Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Intellectual ...

Appropriation <strong>of</strong> S<strong>of</strong>tware Process Improvement
Standards: An Empirical Study in S<strong>of</strong>tware Development
Organizations
Ronny Gey
Chemnitz University <strong>of</strong> Technology, Chemnitz, Germany
<strong>the</strong>ogey@gmail.com
Abstract: The paper reports on preliminary results <strong>of</strong> a research project which explores empirically <strong>the</strong> relationship
between standardization and innovation. The focus lies on <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> standards as a subject in
<strong>the</strong> research area <strong>of</strong> technology and organizing. We show that differences in <strong>the</strong> appropriation <strong>of</strong> a standardization
approach, namely <strong>the</strong> Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), can occur and thus influence <strong>the</strong> latter
use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> standard in <strong>the</strong> organisation. The practical localization <strong>of</strong> standardization in this paper is derived from
standards towards s<strong>of</strong>tware process improvement (SPI). In general process improvement models aim at <strong>the</strong> introduction
<strong>of</strong> effective processes and <strong>the</strong>ir continuous improvement. CMMI was selected as a prominent example
<strong>of</strong> a SPI standard. A differing use <strong>of</strong> SPI in contrast to what was intended by <strong>the</strong> SPI designer is meant to be a
major influence factor for how innovative capabilities are generated. For our empirical investigations we used a
qualitative and explorative approach. Therefore organizations from different industry sectors and from different
countries were selected. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to analyse occurrences <strong>of</strong> innovation before
and after <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> CMMI. Analysis <strong>of</strong> data results in a single case study for each organization.
Based on our ongoing study first results show direct coherence between <strong>the</strong> general understanding and acceptance
<strong>of</strong> CMMI and its implementation as an approach to s<strong>of</strong>tware process improvement. The data shows that
companies which interpret, implement and fur<strong>the</strong>r utilize CMMI as mere standard struggle with <strong>the</strong> daily use <strong>of</strong> it.
CMMI was implemented differently than intended by its designers. This affects <strong>the</strong> motivation and probability to
obtain a recertification or even to ascent <strong>the</strong> maturity level. In contradiction, companies which focused on <strong>the</strong>
process improvement aspect <strong>of</strong> CMMI ra<strong>the</strong>r than following constrainedly and blindfolded what is supposed to be
<strong>the</strong> standard reported a continuous use <strong>of</strong> CMMI as SPI model.
Keywords: process improvement, standardization, CMMI, s<strong>of</strong>tware development, appropriation, structuration
1. Introduction
This paper is about process management in s<strong>of</strong>tware development and its standardization. Since <strong>the</strong>
‘s<strong>of</strong>tware crisis’ in <strong>the</strong> 1960s (Dijkstra 1972) organisations in <strong>the</strong> s<strong>of</strong>tware development industry are
forced to adopt quality standards, to have cooperative interfaces to <strong>the</strong>ir customers and fur<strong>the</strong>r to
prove <strong>the</strong>ir reliability in <strong>the</strong>ir development efforts. They have to deal with <strong>the</strong> fact that s<strong>of</strong>tware is a
virtual product where development and production are not de-coupled in <strong>the</strong> classical production
sense. The s<strong>of</strong>tware development sector nowadays is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most dynamic sectors when it
comes to standardization and technical innovation.
S<strong>of</strong>tware process improvement (SPI) has thus gained an immense ground among <strong>the</strong> organisations
world wide. Its goal is to implement a continuous and long lasting improvement culture in <strong>the</strong> company.
They influence <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> behaviour <strong>of</strong> organisations in <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong>y shape <strong>the</strong>ir understanding
<strong>of</strong> how processes need to be defined and enacted. As every major introduction in terms <strong>of</strong> technologies
into a company, a companies intentions about <strong>the</strong> implementation can differ for various reasons.
This is where we start from in this paper.
2. Theoretical approach
This paper is trying to explore <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> standards for S<strong>of</strong>tware Process Improvement (SPI) in s<strong>of</strong>tware
development organisations. It takes an action based viewpoint <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> organisation since standards
should not only be considered as a given structure. People actively modify meanings, purposes
and <strong>the</strong> way how standards actually live in <strong>the</strong> organisation. Fur<strong>the</strong>r, standards as structures can only
be examined in human actions and <strong>the</strong>refore do not exist without <strong>the</strong>ir enactment (Giddens 1984). By
applying this perspective on <strong>the</strong> field we argue that <strong>the</strong> way people interpret a standard affects <strong>the</strong>
actual use <strong>of</strong> it. As a consequence, this can differ from <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong> designers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> standard meant it
to be (Leonardi and Barley 2010). For a better understanding it is now vital to frame our ideas on appropriation,
a perspective <strong>of</strong> constructivist studies <strong>of</strong> technology and organising, and finally on standards
as <strong>the</strong> subject <strong>of</strong> interest.
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