Software Process Improvement in Small Companies as a Path to Enterprise Architecture

Abstract

This chapter focuses on two initiatives that are capable of bringing business benefits to small companies, that is, enterprise architecture and software process improvement. More importantly, utilisation of synergy of both approaches is proposed. Firstly, the role of enterprise architecture and current status of its adoption worldwide and also in the Czech Republic is stated. Then TOGAF, the most accepted EA framework recommended by the author for use in small companies, is briefly described. Furthermore, the ISO/IEC 29110 standard “ Lifecycle Profiles for Very Small Entities��? is presented as an example of software process improvement initiatives focused on small companies. The main contribution of this chapter consists in outlining the relationships of enterprise architecture and software process improvement and proposing EA framework for SMEs.