Process Framework Construction

Definition

Process Framework Construction

the process engineering task during which the organizational process team constructs a standard process framework from which its endeavor-specific methods will be produced

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, Process Framework Construction is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Concrete
• Superclass: Tasks
• Subclasses: None

Responsibilities

The typical objectives of the process framework construction task are to:

• Construct an organizational process framework.
• Ensure that the constructed process framework is appropriate:
  • Required to meet the organizations’s needs (e.g., in terms of the typical schedule, required quality, required managability, etc.).
  • Consistent internally so that the process components are cohesive and fit well together.
  • Consistent externally so that the process components are consistent with:
    • The development or customer organization’s standard approach.
    • Any required industry or governmental process standards.
  • Complete (i.e., contain all relevant process component classes).
  • Practical (e.g., easy to learn, can be used efficiently given the organization’s stakeholders’ experience and training, and neither to formal or informal).
  • Cost-effective in terms of cost (e.g., training, tools, and staff effort including both development and maintenance costs).

Preconditions

Process framework construction can typically begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The need for organizational process improvement has been recognized.
• The process needs assessment task has been started.
• The process repository for storing the framework of reusable process component classes is available.
• The process team is adequately:
  • Staffed.
  • Trained or experienced in process framework construction.

Completion Criteria

Process framework construction is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The process component classes of the organization’s process framework have been selected.

Steps

Process framework construction typically involves the process team performing the following steps in an iterative, incremental, and parallel manner:

• Document Individual Work Products.
  For each relevant work product set, determine the relevant work products to be developed (e.g., documentation, software, data, and hardware).
• Document Languages.
  Document the appropriate languages with which to construct or document them from the repository of reusable method components
• Document Work Units.
  Document the appropriate work units to produce them from the repository of reusable method components:
  • Document Tasks.
    Document the appropriate tasks to perform.
  • Document Activities.
    Document activities to group and organize these tasks.
  • Document Techniques.
    Document the appropriate techniques with which to implement the tasks.
• Document Producers.
  Document the appropriate producers to perform them from the repository of reusable method components:
  • Document Organizations.
    Document the organizations that will be involved in the endeavor.
  • Document Teams.
    Document the teams to perform the selected work units to produce the selected work products.
  • Document Roles.
    Document the roles that will comprise the teams.
  • Document Tools.
    Document the tools (e.g., process, upperCASE, lowerCASE) that are needed to support the endeavor’s process (i.e., produce the selected work products, perform the selected work units).
• Document Stages.
  Based on the work products to be produced, the tasks to be performed, the availability of producers, and the endeavor’s schedule needs, select the appropriate stages to organize the performance of the work units (primarily tasks) from the repository of reusable method components:
  • Document Cycle.
    Document the appropriate (e.g., development, life) cycle.
  • Document Phases.
    Document the relevant phases to organize the cycle.
  • Document Milestones.
    Document the relevant milestones for work product delivery and measuring progress through the cycle.
  • Document Builds.
    Document the appropriate number and kinds of builds for each phase.

Techniques

Process framework construction can be performed using the following techniques:

• Reuse repository
• Process framework
• Instantiation of process components

Work Products

Process framework construction typically results in the production of the following work products:

• Informal list of selected process components

Guidelines

• Different endeavors require different sets of process components.
• Hire a methodologist as a consultant if the process team has inadequate training or experience in assessing the organization’s process framework needs.
• This task is typically performed iteratively, incrementally, and in parallel with the process framework needs assessment and process framework documentation tasks.
• As documented, the steps in this task are performed mostly in a bottom-up manner that is based on the work products that the customer organization is paying the development organization to develop. These steps can also be performed in a top-down manner by rearranging them.