Making Process Improvement Work: A Concise Guide for Software Managers and Practitioners

by Neil S. Potter

Every development organization can benefit by paying attention to process improvement, yet all too many "process improvement initiatives" fail to deliver on their promises. In this concise book, two of the field's leading consultants present easy-to-apply techniques for achieving rapid and quantifiable benefits -- and then maintaining your momentum to deliver even greater value over time. Drawing on their experience with more than 3,000 developers and 100 organizations, Neil S. Potter and Mary E. Sakry show you exactly what works -- and what doesn't work. Next, they present a step-by-step guide to identifying your best opportunities for process improvement, deploying changes effectively, and tracking your progress. The book also includes a detailed example plan document designed to help you jumpstart your process improvement initiative. Making Process Improvement Work includes a foreword by noted software process expert Karl Wiegers. For all developers, project and IT managers, and clients seeking to maximize the effectiveness of the software development process and the value of the software it delivers.

169 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2002

Reviews

[Patrice Blanchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting framework on how to perform a process improvement in a organisation. The various steps are presented in detail without being too prescriptive. It gives a good idea on how to improve the maturity of an organisation.
A few templates are provided to illustrate the approach and avoid reinventing the wheel.