Work Packages
To achieve the project objectives, the work is decomposed into the seven Work Packages (WPs):
WP1: Project Management & Dissemination of Results
Duration: M1-M36
Description of the approach: The project coordinator will take the main responsibility for managing the project activities. WP1 has to assure the timely preparation of high-quality technical deliverables as well as informative project progress reports.
WP2: Requirements Analysis for SPIRE Projects
Duration: M1-M08
Description of the approach: During WP2 a detailed requirements analysis will be performed for defining and analyzing the success factors of a process assessment/improvement project. Emphasis will be given on identifying process improvement requirements in the context of requirements engineering activities which take place into representative and very dynamic Greek SW SMEs.
WP3: Design of SPINT SMEs Knowledge Base
Duration: M9 – M16
Description of the approach: In order to design the structure of the SPRINT SMEs Knowledge Base we will follow an ontology-based approach. Different complementary ontologies have to be developed to address the full spectrum of knowledge in SW process improvement projects (i.e., tacit and explicit knowledge, knowledge about projects, knowledge in projects and knowledge from projects).
WP4: Multi-Criteria Analysis for Software Process Assessment/Planning
Duration M14 – M23
Description of the approach: This WP will investigate the combined application of multi-criteria decision analysis techniques to support the planning phase of a process assessment/improvement project. The effectiveness of any possible approach will be examined from a number of perspectives, such as the organization needs, the cost/risk of application/deployment, the value/benefit of each possible improvement issue, the time to return on investment, the need to reach a high-degree of agreement among all stakeholders involved upon the final improvement plan etc.
WP5: Techniques for Supporting Cooperation/Coordination in Software Processes
Duration: M17 – M26
Description of the approach: This WP will examine the application of analysis techniques from the Social Network Analysis (SNA) domain, to promote the collaboration within members of a SW organization which are involved in a SPI project as well as facilitate communication and enable smooth information flow within the participants in the process improvement.
WP6: Techniques for Analyzing the Value of Investment in a SPIRE Project
Duration: M19 – M28
Description of the approach: The research work in this WP will be devoted to examine the application of contemporary investment analysis techniques [58], such as Real Options Analysis [42, 59], to examine, at a certain SPI project, the value of the delivered improvements. The main objective of the work is to consider, by examining Real Options, the flexibility of management to decide the most profitable (valued) combinations (packages) of alternative improvement issues and candidate software components, under favourable or unfavourable conditions.
WP7: SPRINT SMEs Framework Validation
Duration: M29 – M36
Description of the approach:The project results will be validated through representative SPIRE projects which will be carried out in representative SMES. These SW companies are strongly interested in continually striving to refine and improve their software development processes and practices, especially regarding requirements engineering. In particular, empirical case studies will be performed, in each one of the involved companies, to examine and apply the project results (analysis methods).
