The Leveraging Phase

Rather than re-enter IDEAL at the Initiating phase on sub-sequent cycles through the model, by performing the activ-ities of this Leveraging phase you will reenter IDEAL at the Diagnosing phase. The Leveraging phase, in addition to preparing for the next cycle through IDEAL, gives you the opportunity to “tune-up” the software process improvement (SPI) process before starting again.

There were probably some false starts, omissions, and some activities you would like to do over that occurred dur-ing the initial cycle through IDEAL. Since you have kept track of the lessons learned from each of the SPI activities you will now apply them during the Leveraging phase to make the SPI process work better during the next cycle through the IDEAL model.

Overview Now that the organization has completed one cycle through IDEAL it is necessary to review what happened during that cycle and prepare for the next cycle through the model.

Purpose ^• Review and analyze lessons learned from prior phases.

• Incorporate improvements into the SPI processes.

• Review motivation for SPI.

• Review and evaluate goals.

• Evaluate sponsorship and commitment.

• Develop plan to provide continuing guidance to the SPI program.

Objectives • Incorporate lessons learned from previous phases into SPI approach.

• Gain visibility into value of SPI.

• Reaffirm continuing SPI sponsorship.

• Establish/adjust high level goals for next cycle.

• Determine new or additional baselines that may be nec-essary.

• Create a plan to guide the organization through the next cycle.

Education/Skills Training and skill development for the Leveraging phase is shown in the following table.

Education/Skills MSG SEPG TWG Line

Managers Practitioners

Team Development X X

CMM for software X X X X

SPI skills X X X

Planning skills X X

Commitment The commitment expectations for the Leveraging phase are similar to those of the Initiating phase. Management must provide the business need for continuing the SPI ac-tivities and must be willing to commit the necessary re-sources for the SPI effort.

Communication As with commitment, the communications aspect of the Le-veraging phase is very similar to that of the Initiating phase. One difference, though, is that there should now be a greater amount of information to communicate now that you have completed one cycle of IDEAL.

Some of the things that you should communicate to the or-ganization are

• results from the first cycle through IDEAL

• enhanced business objectives and goals

• changes that may have occurred to the infrastructure

• updated/revised approach to SPI

See Figure 5-1 on page 130 for a pictorial representation of the tasks associated with the Leveraging phase of the IDE-AL model.

Entry Criteria • A cycle through the previous phases of the IDEAL mod-el has been completed.

• Lessons learned reports from each of the previous phas-es are available.

• Artifacts produced during SPI implementation are available.

Exit Criteria ^• Lessons learned are analyzed and improvements incor-porated into SPI processes.

• Sponsorship and commitment have been reaffirmed with senior management.

• High level goals are established for the next cycle.

Figure 5-1: Process Flow for Leveraging Phase

5.1 Gather Lessons

Learned

5.2 Analyze Lessons

Learned

5.3 Revise Organizational

Approach

5.4 Review Sponsorship and

Commitment

5.5 Establish High Level

Goals

5.6 Develop New/Revised

Software Process Improvement (SPI)

Proposal

5.7 Continue With SPI

Tasks The tasks for the Leveraging phase are shown in the table below.

Tasks Page

Number

5.1: Gather Lessons Learned 132

5.2: Analyze Lessons Learned 133

5.3: Revise Organizational Approach 135

5.4: Review Sponsorship and Commitment 136

5.5: Establish High Level Goals 137

5.6: Develop New/Revised Software Process Improvement (SPI) Proposal 138

5.7: Continue With SPI 139

5.1 Gather Lessons Learned

5.1 Gather Lessons Learned

• Refresh your memory regarding the activities from the previously completed phases of the IDEAL model.

• Interview SPI process participants to get their perspec-tives on previous SPI activity.

• technical working group (TWG) leaders, members

• pilot project personnel

• management infrastructure members

Purpose The purpose of this step is to insure that all of the lessons learned data is available for review prior to starting the next cycle through IDEAL. A reasonable amount of time has passed since you last went through the prior phases of IDEAL, possibly as long as 18 to 24 months. Without the documented lessons learned that were gathered during each phase it will be hard to remember the activities that occurred during previous phases.

Hopefully, you have been gathering lessons learned

throughout the SPI activity and this data resides in the or-ganizations process database. If it doesn’t, it needs to be gathered from wherever it may reside.

Objectives • Insure that all lessons learned information regarding the activities performed during the previous cycle are available for review.

Entry Criteria Acting phase has been completed for some or most of the TWGs.

Exit Criteria Lessons learned from previous phases of IDEAL are avail-able.

Tasks • Gather lessons learned from previous SPI activities.

5.2 Analyze Lessons Learned

5.2 Analyze Lessons Learned

• Consider deleting and replacing processes that did not work well.

• Consider adding new processes that will make SPI work better.

Purpose The purpose of this step is to make sure that the process you are using for SPI is the best that you can make it.

Now that you have gathered all of the information and ar-tifacts from the previous cycle through IDEAL it is time to reflect on the processes you followed, or didn’t follow. The purpose of this activity is to learn from the mistakes or omissions that you may have made in the previous cycle and modify and change your approach so you don’t repeat them.

You are looking for ways to make things better for all on this next cycle through the model.

Objectives ^• Analyze past practices and processes for improvements to make to them to make the next cycle through IDEAL work better.

Entry Criteria • Completion of the previous phases of the IDEAL model accomplished.

• Lessons learned, artifacts and other information re-garding the previous cycle through IDEAL readily available.

• Data from the interviews of SPI participants regarding the previous SPI cycle are available.

Review and analysis of the activities performed in the

5.2 Analyze Lessons Learned

• Review artifacts produced.

• Review overall approach to SPI.

• Review communications activity.

• Review interview results from SPI participants regard-ing previous SPI cycle.

• Review effectiveness of the SPI infrastructure that was in place.

• Interview all levels of management to include their in-puts.

• Survey other organizations and the literature to see what others are doing regarding the process for SPI.

Tasks • Review lessons learned reports.