Applying TQM to software development - Contel's process enhancement program
Judah Mogilensky · 1989
Contel Federal Systems has initiated the Process Enhancement Program (PEP) as a vehicle for ap- plying the concepts and principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) to software development. The PEP encompasses four Task Areas. The Poli- cies, Procedures, and Standards area works towards the development of formal, written guidance for the development process. The Tools and Environ- ment area works towards the development of an Integrated Programming Support Environment (IPSE). 7'he Education and Training area provides for the training of individual developers in the use of the Procedures, the IPSE, and the languages and methodologies underlying them. The Measure- ment and Estimation area includes the collection of process metrics, both to permit measurement of productivity and quality progress, and to provide direction for the continuous improvement of the development process. Joint, integrated progress in all of these areas is seen as the key to success. Contel has already begun to apply PEP products and approaches to a Government contract software development program, the BIDDS Management Subsystem. Initial indications are that these ap- proaches can be effectively applied to real projects. Motley of the Defense Systems Management Col- lege1 and Watts Humphrey of the Software Engi- neering institute2, it is becoming more widely rec- ognized that many TQM concepts can be very ef- fectively applied to the development of computer software. In particular, the focus on process im- provement, on problem prevention rather than problem detection, and on increased discipline and standardization can be used to increase not only the quality of the resulting software, but also the productivity of the developers and the probability of achieving cost and schedule targets.