 From Flat to Nested (p. 124)
• 6.2.4 From Closed to Open (p. 124)
• 6.2.5 Hierarchical versus Layered (p. 125)
• 6.2.6 Homogeneous versus Heterogeneous (p. 125)
• 6.2.7 From Transient to Persistent (p. 125)
• 6.2.8 Available Advanced Transaction Models (p. 125)
• 6.2.9 Summary and Analysis (p. 131)
• 6.3 Impact of Cooperation Control on the Architecture of PSEE (p. 133)
• 6.3.1 Impact of the Repository on Consistency Maintenance (p. 135)
• 6.3.2 Workspaces: an Abstract Level to Support Flexibility (p. 136)
• 6.3.3 Predefined Synchronisation Strategies Layer (p. 138)
• 6.3.4 The Knowledge Management Layer (p. 139)
• 6.3.5 The Interface Layer (p. 140)
• 6.4 Current Work (p. 141)
• 6.4.1 The COO System (p. 141)
• 6.4.2 The MERLIN System (p. 148)
• 6.4.3 The ADELE System (p. 153)
• 6.4.4 The SPADE System (p. 158)
• 6.4.5 Other Facets of Cooperation (p. 164)
• 6.5 Conclusion (p. 164)
• 7 The Human Dimension of the Software Process (p. 165)
• 7.1 Introduction (p. 165)
• 7.2 Three Organisational Contexts of Software Development (p. 166)
• 7.2.1 In-house Development in "ACME Stores": the Fetish of Methodology (p. 166)
• 7.2.2 Case B: Implementing Quality Management in a Software House (Columbine) (p. 168)
• 7.2.3 Case C: User Involvement in the Development of a Medical Workstation (p. 169)
• 7.2.4 General Remarks on the Cases (p. 171)
• 7.3 The Social Dynamics of the Software Process (p. 172)
• 7.3.1 MIS Research on the Software Process (p. 172)
• 7.3.2 The Contribution of Software Psychology (p. 176)
• 7.3.3 Process Modelling and Enactment: Some Practical Experiences (p. 179)
• 7.4 The Human Role in the Software Process: Dowson's framework (p. 182)
• 7.4.1 Dowson's Framework (p. 182)
• 7.4.2 User Interaction (p. 184)
• 7.4.3 User Interaction, Learning and the Meta-Process (p. 186)
• 7.4.4 Interpersonal Interaction (p. 187)
• 7.5 A Human-Centred Approach to Software Process Support (p. 189)
• 7.5.1 The Need for an "Ecological Approach" in Software Process Research (p. 190)
• 7.5.2 Synergy with Computer Supported Cooperative Work (p. 191)
• 7.5.3 The Limits of the Process Enactment Paradigm (p. 192)
• 7.5.4 The Software Process is a Learning Process (p. 194)
• 7.6 Conclusion (p. 196)
• 8 Software Process: Key Issues and Future Directions (p. 201)
• 8.1 Introduction (p. 201)
• 8.2 Summary of Key Issues (p. 201)
• 8.2.1 Process Modelling Languages (p. 202)
• 8.2.2 The Meta-Process (p. 202)
• 8.2.3 PSEE Architecture (p. 203)
• 8.2.4 Cooperation Control (p. 204)
• 8.2.5 Social Aspects (p. 205)
• 8.3 Wider Applications (p. 207)
• 8.4 Future Trends (p. 210)
• 8.4.1 Evolution of Software Development Practice (p. 210)
• 8.4.2 Technology Evolution (p. 211)
• 8.4.3 Application Domain Evolution (p. 212)
• Appendix
• A Lifecycle (Sub) Process Demonstration Scenario (ISPW 9) (p. 217)
• A.1 Background (p. 217)
• A.2 Introduction (p. 217)
• A.3 Problem Reporting and Change Process (p. 218)
• A.4 Sub-scenarios (p. 219)
• B Annotated Bibliography on PSEE/PML (p. 223)
• B.1 PMLs (p. 223)
• B.1.1 Japanese and American PSEEs (p. 223)
• B.1.2 European PSEEs (p. 223)
• C Case Study Demonstrating the Wider Applicability of the PSEE Paradigm (p. 227)
• C.1 Introduction (p. 227)
• C.2 Informal Formulation of the Example (p. 227)
• C.3 A Preliminary Discussion of the Example (p. 228)
• C.4 A First Level of Process Modelling (p. 230)
• C.5 A Top-Down LCPS Model for the Example Process (p. 235)
• C.6 Discussion of the Example Process Models (p. 239)
• C.7 Conclusion (p. 243)
• D Assessment Framework for PSEEs (p. 245)
• D.1 Product (p. 246)
• D.2 Activity (p. 248)
• D.3 Workspace (p. 254)
• D.4 Cooperation (p. 257)
• D.5 Process and Meta-process Support (p. 263)
• D.6 Process Tracking and Time Constraints (p. 268)
• D.7 Human and Social Aspects: Costs and Benefits (p. 273)
• Glossary (p. 277)
• References (p. 281)
• Index (p. 305)