ISOSPiCE

ISO/IEC 15504-5 Exemplar Process Assessment Model - Published

ISO/IEC 15504-5: 2006 Exemplar Process Assessment Model is formally published by ISO.

All 5 parts of the ISO/IEC 15504 are now published.

SPICE 2006 Conference Luxembourg 3-5 May 2006

The Sixth International SPICE Conference
Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination
will be held in Luxembourg on

3rd (tutorials) 4th and 5th (conference) May 2006

The SPICE User Group is pleased to announce the Sixth International SPICE Conference, to be held at the Public Research Centre Henri Tudor, Luxembourg from 3rd to 5th May, 2006. This Conference follows on from the success of previous SPICE conferences, and builds upon the achievements of the International SPICE Symposia held on a regular basis since 1994.

The full programme and registration details are now available at the website

http://www.spice2006.com

The 2006 Conference will mark the full publication of ISO/IEC 15504.

ISO/IEC 15504 Exemplar Process Assessment Model Goes to Publication

ISO/IEC 15504 Part 5 – Exemplar Process Assessment Model has successfully passed the FDIS ballot stage. Following minor editorial changes it will proceed immediately to publication.

Appraisal Assistant tool

The Software Quality Institute at Griffith University is pleased to announce the availability of the Beta Release of the Appraisal Assistant tool.

The Appraisal Assistant has been developed by the Software Quality Institute, Griffith University, to support the assessment or appraisal of process capability or organizational maturity, following approaches consistent with the requirements of ISO/IEC 15504 - Information technology: Process assessment, and the Assessment Requirements for CMMI®.  Appraisal Assistant takes an explicitly evidence-driven approach to recording the information generated in an assessment.

 

Appraisal Assistant provides:
- Support for multiple process models - the beta version includes ISO/IEC FDIS 15504-5 and CMMI® SE/SW/IPPD/SS V 1.1.(The current release supports the FDIS version of ISO/IEC 15504-5; this will be upgraded to the IS version following publication).
- Support for multiple methods of performing assessment / appraisal, including SCAMPI A and B Class, and generic ISO/IEC 15504 conformant assessment methods.
- Support for conversion of results from one framework to another; i.e. expression of CMMI Appraisal results as ISO 15504 standard process profiles,and definition of coverage of ISO 9001 requirements by CMMI or ISO 15504 assessments / appraisals.
- Separation of recording of documentary and interview evidence.
- Facility to split and consolidate evidence capture activities within the team through the establishment of mini-teams.
- Automatic generation of a variety of reports, including Appraisal / Assessment Findings, Strength / Weakness summaries, Rating Profiles, and workload summaries.
- Automatic reporting of model coverage by collected evidence, to meet the requirements of the SCAMPI A method.

 

Individuals and organizations who undertake assessments / appraisals of process capability are invited to participate in the beta testing of this tool.

Works starts on ISO/IEC 15504 Part 7 Assessment of Organizational Maturity

ISO/IEC JTC1 has approved a New Work Item Proposal  for ISO/IEC 15504 Part 7: Assessment of Organizational Maturity. Work commenced at a meeting in Bari, Italy in October 2006. A second working draft will be available by March 2006 and progressed at a meeting in Thailand in May 2006.

ISO/IEC JTC1 has approved a New Work Item Proposal  for ISO/IEC 15504 Part 7: Assessment of Organizational Maturity. Work commenced at a meeting in Bari, Italy in October 2006. A second working draft will be available by March 2006 and progressed at a meeting in Thailand in May 2006.

ISO/IEC 15504 Exemplar Process Assessment Model finally goes for FDIS ballot

The ISO/IEC 15504 Part 5, Exemplar Process Assessment Model was submitted to the ITTF for it final FDIS ballot many many months ago, however despite representations it has been been distributed for ballot.

Finally, ISO/IEC 15504-5 is now registered for FDIS ballot commencing 2005-12-01and will close on 2006-02-05. The FDIS ballot is a final yes/no ballot. Technical content cannot be changed. Following closure of the ballot, any editorial comments will be addressed. It is expected (subject to the ballot result being positive) that ISO/IEC 15504–5 will be forwarded for publication mid April 2006.

