Programmers may buy books on Java and COM, but don t look for anything about process, testing, or quality on their bookshelves. Many recognized industry best practices simply are not in widespread use in the software development world. These best practices include formal inspections, risk management, change control, metrics-based project estimation and tracking, and requirements management. Leverage the sharing of local best practices among the people in your group or department, so all have a chance to learn from those individuals who have strengths in particular areas. As a manager, reward those team members who go out of their way to learn about and apply practices that can address the group s technical and management challenges.
Some organizations launch process improvement initiatives for the wrong reasons.
Maybe an external entity, such as a contractor, demanded that the development organization achieve CMM Level X by date Y. Or perhaps a senior manager learned just enough about the CMM to be dangerous and directed his organization to climb on the CMM bandwagon. He should have been able to describe some problems that the culture and practices of Level 2 would help solve, or the business results his organization hoped to achieve as a benefit of reaching Level 2. The basic motivation for software process improvement should be to make some of the current pain you experience on your projects go away. Team members are rarely motivated by seemingly arbitrary goals of achieving a higher maturity level or an external certification just because someone has decreed it. However, most people should be motivated by the prospect of meeting their commitments, improving customer satisfaction, and shipping excellent products that meet customer expectations.