The document discusses software project assessments and different types of assessments. It defines software assessment as a disciplined examination of software processes and projects to determine strengths and weaknesses. The assessment results are used to identify areas for process improvement. The document also describes the minimum requirements for CMM-based assessments and the typical phases involved in assessments like SCAMPI.

2.  The scope of a project assessment includes
the end to end methodologies for the
development and management of the
project.
 Software assessments, which originated
from the need for improvement in the
software industry, started in the 1960s and
1970s as informal assessments.
 “How do I improve my project or how do I
perform my next project better?”

3.  “An independent examination of a work
product or set of work products to assess
compliance with specifications, standards,
contractual agreements, or other criteria.” –
IEEE
 “Certification, or third-party assessment
(referred to as registration in some
countries), is carried out by an independent
organization against a particular standard.”
- ISO

4.  “A software process assessment is a disciplined
examination of the software processes used by an
organization, based on a process model. The
objective is to determine the maturity level of those
processes, as measured against a process
improvement road map. The result should identify
and characterize current practices, identifying areas
of strengths and weaknesses, and the ability of
current practices to control or avoid significant
causes of poor (software) quality, cost, and schedule.
The assessment findings can also be used as
indicators of the capability of those processes to
achieve the quality, cost, and schedule goals of
software development with a high degree of
predictability.”

5.  Self assessment or first party assessment –
performed internally by an organization's
own personnel.
 Second party assessment – e.g., a
company hires an external assessment
team or company is being assessed by a
customer
 Third party assessment - e.g., a supplier is
being assessed by a third party to verify its
ability to enter contracts with a customer

6.  Step 1 : Select a team. The members of the team should be
professionals knowledgeable in software engineering and
management.
 Step 2 : The representatives of the site to be appraised complete the
standard process maturity questionnaire
 Step 3 : The assessment team performs an analysis of the questionnaire
responses and identifies areas that warrant further exploration
according to the CMM key process areas.
 Step 4: Assessment team to conduct a site visit to gain an understanding
of the software process followed by the site.
 Step 5 : The assessment team produces a list of findings that identifies
the strengths and weakness of the organization's software process
 Step 6 : The assessment team prepares a key process area (KPA) profile
analysis and presents the results to the appropriate audience.

7. Minimum requirements
 the assessment team,
 the assessment plan,
 data collection,
 data validation,
 the rating,
 the reporting of assessment results.

8. Phase Activities
Plan and preparation
Identify assessment scope
Develop the assessment plan
Prepare and train the assessment team.
Make a brief assessment of participants
Administer the CMMI Appraisal Questionnaire
Examine Questionnaire responses
Conduct initial document review.
Onsite assessment
Conduct an opening meeting
Conduct interviews
Consolidate information
Prepare presentation of draft findings
Present draft findings
Consolidate, rate, and prepare final findings
Reporting results
Present final findings
Conduct executive session
Wrap up the assessment

9.  Step 1 : Assessment kickoff session
 Step 2 : Project data collection
 Step 3 : Individual project analysis
 Step 4 : A parallel track is to conduct management interviews
 Step 5 : The two tracks then merge for benchmark comparison,
aggregate analysis, and interpretation
 Step 6 : The final phase is measurement report and improvement
opportunities
 Step 7 : Data collection and interviews are based on the structured
SPR assessment questionnaire

11.  What is software assessment?
 Define audit.
 Define assessment.
 Differentiate between audit and assessment.
 Differentiate between software process assessment
and software project assessment.
 Explain CMM based assessment approach.
 What are the minimum requirements that CMM
Based Appraisal for Internal Process
Improvement(CBA IPI) should meet?
 Explain the phases of SCAMPI.
 Explain generic cycle of process assessment
developed by Zahran.