Starting SPI from Software Configuration Management: A Fast Approach for an Organization to Realize the Benefits of SPI

For an organization that has just begun the SPI initiatives, making developers understand the benefits of SPI and gain active participation are critical success factors. Meanwhile, within the CMM® level 2 KPAs, the SCM KPA has a broad range of directly involved stakeholders. Therefore, as an SEPG, the authors have decided to implement the SCM process firsthand to such an organization developing a series of embedded software systems. The following activities are keys for successful SCM implementation: a) Creating an SCM deployment plan from easy, single project implementation to complex, multiple projects implementation. b) Establishing systematically the SCM Web where all stakeholders share plans, processes, and FAQs. c) Administering questionnaires to stakeholders, analyzing responses and improving SCM quickly and frequently. As a result, the developers conformed to the processes and no SCM related problems were found throughout testing.