Assessing the process of an Eastern European software SME using systemic analysis, GQM, and reliability growth models

This paper reports on the experience of the authors in quan-
\ntitatively assessing the development process of an Eastern
\nEuropean software SME (Small or Medium Size Enterprise).
\nThe company produces a very successful workflow and doc-
\numentation tool, features about 30 full time developers and
\nhas a customer base of about 40 major organizations. It has
\nhired the authors as consultants to address quality and pro-
\nductivity issues raised by the upper management and cus-
\ntomers. The adopted approach is based on systemic analysis,
\nand starts with a comprehensive GQM session with the top
\nmanagers of the company, to fully define the scope of work,
\nand progresses analysing the documentation, interviewing
\nthe manager and the lead developers, and quantitatively
\nanalysing the issue tracking system in place. Specific at-
\ntention is placed in identifying “schismogenesis”, situations
\nthat may lead to unresolvable conflicts. The approach has
\nbeen proven successful in providing a result in short fore-
\ncasted timeframe, and systemic analysis has been effective
\nin spotting the most critical situations present in the com-
\npany. The result has been a set of prioritized recommenda-
\ntions, centered first in eliminating the schismogenetic situ-
\nations and then ranging from adopting a more quantitative
\nprocess control, to streamline the activities, to organize a
\nline of product