‘Oh Process!' - How does it matter?


Location: IT organization with clients all over the globe

Scenario: Project team busy in getting things ready for code delivery to client. They are
infuriated when Quality Auditor comes for audit.

Background: Project facing schedule overrun

Actors: Developers, Testers and Team Leader

Though this is a common scenario faced in majority of software organizations across the globe, it cannot be written off by saying that, it is got to do with the people who resist process or process which doesn't aid delivery.

‘Process complicates things', 'First our priority is to satisfy customers, then we would satisfy your process requirements',' Tell us whether bugs are important or filling your documents'-the common phrases which the developer community acquaints themselves as form of self defense or accusation , when a topic of process compliance is tabled across.

When one takes a looks at it from a neutral perspective, in most of the organizations the charm of process implementation of frameworks like CMMI(Capability Maturity Model Integration) dies down after the initial assessment. Added to this are the factors like demanding customers, early deadlines, severe competition and attrition.

So what could be done to ensure the compliance levels are sustained in organizations right from the beginning?

One couldn't deny that reply to this question is influenced by several parameters.

However from a human neuro linguistic approach, it drills down in tackling the question that floats round in the minds of all key stakeholders for such initiatives: What is it in for me (WIIFM)?

One such group in software organization where this question needs to be confronted strongly is the Software Developers/programmers community. Like the production department in a manufacturing plant, key participants in the software delivery chain are the developers or programmers community. They form the crux of the organization and generally stay away from the process terminologies used by their managers.

Typical Software Development Work flow: Development


For a bunch of technocrats who are fond of complex problems and codes,

‘ Process!' - How does it matter?

How does CMMI help to address this million
dollar question raised by the software programmers?


It thus could be clearly demonstrated how CMMI practices helps the cause of developers and in turn how they aid the process improvement journey in organization.

The onus lies with the organization management and the process group to drive in the message to the programmer’s community and get a buy in for their question WIIFM.

When the process culture becomes a norm, the script could be rewritten to fit the following situation

Location: IT organization with clients all over the globe

Scenario: Project team is relaxed and ready for delivery. They await the Quality assurance person to come and do compliance audit prior to delivery

Background: Project expected to be signed off by highly satisfied customer

Actors:  Developers, Testers and Team Leader

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