Critical Software has launched an internal software process improvement initiative to introduce Agile and Scrum into its Quality Management System and Delivery Unit. This presentation shares the process improvement methodology utilized, its impacts in the organizational processes, the main Agile challenges to be over-come, main inspirational Agile references and results so far.

1. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
Dependable Technologies for Critical Systems
Adoption of Agile/Scrum in a Portuguese CMMI L5 enterprise:
Improvement Approach and Experiences
Délio Almeida, Quality Manager
21st June 2013, Agile & Scrum Portugal 2013

2. DEPENDABLE
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR CRITICAL
SYSTEMS
© 2013 Critical Software S.A.
Critical Software | About us
3
• Spin-off of the University of Coimbra in 1998
• Global Software Engineering company
• Engineering Centres: ~250 engineers
- Portuguese Offices in: Coimbra, Lisbon, Oporto
• Strong investment in R&D and Quality
- 10% of turnover invested every year in R&D
- More than 20 people allocated to R&D
• Strategic Pillars
- Global Vision, People & Community, Quality
- Innovation and R&D, Reinvestment & Growth
• Investment in Quality Certifications
- SEI CMMI-DEV Level 5, AS9100C, ISO9001, NATO AQAP 2210, 2110,
NP4457
Coimbra University: 1290
Vision
To become an international
software technology and
engineering business,
recognized for excelling in
the provision of pioneering
and innovative solutions in
multiple markets, while
ensuring the highest quality
and dependability
Mission
To support mission and
business critical solutions

3. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
DEPENDABLE
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR CRITICAL
SYSTEMS
The motivation for change….
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Aeronautics Space
Defence Transports
Mission-Safety
Critical Solutions
CSW has always worked with:
• Conservative markets from SW eng. point
of view
• Highly mature and regulated
• Safety-Critical Software which cannot
simply fail ....
• Mature SW Development Processes based
on ESA-ECSS software standards, ISO
15504 (SPiCE), NASA SEL, BSSC Guides
• Characterized by detailed RFP, SoW,
highly specialized customers and
specialists, very good domain knowledge,
formal approaches to project and quality
management

4. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
DEPENDABLE
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR CRITICAL
SYSTEMS
The motivation for change….
5
BUT, CSW has – also always worked - with:
• Non-conservative markets from a SW
engineering point of view...
• Highly dynamic and flexible markets Highly
mature and regulated
• Non-safety critical, but more mission
critical, who can live with some faults
Safety-Critical Software which cannot simply
fail ....
• Who want good quality SW working and in
production Adopted Mature SW Development
Processes based on ESA-ECSS software
standards, ISO 15504 (SPiCE), NASA SEL,
BSSC Guides
• Characterized by more vague RFP, SoW,
not engineers, more flexible and informal,
high scope volatility, change in features...
Telecom Government
Finance
Health
Energy & Mobility
Enterprise
Critical Solutions
Search for more suitable SW development method
+
Business/Customer demand for Agile
+
New Product Development Unit , Spin-Offs paradigm and
internal developments

5. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
SW Process Improvement Approach
• Launched CMMI Level 5 Organizational Performance Management Initiative : “Agile @ CSW”
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 SW Process Improvement Phases:
[1st Phase : Sub-Phase
1 – Define and Improve]
Define Agile
Methodology, Work,
Processes and Report
Establish baseline,
estimate ROI
[2nd Phase: Sub-Phase
1 – Piloting ]
Conduct Pilots (Update
artefacts,
Select/Execute pilots,
Evaluate Pilots and
Improve)
[2nd Phase: Sub-Phase
2 - Deploy]
Define and Execute
Deployment Plan
[2nd Phase: Sub-Phase
3 – Monitor Deployment]
Monitor Deployed
Improvements
[2nd Phase: Sub-Phase
4 – Evaluate Effects]
Evaluate and record the
effect
1st
Phase
2nd Phase (Conduct Pilots, Deploy, Monitor, Evaluate)
235h
324h
• Impacts: Impact Level IMS Processes
Major 18
Minor 13
None 38
• More Impacts:
• Changes in PMO, SPA, ENG, training plans, skills, tools, ...
• Around 70-80 active projects

6. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
DEPENDABLE
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR CRITICAL
SYSTEMS
SW Process Improvement Approach – The references
Inspirational Sources:
• “The Scrum Guide, The Definite Guide to Scrum: The Rules of the Game”, Jeff
Sutherland & Ken Schwaber, Oct. 2011 www.scrum.org
• “Agile Contracts – Money for Nothing and Your Change for Free”, Jeff Sutherland,
SCRUM Training Institute, July 12, 2010 http://jeffsutherland.com/ (05-06-2013)
• “Mature Agile with a twist of CMMI”, by Carsten Ruseng Jakobsen (Systematic
Software Engineering ) and Kent Aaron Johnson (Agile Digm, Incorporated),
Proceeding AGILE '08 Proceedings of the Agile 2008
• Certified Agile Tester Manual, Version 2.1, iSQI GmbH, 2010, http://www.agile-
tester.org/ (05-06-2013)
• Lessons & in-house Experience from several projects ...
• Others...
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7. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
Agile Challenges & Problems
Problems  Description How we approached it?
P1 – Agile reference sources to
use?
So many available Agile/Scrum sources, sites
(Scrum Alliance, scrum.org, mitchlacey.com),
institutes, Training programs (CAT), and authors ...

Going back to the original author(s)
Looking for other CMMI companies who have done it!
Tailoring it to our Org. reality and experience
P2 – Scrum roles &
responsibilities
We have a projectized organization, strong matrix
structure, with multiple Departments/Units, with
already defined roles, no one wants to loose
strenght and importance ...
Tried to stick to roles definition!
Did accept some team specialization (e.g. Testers &
developers)
Tried to find internally the people with the best skills to
assume the new Scrum roles
Still not happy with the result ...
P3 - Agile contracts, how to
sell?
Trying to use Agile/Scrum in a fixed price contract
is hard ... Customers typically demand all
constraints fixed: cost, schedule, scope and
quality...
Following Agile Contracts approach from Jeff
Sutherland
Using our own selling experience and know how...
P4 – Agile mindset
Transformation
Internally, many think that we don’t need Agile, we
just need a robust and institutionalized
evolutionary or iterative waterfall life cycle ...
Involve all stakeholders from the start... The pros and
the ones against... Communicate a lot, use other
successful examples to show its its possible! Have
practioners writing the new process ...
P5 – How to measure the
Agile/Scrum Benefit ?
How do we know we are doing better ... Or we just
got worse ???
Being a CMMI L5 company, and by following a
structured quantitative process improvement initiative
this is guaranteed ... We baseline, we set goals/ROI, we
measure the pilots, we compare with the post-result

8. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
DEPENDABLE
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR CRITICAL
SYSTEMS
Contacts
9
Portugal
Coimbra, Lisbon,Oporto
www.criticalsoftware.com
USA
Chicago
www.criticalsoftware.com
UK
Southampton,Somerset
www.critical-software.co.uk
Brazil
São Paulo
www.criticalsoftware.com.br
Angola
Luanda
www.criticalsoftware.com
Mozambique
Maputo
www.criticalsoftware.co.mz
Singapore
Singapore
www.criticalsoftware.sg

9. © 2013 Critical Software S.A.
Dependable Technologies for Critical Systems
Thank You! Délio Almeida
dalmeida@criticalsoftware.com