SPICE2006 3-5 May Luxembourg Call for Papers

SPICE2006

The Sixth International SPICE Conference
Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination
Luxembourg

3rd (tutorials) 4th and 5th (conference) May 2006
http://www.spice2006.com

CALL FOR PAPERS

The SPICE User Group is pleased to announce the Sixth International SPICE Conference, to be held at the Public Research Centre Henri Tudor, Luxembourg from 3rd to 5th May, 2006. This Conference follows on from the success of previous SPICE conferences, and builds upon the achievements of the International SPICE Symposia held on a regular basis since 1994.

The Public Research Centre Henri Tudor in Luxembourg is the local organiser of the conference on behalf of the SPICE User Group.

The 2006 Conference will mark the full publication of ISO/IEC 15504. Its increasing use internationally across different domains has established the need for greater focus on particular modes of application of the ISO/IEC 15504 approach to the assessment of process capability; accordingly, the SPICE 2006 Conference seeks contributions specifically relating to the following areas of application:

* Financial institutions and banks
* Automotive systems and software
* Aerospace systems and software
* Medical device systems and software
* Process improvement in small and very small enterprises

Papers and presentations related to the topics of Software Process
Improvement and Capability dEtermination, particularly within the above
domains of interest, are invited for the conference. Topics include but are
not limited to:

* Methods, models and tools to support process assessment;
* Emerging Process Reference Models and Process Assessment Models;
* Case study and experience reports on process improvement and/or capability
determination;
* Benchmarking as a foundation for process improvement;
* Relationships and comparisons between different models and approaches to
process assessment;
* Relationships between process capability and organisational maturity;
* Theoretical considerations on the basis of the technique of process
assessment;
* Use of process assessment in domains outside software and systems
engineering;
* Certification schemes incorporating process assessment;
* Assessment approaches applied to agile development;.
* Considerations for safety integrity levels when performing assessments

SUBMISSIONS:

Contributions will be accepted in following formats:
* Full papers
* Extended Abstracts for Industrial Experience presentations

Papers shall not exceed 4000 words in length and shall include a 150-200 word abstract. Industrial experience presentations shall submit an abstract (up to 500 words) outlining the contents of the presentation.

TUTORIALS:

Tutorials will be held on the 3rd May 2006, the day preceding the conference. Proposals for half and/or whole day tutorials should be forwarded to the tutorials chair by email by end November 2006.

SCHEDULE:

Full paper and extended abstracts submission 21 November 2005
Notification of acceptance 3 February 2006
Preliminary programme 10 February 2006
Registration 2 March 2006
Final copy of paper due 15 March 2006
Conference 3-5 May 2006

VISIT THE WEB SITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS

http://www.spice2006.com

Works starts on ISO/IEC 15504 Part 6

ISO/IEC JTC1 has approved a New Work Item Proposal  for ISO/IEC 15504 Part 6: An exemplar system life cycle process assessment model. Work will commence at a meeting in Bari, Italy in October 2006. A first draft is already available for review by the committee

'Podcasting direct from SPICE 2005' - SPICE 2005 X-event

For those not able to attend the SPICE 2005 Conference in Klagenfurt, you can get some of the highlights, news and views from the Conference through the X-event (eXtra event) ‘Podcasting direct from SPICE 2005’

Following the success of ‘Podcasting direct from …’, Alec Dorling has now been invited to be ‘The official podcaster' at two more upcoming key events.

SPICE2005 X Event

SPICE meets SPICE in Japan

The SPICE Project Manager relaxing in Tokyo following a successful ISO/IEC15504 week long assessment. This is the third time in Japan this year performing assessments with two more trips to follow before the end of the year.

Where will the next SPiCE photo be taken from?

ISO/IEC 15504 Project Editor

Terry Rout, the ISO/IEC 15504 Project Editor from Griffith University in Australia, takes a welcome break from the ISO/IEC SC7/WG10 meeting in Helsinki. 

ISO/IEC 15504–5 is due to be submitted for final FDIS ballot on the 29 June 2005.

Two new work items are being added to the programme of work:

• 15504–6 An exemplar systems life cycle process assessment model
• 15504–7 Assessment of organisational maturity.

AUTOMOTIVE SPICE

In a major initiative, the Automotive Special Interest Group (SIG), a joint special interest group of The SPICE User Group and The Procurement Forum, launched the Automotive SPICE initiative together with the major motor vehicle manufacturers to develop a common framework for the assessment of suppliers in the Automotive Industry.

