The best practices for software process improvement (SPI) and the related international standards are the focus of this new and valuable reference. It is a collection of republished papers from some of the best journals in SPI and original papers commissioned from some of the leading international experts in field, providing in one volume a significant proportion of he accumulated expertise on SPI.

This book presents a practical survey on the use of SPI and software process assessment (SPA) as practiced by companies such as Lockheed Martin, Siemens, and Hewlett Packard. Some of its important features are chapters on software product evaluation, how to best perform SPI, ISO 9000 and TickIT-an alternative approach to SPA-as well as the latest information on the CMM integration project. The text also provides vivid descriptions on the most important international and national standards for SPI, in particular ISO 9001, ISO 9000-3, ISO/IEC 9126, ISO/IEC 15504, and ISO/IEC 12207.

Software Process Improvement should benefit:

• Software managers who want to learn about the requirements and effects of SPI
• Software process staff who need to understand the mechanisms of SPA and SPI
• Software developers who are affected by SPI and need to know how to apply it
• College students who want to understand the various methods of SPA and SPI