Learning to improve software processes.

Allison, Ian; Merali, Yasmin

Abstract

Software Process Improvement (SPI) programs are frequently considered to be planned in nature. However, there is recent evidence to suggest that SPI can be understood as a form of learning. Drawing on the organizational learning literature this paper proposes an active learning perspective of improvements in processes. This view recognizes the various actors in the project to be reflective in their actions, making sense of the current context and thus designing their use of the process to best suit their needs at the time. The changes in the processes emerge through ongoing adjustments, experimentation and improvisation as developers and managers seek to improve their product development.

Citation

ALLISON, I. and MERALI, Y. 2006. Learning to improve software processes. Communications of the IIMA [online], 6(1), article number 2. Available from: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/ciima/vol6/iss1/2/

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 31, 2006
• Online Publication Date: Dec 31, 2006
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2006
• Deposit Date: Mar 20, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 20, 2009
• Journal: Communications of the IIMA
• Print ISSN: 1543-5970
• Electronic ISSN: 1941-6687
• Publisher: International Information Management Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 2
• Keywords: Software process improvement; Reflective practitioners; Organisational learning; Sensemaking
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/324
• Publisher URL: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/ciima/vol6/iss1/2/