The members of the Automotive SIG include: AUDI AG, BMW AG, DaimlerChrysler AG, Fiat Auto S.p.A., Ford Werke GmbH, Jaguar / Land Rover, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche, Volkswagen AG and Volvo Car Corporation.

The draft release of the Automotive SPICE Process Assessment Model together with the associated Process Reference Model is now available. The Automotive SPICE Process Assessment Model will be used to perform conformant assessments of the software process capability of automotive suppliers in accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 15504-2:2003. During the remainder of 2005, and throughout 2006, there will be a general transition to use of the Automotive SPICE Process Assessment Model following its formal release.

Automotive SPICE

ISO/IEC 15504 (SPICE) Assessor Training

The 5-day SPICE Assessor Training Course, accredited by iNTACS, is designed specifically for providing IT professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to gain the skills for performing software process assessments according to ISO/IEC 15504 - Process Assessment.The course will be of specific interest to those in the automotive industry. The course is based upon the exemplar process assessment model in the new ISO/IEC 15504 standard.

 

Course Dates:

12-16 September 2005, Cambridge, England

14-18 November 2005, Cambridge, England

 

Course Fees:

EUR 2750

10% DISCOUNT TO SPICE 2005 CONFERENCE DELEGATES for the September course.

 

Course Tutor

Alec Dorling is the international project leader of SPICE (Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination) and the ISO convener of the 15504 Process Assessment standardisation project. In his role as Director of the Procurement Forum and the SPICE User Group, Alec Dorling has been coordinating the Automotive SPICE initiative of the major European car manufacturers.

 

Contact

Helen Horton, Pi Technology, Milton Hall, Ely Road, Milton, Cambridge CB4 6WZ, England

www.pitechnology.com

 

Course Provider

InterSPICE Ltd.in association with Pi Technology

About Pi Technology

Pi Technology has a strong track record in automotive systems engineering with over 400 man years of experience. Pi Technology is renowned for quality. Pi Technology's development organisation operates at CMM level 3 in all key areas, has been certified ISO-9001 and TickIT for over 5 years and is one of the first automotive companies in the world to meet the new ISO/IEC 15504 (SPICE) standard at level 3.

About InterSPICE

InterSPICE delivers assessment, training, consultancy, mentoring and support services in the areas of: Process assessment and improvement, Quality management systems, IT Procurement and Standardisation

 

About Cambridge

Cambridge is a fusion of the everyday and the extraordinary, a living city that has shaped history, that today reflects the best of historic and contemporary life and is continuing to make its mark on the future. Visit the city's famous University Colleges, museums, parks and open spaces, or take time out to explore the many historic houses, animal collections, gardens & country parks the area has to offer. Cambridge is located 30 minutes from London Stanstead airport by car or train.

 

THE INSTITUTE OF IT TRAINING TO HOST THE INTERNATIONAL ASSESSOR CERTIFICATION SCHEME

The Institute of IT Training (IITT), a Division of the National Computing Centre Ltd (NCC) is to host the International Assessor Certification Scheme (iNTACS). The Scheme certifies as competent assessors trained and qualified in the principles and practices of assessing processes using ISO/IEC 15504, the international standard for Process Assessment.

 

Bernd Hindel, from the International Software Quality Institute (ISQI), emphasises ‘this is an important step for the further take-up and internationalisation of iNTACS. ISQI looks forward to working closely with the IITT in the Scheme’s further development’.

The International Assessor Certification Scheme complements the Institute's portfolio of certification schemes that include the Competency Frameworks for Training skills, Open Source skills, and e-Government Interoperability skills; it also recognises and re-enforces the Institute's status as an international certification body.

The iNTACS governing Board will operate under IITT’s general regulations for Certification Schemes. The governing Board includes international representation from certification bodies, training bodies, assessors, professional bodies, industry representatives and The SPICE User Group. iNTACS will work closely with representatives from key sectors such as space, automotive and medical to ensure the Scheme meets their needs.

