Process Engineer

Definition

Process Engineer
(a.k.a., Method Engineer, Methodologist)

the role that is played when a person performs technical process engineering tasks on an endeavor

Classification

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

• Type: Concrete
• Superclass: Engineer
• Subclasses:
  • None

Responsibilities

Process Engineers typically have the following role-specific responsibilities:

• Construct and maintain the endeavor-specific process from the OPEN Process Framework.
• Evaluate CASE tools for consistency with the organizational process framework and/or endeavor-specific process.
• Ensure that the endeavor-specific process is constructed based on endeavor-specific needs prior to CASE tool selection rather than being driving by the early selection of a potentially inappropriate CASE tool.
• Provide input to the environments team regarding required process tool support.
• Provide local guidance and mentoring in the proper adoption and use of the endeavor process.
• Identify, document, disseminate, and evangelize industry best practices.
• Work to support strategic process initiatives including recommending improvements to the organizational process framwork.
• Support multiple endeavors within a local region.
• Staff regional process help desks.
• Present local training on process-related topics.
• Research advances in process engineering (e.g., new software development methods).

Process engineers typically inherit the general role responsibilities from the role method component.

Expertise

To fulfill these responsibilities, process engineers typically should have the following expertise, training, and knowledge:

• A detailed understanding of the theory and practice of:
  • The OPEN Process Framework (OPF)
  • At least one of the other major source methods of OPF including:
    • Extreme Programming (XP)
    • Design by Contract (DBC)
    • Rational Unified Process (RUP)
    • Responsibility-Driven Design (RDD)
• A minimum of two years of experience successfully performing object-oriented and component-based systems development.
• Excellent communications skills.
• Ability to know when project members should follow the process and when they should obtain either deviations or waivers.
• A bachelor’s degree in computer science or the equivalent.

Tasks

Process engineers typically perform the following role-specific tasks in an iterative, incremental, parallel, and time-boxed manner:

• Endeavor Process Engineering Tasks:
  • Process Needs Assessment
  • Process Construction
  • Process Documentation
  • Process Tailoring
• Organizational Process Framework Engineering Tasks:
  • Process Framework Needs Assessment
  • Process Framework Construction
  • Process Framework Extension
  • Process Framework Iteration
  • Staff the regional process help desk.
  • Research advances in process engineering (e.g., new software development methods).
• Environments Engineering Tasks:
  • VendorAndToolEvaluation
    Evaluate upperCASE and lowerCASE tools (e.g., for consistency with and support for the organizational process framework and endeavor-specific process).
• Quality Engineering Tasks:
  • Quality Assurance
    Audit the project application of process for conformity and effectiveness (e.g., by reviewing project documentation and interviewing project personnel).
  • Take part in project debrief reviews to:
    • Determine the effectiveness of the use of process on the project.
    • Identify lessons learned that can be used to improve the OPF.

Process Engineer typically inherits common role tasks from the role method component.

Teams

Process engineers typically perform these tasks as members of the following teams:

• Process Team
• Endeavor Debrief Team
• Quality Team (performing quality assurance task).
• Environments Team
• Quality Team

Work Products

As members of these teams, process engineers typically produce all or part of the following work products:

• Process Framework Documentation:
  • Process Framework Needs Assessment
  • Process Framework Description Document (or equivalent)
• Process Documentation:
  • Process Needs Assessment
  • Process Description Document (or equivalent)
  • Conventions:
    • Procedures
    • Role Descriptions
    • Guideline
    • Standards
    • Templates
    • Inspection Checklists

Guidelines

• The process engineer should collaborate with other project members to obtain input, evaluation, and buy-in.
• Remember that this role inherits general responsibilities and tasks from the role class.
• The same person often plays both the process engineer and the trainer (for process) roles.
• This role typically inherits the common team guidelines from the roles method component.