Establish Standard Processes
Establish and maintain the organization's set of standard processes.
For Integrated Product and Process Development
In an IPPD environment, the organization’s shared vision is included in the organizational process assets.
Standard processes may be defined at multiple levels in an enterprise and they may be related in a hierarchical manner. For example, an enterprise may have a set of standard processes that is tailored by
individual organizations (e.g., a division or site) in the enterprise to establish their set of standard processes. The set of standard processes may also be tailored for each of the organization’s business areas or product lines. Thus “the organization's set of standard processes” can refer to the standard processes established at the organization level and standard processes that may be established at lower levels, although some organizations may only have a single level of standard processes.
Multiple standard processes may be needed to address the needs of different application domains, life-cycle models, methodologies, and tools. The organization's set of standard processes contains process elements (e.g., a work product size-estimating element) that may be interconnected according to one or more process architectures that describe the relationships among these process elements. Processes may be composed of other processes or process elements.
The organization's set of standard processes typically includes technical, management, administrative, support, and organizational processes.
The organization’s set of standard processes should collectively cover all processes needed by the organization and projects, including those processes addressed by the process areas at Maturity Level 2.
Typical Work Products
1. Organization's set of standard processes
Subpractices
1. Decompose each standard process into constituent process elements to the detail needed to understand and describe the process.
Each process element covers a bounded and closely related set of activities. The descriptions of the process elements may be templates to be filled in, fragments to be completed, abstractions to be refined, or complete descriptions to be tailored or used unmodified. These elements are described in sufficient detail such that the process, when fully defined, can be consistently performed by appropriately trained and skilled people.
Examples of process elements include the following:
· Template for generating work product size estimates
· Description of work product design methodology
· Tailorable peer review methodology
· Template for conduct of management reviews
2. Specify the critical attributes of each process element.
Examples of critical attributes include the following:
· Process roles
· Applicable process and product standards
· Applicable procedures, methods, tools, and resources
· Process performance objectives
· Entry criteria
· Inputs
· Product and process measures to be collected and used
· Verification points (e.g., peer reviews)
· Outputs
· Interfaces
· Exit criteria
3. Specify the relationships of the process elements.
Examples of relationships include the following:
· Ordering of the process elements
· Interfaces among the process elements
· Interfaces with external processes
· Interdependencies among the process elements
The rules for describing the relationships among process elements are referred to as “process architecture.” The process architecture covers the essential requirements and guidelines. The detailed specifications of these relationships are covered in the descriptions of the defined processes that are tailored from the organization's set of standard processes.
4. Ensure that the organization's set of standard processes adheres to applicable policies; process standards and models; and product standards.
Adherence to applicable process standards and models is typically demonstrated by developing a mapping from the organization’s set of standard processes to the relevant process standards and models. In addition, this mapping will be a useful input to future appraisals.
5. Ensure that the organization’s set of standard processes satisfies the process needs and objectives of the organization.
6. Ensure that there is appropriate integration among the processes that are included in the organization’s set of standard processes.
7. Document the organization's set of standard processes.
8. Conduct peer reviews on the organization's set of standard processes.
9. Revise the organization's set of standard processes as necessary.
