BOOTSTRAP: A software process assessment and improvement methodology

Abstract

The BOOTSTRAP methodology for software process assessment and improvement was initially developed by taking the original SEI model as a starting point and extending it with features based on the guidelines from ISO 9000 quality standards and ESA (European Space Agency) process model standards. The extensions were made in order to fit the methodology into the European context, and to attain more detailed capability profiles and maturity levels separately for organisations and their projects. The methodology was also provided with software tools and cumulative assessment data base support. Recently, the methodology has adopted also features of the becoming new ISO standard currently known as a SPICE Initiative. All this has made the BOOTSTRAP methodology particularly suitable for process improvement with different organisation types and sizes and with different kinds of software processes and products. The paper presents the BOOTSTRAP methodology and in conclusions brings forward especially the improvement related aspects that may set boundary conditions between different software process assessment and improvement approaches.