Surviving the Quagmire of Process Models, Integrated Models, and Standards

We frequently talk about the “quagmire” of process models and standards: ISO 9001, Software CMM, CMMI, ISO 12207, etc. There are valid reasons for the diversity of models and standards imposed on our software development and maintenance processes, just as there is a legitimate concern that a high overhead is imposed by customers and markets that require multiple models and standards as a condition of doing business. This presentation describes the drivers behind different models and standards, why they are different, two strategies for integrating diverse models and standards from a model/standard developer’s perspective, and some of the strategies that model implementers can use. The business reality is that software organizations need to address a variety of models and standards, now and in the future, but there are mechanisms that can alleviate some of the overhead when thoughtfully used.