CMM in Practice: Processes for Executing Software Projects at Infosys (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Describes the technical and management processes used to initiate, plan, and execute CMM implementations and provides detailed descriptions of how software projects are executed in those projects. DLC: Software engineering.

From the Inside Flap

Worldwide, the demand for software is increasing at a rapid pace, with no end in sight for this growth in appetite. The growth has also spawned a dramatic increase in software development activity. In turn, this increased software development activity has sharpened the focus on the processes used for building software, collectively known as the software process. Although opinions differ on the nature and formality of the software process, there is now general agreement that use of proper processes is extremely important for an organization that seeks to deliver high-quality software and increase its own productivity.

The heightened importance of the software process has engendered a need for process improvement, which also requires methods for process analysis and assessment. One of the most extensive and influential software process improvement and assessment frameworks is the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for software developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University. The CMM categorizes software process maturity into five levels: from level 1 (the lowest) to level 5 (the highest). For each level, the CMM specifies some key process areas (KPAs), which represent the areas on which an organization should focus if it wants to move to a particular level. Each KPA is associated with goals that represent the requirements to be satisfied by the process for that KPA. The KPAs for different maturity levels can be used for assessing the capability of the existing process, as well as for identifying the areas that need to be strengthened so as to move the process from a lower level of maturity to a higher level.

The CMM framework is quite general and not prescriptive. Although organizations can implement CMM in different ways, relating the characteristics mentioned in the CMM to real-life practices and processes can prove difficult. This book describes the set of processes used for executing a project at Infosys Technologies Ltd., a large software house headquartered in Bangalore, India. Infosys was formally assessed at CMM level 4 in December 1997 by two SEI-authorized lead assessors.

Rather than just explaining the various technical and management processes employed by Infosys, this book describes the processes as they appear at various stages in the life cycle of a project. Because the life cycle of a project includes both technical and management processes, this approach ensures that most processes affecting a project are explained. This approach is also one to which both practitioners and students can more easily relate. It does leave out the organization-level processes for supporting and managing the process activities. Some aspects of these processes have been described here, wherever their inclusion would not break the flow of the book. In addition, an article describing the management of the CMM framework implementation at Infosys is included as Appendix B.

The book includes 15 chapters. Chapter 1 gives a brief overview of the CMM and describes some organization-level support for processes at Infosys. The remaining chapters focus on project execution, and are organized into three parts. Part I (Chapters 2 and 3) deals with processes that are executed before the project formally commences. Part II (Chapters 4 through 10) deals with project planning activities. Part III (Chapters 11 through 15) examines project execution and termination. Most chapters focus on some key task in a project and have been kept as independent as possible of the other chapters.

It is not the intent of this book to provide extensive coverage of the literature or detailed explanations of the CMM. The main goal is to describe the processes of an organization that employs the CMM framework. The book also illustrates how simple and known approaches can be combined effectively to have a highly mature overall process. It does not suggest that Infosys's approach is optimal or better than someone else's or an ideal implementation of the CMM. Likewise, it does not recommend that these processes be used by others; that decidion is left for the readers.

The positive feedback I received on my earlier textbook, An Integrated Approach to Software Engineering (Springer Verlag, 1997), which had a case study running through the book, convinced me of one thing: In software engineering, it is invaluable to have real examples with real outputs and a complete example, if possible, when explaining concepts. This book employs the same approach. Most of the examples are real in that they have been picked from real projects, and one actual project--the weekly activity report (WAR) project--is used through much of the book to illustrate how different processes interrelate. Although the processes described are used at Infosys, any sensitive numbers (for example, on quality and productivity) included may have been sanitized to maintain the company's confidentiality.

This book should prove useful to all practitioners who are interested in the software process or the CMM framework. It should be immensely helpful to those practitioners who are trying to implement the CMM in their own organizations. To help ISO organizations in their effort to move to CMM, a general study describing possible gaps in an ISO organization with respect to different levels of the CMM has been provided in Appendix A. As the book discusses how projects are executed in a successful organization, it should also be of interest to professionals who are now managing software projects. For instructors and students, it can serve as a supplementary text for a project-oriented course on software engineering, as the book provides a good view of how software is developed in a business environment, along with a case study.

It is perhaps proper to explain my own involvement with Infosys. As Vice President (Quality) at Infosys, I was one of the main architects behind the company's successful transition from ISO to CMM level 4. Although Infosys supplied all of the material I requested, I take full responsibility for any mistakes, misrepresentations, and inaccuracies that may be present in the book. Such issues are bound to occur when one tries to describe the essence of an organization's process manual, along with a case study, in such a compact book. Any deviations in these descriptions from the actual processes of Infosys are entirely my responsibility, as I decided which portions of processes to include and in what manner.

