Statistical Control of Software Process: A Systematic Review

Authors

  • Bibiana Y. Garcés Corporación Universitaria Comfacauca
  • Francisco J. Pino Universidad del Cauca

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18046/syt.v12i31.1915

Keywords:

Statistical Process Control, Six Sigma, Software Process, Systematic Review

Abstract

The Software Processes Improvement requires advanced techniques for the quantitative management process, so that from the analysis of the relevant indicators in the organization, actions can be taken to facilitate the decision-making process in favor of this improvement. Among the set of techniques, special attention is devoted to the Statistical Process Control (SPC), which has gained acceptance in enterprises preparing to attain high degrees of maturity in their processes, and require the establishment of measuring programs. SPC is useful in software development for several reasons. Control Charts help identify process shifts and abnormal variations. It is therefore pertinent to assess how successful SPC is in the context of software production. In this sense, we have not found any integrated proposal of quantitative management applied to distributed software development, processes that allow the attainment of important benefits, and, at the same time, that more organizations are improving their processes. These considerations motivate the need to define and carry out a Systematic Review to assess whether SPC is being used effectively and correctly, and to determine the main obstacles to a successful application of SPC in SPI efforts. Thus, the systematic review allows developing a rigorous analysis of the current state of the SPC, which is a starting point to address how it can be successfully used as a decision-making support tool in software-process improvement in agreement with the available empirical evidence reported in the literature.

Author Biographies

  • Bibiana Y. Garcés, Corporación Universitaria Comfacauca
    Master in Informatics Engineering, Master in Advanced Computer Technologies from Universidad de Castilla La Mancha (Spain), and Engineering in Industrial Automation from the Universidad del Cauca (Colombia). She is currently Professor and Coordinator of Social Projection at the Corporación Universitaria de Comfacauca´s Engineering Program. She also serves as a consultant on implementation and improvement of software factories in Kybele Consulting Colombia SAS. His areas of research and professional interest are quality and statistical process control software for advanced global software process improvement.
  • Francisco J. Pino, Universidad del Cauca

    Doctor in Informatics Engineering from Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), Electronics and Telecommunications Engineer, and Specialist in Networks and Telematics Services from Universidad del Cauca (Colombia). He is a professor attached to the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, member of IDIS Research Group (Research and Development in Software Engineering) at the Universidad del Cauca, and founder of Kybele Consulting Colombia SAS, an advisory company in quality and process, products, and services software improvement. Chief Auditor AENOR ISO 15504-SPICE. His research and professional interests are quality and process improvement of software development in small enterprises and multi-model environments.

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2014-12-23

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