Alec Dorling, convener of the ISO 15504 (SPiCE) standardisation group and a Director of The SPICE User Group, is pleased that IITT has taken on responsibility for the management of the Scheme. The Institute of IT Training is widely recognised for its professional approach and will ensure that the iNTACS scheme is run to high professional standards. The Institute of IT Training has recently been awarded the UK’s most prestigious business accolade – the Queen’s Award for Enterprise - for its pioneering Trainer Assessment Programme (TAP®).

SPICE VISION

SPICE Vision is a powerful new tool for conducting assessments based on the new ISO/IEC 15504 standard. It provides powerful note taking capabilities to support assessment preparation, evidence recording and report preparation. SPICE Vision is available in two versions: standard and professional. The professional version supports merging of assessment files and full editing of standards frameworks.

Further information SPICE Vision

10% DISCOUNT FOR SPICE 2005 CONFERENCE ATTENDEES – OFFER ENDS 31 May 2005

Key features include:

'Podcasting direct from SPICE 2005' - SPICE 2005 X-event

For those not able to attend the SPICE 2005 Conference in Klagenfurt, you can get some of the highlights, news and views from the Conference through the X-event (eXtra event) ‘Podcasting direct from SPICE 2005’

Following the success of ‘Podcasting direct from …’, Alec Dorling has now been invited to be ‘The official podcaster' at two more upcoming key events.

SPICE2005 X Event

CG-SMITH SOFTWARE ACHIEVES ISO/IEC 15504 (SPiCE) LEVEL 3

CG-Smith Software Pvt Ltd, a technology solutions company based at Bangalore, India is proud to announce it has achieved ISO/IEC 15504 (SPiCE) Capability Level 3 in the range of processes required by the leading car manufacturers.

CGS has been providing software development services and products in the area of real time embedded safety critical systems. With it’s vision to provide defect free products to its customers in the automotive, avionics, medical electronics and process control verticals CGS continuously bench marks itself against best practice quality models like SPICE, SEI CMM etc. The achievement to ISO/IEC 15504 (SPiCE) Level 3 is in addition to the SEI CMM level 5 accreditation already achieved and reiterates CGS commitment in delivering the best products to the customers within budget.

The assessment was carried out by the approved Ford Software Quality Partner, Impronova, Sweden. Alec Dorling, the international convener of the ISO standardization project and the international SPICE project manager, lead the five person assessment team which included in the team authorised CMMI/ISO9001 assessors from India and representatives from the car manufacturer.

After the assessment, the lead assessor presented that the Development Methodology, Estimation, Screen (Review) process, Configuration Management and Commitment to Improvement as core strengths of the process system

CG Smith Software Pvt Ltd

Impronova AB

CMMi MAPPING TO ISO/IEC TR 15504-2:1998

This report presents the results of an analysis of the compatibility of the representations of the Capability Maturity Model Integration to ISO/IEC TR 15504-2:1998 - Software Process Assessment - Part 2: A Reference Model for Processes and Process Capability. The analysis was performed by the Software Quality Institute under the terms of the contract with the Defence Materiel Organisation, to support the evaluation of the suitability of the CMMI for use by the Australian Defence Department in managing the acquisition of software intensive systems.

The report can be found at http://www.sqi.gu.edu.au/cmmi/indexFrameset.html and selecting the ‘Research’ menu item.

UK AUTOMOTIVE SPECIALIST JOINS THE ‘PROCESS ELITE’

Pi Technology, the Cambridge-based automotive systems specialist, has become one of the first automotive companies in the world to meet the new ISO/IEC 15504 (SPICE) standard at level 3.

SPICE 2005 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Register Now

The SPICE User Group is pleased to announce the Fifth International SPICE Conference on Process Assessment and Improvement, to be held at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria, from 27 th to 29 th April, 2005 . This Conference follows on the success of previous SPICE conferences, and builds upon the achievements of the International SPICE Symposia held on a regular basis since 1994.

Beginning with a series of tutorials on Wednesday, April 27, the conference features the below-mentioned contributions which were selected through the submission and review process as well as invited talks addressing current advancements in Software Process Improvement delivered by the outstanding experts

•  Carol Dekkers , Quality Plus Technologies, Seminole , FL , USA ,

•  Dennis. R. Goldenson , Software Engineering Institute, Pittsburgh , PA , USA , and

•  Bernd Hindel , Erlangen University and Scientific Director of the International Software Quality Institute, Germany .