Any comments or queries about the book are welcome, and can be sent to me at [e-mail]. For any information regarding Infosys, visit itlinfosys or send mail to public-relations@itlininfosys.

--Pankaj Jalote

0201616262P04062001

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (November 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201616262
• ISBN-13: 978-0201616262
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,098,586 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The SEI Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Look at CMM from Practical View Point, December 27, 1999

By	venkatachalam. V (India) - See all my reviews

Many times specifications and standards leave you a little confused. Here is a book that tells you all about the CMM model, based on the practices in an organization that is assessed at Level-4 in the model (the organization, Infosys, is assessed at Level-5 just when this book is released). The author gives a lucid, simple and down to earth account of the practices at Infosys and how they fit into the CMM model. The organization of the book in 3 parts in terms of Project Initiation, Project Planning and Project Execution is extremely logical and reflects the flow of a project in an organization. He has documented some of the standards for various processes as seen at Infosys. He has also discussed some of the challenges to be overcome on the road to software engineering process improvements/ implementation. The chapters on Process Tailoring, Process Capability baselines, and Peer Reviews are special and note-worthy. Many organizations will find the templates very useful. The Appendices are also informative and useful. The book is excellently produced and we have not come across a similar book on this topic in the market.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars CMM Implementation Explained, June 29, 2000

By	Deependra Moitra (Bangalore, India) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There are many excellent resources that provide information on SW-CMM and how to implement it, but this book by Pankaj Jalote stands out distinctly as it offers a comprehensive account of software process practices at Infosys Technologies - arguably India's most admired software company, rated at SEI-CMM Level 5. Jalote has nicely packaged all the established software engineering practices used at Infosys and real examples that show its readers "How to actually do it and be successful?" This book provides helpful insights and experience-based guidance to those who want to successfully implement CMM.

Take a look at the Table of Contents and you will easily notice the richness of coverage. The book is organized in three parts: Part I captures all the practices related to Project Initiation, Part II focuses on practices for Project Planning, and the Part III is about approaches and processes for Project Execution and Termination. Among the topics covered in the book are requirements specification and management, process definition and tailoring, process asset database and process capability determination, metrics and statistical process control, estimations, risk management, project monitoring and tracking, and defect prevention.

Also, There are two useful Appendices in the book: one on transitioning from an ISO 9001-based practice to CMM-oriented practice and the other provides experience-based guidelines on managing a software process improvement project. A running real-life project case used throughout the book is a useful feature.

However, the book's title could be misleading! The title gives an impression that book covers the implementation of the CMM in its entirety, whereas the book's scope is actually restricted up to Level 4. Also, I would have expected to see an explicit coverage of 'software product engineering' and 'intergroup coordination' KPAs in the book. Some coverage of how the process automation was dealt with as well as the benefits derived from it could have made the book even more attractive. As Infosys Technologies is engaged in servicing a large number of diverse set of clients around the globe, some discussion on dealing with and avoiding conflicts relating to different customer quality systems would have made the book more valuable.

Overall, this is a good book and I would certainly recommend this book to any one who cares about better software engineering practices to improve performance - whether or not interested in implementing CMM per se. It must be kept in mind, though, that the practices and approaches described in the book are based on a particular company's business context and, therefore, how and to what extent they would directly apply to other organizations has to be judged by its readers.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Book For Anybody & Everybody In Software, January 17, 2001

By	Anoop Gavankar (Pune, India.) - See all my reviews

This is THE book for all the professinals belonging to Software Industry.

The book gives Pragmatic understanding of SEI-CMM Model addressing all possible stages and activities of Software Project Life Cycle.Correct weightage has been given to Engineering as well as Managerial perspectives of software project execution details.

All Key Process Areas (KPA's)have been explained by mapping them with day to day activities in live project scenarios. This not only authenticates the explaination but also introduces the reader with state-of-the-art Software Practices.

The illustrations given by Prof. Jalote in this book give concrete proofs of seemingly abstract concepts introduced in KPA's of SW-CMM.

Important fact revealed in this book in the most convincing way is that CMM is more of a common sense and not a just another stringent standard.Having read this book one acquires clear understanding of SW-CMM, Software Project Activities and their inter-relation.

This book is very much free from any kind of theoritical bias.It is something like the book written by the hardcore software professinal for all software professinals.

The book is equally helpful for Software Engineers, Project Managers, Business Development Executives, CMM Implementors and for CEO's as well.