SEPGSM China Discusses SPI to the Core Software Engineering Process Group Conference, on its tour to China, was a huge success. The overwhelming participation gave an evidence of the enthusiasm of the Chinese industry, as they discussed, threadbare, the software process improvement possibilities and hopes. Why SPI in China? ”To generate revenue and decrease cost” came a blatant answer by Mark Chin Shong, CEO, Bamboo Networks. According to the young CEO acquiring a CMM® level is an essential parameter for getting global business, reducing cost and increasing profits. Spotting India as a major IT outsourcing player, he suggested a strategy of motivation, training, communicating and incentivising, in order to implement software process improvement in Chinese organizations. Daniel M Roy, software inspection and quality guru, spoke at the conference on how the synergy of review techniques from a personal software process would lead to defect free software. The steps he laid down were optimization of reviews, encouraging a ‘buddy’ culture, and regular inspections. He cited future work as a combination of some psychological factors and process elements, which will lead to a more accomplished software process system. Going for a CMM® assessment to improve processes should not be a mindless and blind decision. “Before you do the formal assessment, you want to understand what it is, and the benefits you might get. You do not want to disrupt your profitable-and-could-be-better business,” says Judy Bamberger, who’s had 20 years' experience in developing software, leading teams, teaching, and creating organization-wide leaders She puts forth a model-focused gap analysis or an informal assessment method before going for a formal CMM®/CMMI® assessment. Such an analysis helps you understand the benefits of the actual assessment and how to reap them best. Improving the economics of software process improvement was the primary concern of most companies in China, which desired to produce better, cheaper and faster software. “In reality achieving CMM® level 2 probably is not economically better than remaining CMM® level 1” said Li Jianqi and Shao Yongbo of Legend Limited, China while exploring the economics of SPI. According to Gerry Zuo, Rational, China, improving economics of software development involves improving project performance by reducing complexity, improving process efficiency, accelerating team performance and expanding tool automation. The outsourcing scenario was not overlooked as well. Dr Bill Hefley from Carnegie Mellon University presented the eServices Capability Model addressing the entire outsourcing process and providing methods to appraise capabilities and provide guidance for improvement in IT-enabled outsourcing services. This model provided gave a much-wanted breeze of fresh air to the prospective outsourcing clients and service providers.   The conference echoed global issues and apprehensions about adopting software process improvement and formalizing it through a CMM®/CMMI® and the Chinese perspective of looking at it was the new angle to the entire affair. Picture Glimpses View the photographs of award winners at the SEPGSM Conference on Tour in Asia Pac 2002, from the China conference. [ View ] Back