Accelerated process improvement framework

• US 20030110067A1
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Miller, Michael P., Suriel, Pedro, Rebok, Christine, Bengzon, Sarah
• Granted Patent: US 7,035,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and related system for assisting and expediting an organization'"'"'s transformation toward higher levels of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM). In particular, the present invention provides a method for producing a more mature product. A preferred embodiment of the method comprises the managing an organization developing the product, whereby the organizational management comprises managing personnel of the organization and implementing a product improvement process. The method may further comprise managing a project for developing the product and managing the delivery of the product. Furthermore, actions undertaken during the organizational management affects implementation of the project and delivery managements, and the actions undertaken during the project and delivery managements likewise affect implementation of the organizational management. In another embodiment, this method may be implemented using a combination of both electronic hardware and software and may be implemented locally or over a network such as an intranet or the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for producing a more mature product, the method comprising the steps of:

a) managing an organization developing said product, whereby said organizational management comprises managing personnel of said organization and implementing a product improvement process;

b) managing a project for developing said product; and

c) managing the delivery of said product,

whereby actions undertaken during said organizational management affects implementation of said project and delivery managements; and

whereby said actions undertaken during said project and delivery managements affect implementation of said organizational management.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said product improvement process comprises planning the product improvement process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said product improvement process comprises organizing resources needed for the product improvement process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said product improvement process comprises establishing a software engineering process group (SEPG).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said product improvement process comprises controlling a SEPG project.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said product improvement process comprises implementing and supporting said SEPG project.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said product improvement process comprises conducting a software quality assurance (SQA) review.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said product improvement process comprises conducting an assessment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said product improvement process comprises conducting an intermittent or periodic survey.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said product improvement process comprises conducting process improvement.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said personnel management comprises designing a performance measurement infrastructure.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said personnel management comprises the steps of designing an organizational infrastructure and implementing said organizational infrastructure.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said personnel management comprises designing training for said personnel and deploying said training.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of managing a program for implementing said product maturing method.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said program management comprises developing a management plan.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said program management comprises designing an initial work team environment.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said program management comprises implementing management processes.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said program management comprises the steps of creating a program management office and directing said program management office.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said program management comprises conducting a program closeout.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said project management comprises planning the project execution.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said project management comprises organizing project resources.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said project management comprises controlling work related to product.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said project management comprises completing the project.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said project management comprises execution a SQA review.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said project management comprises management of a supplier agreement.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said supplier agreement management comprises the steps of managing a subcontractor.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said subcontractor management comprises planning said subcontractor management.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said subcontractor management comprises organizing resources related to said subcontractor management.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said subcontractor management comprises controlling said subcontractor management.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said subcontractor management comprises completing said subcontractor management.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein said supplier agreement management comprises the steps of managing a product acquisition (PA).

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said PA management comprises planning said PA management.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said PA management comprises organizing resources related to said PA management.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said PA management comprises controlling said PA management.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein said PA management comprises completing said PA management.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises identifying and analyzing requirements for said delivery management.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises designing a technology infrastructure.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises designing a technology infrastructure.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises designing an application for said product.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises building and testing said technology infrastructure.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises building and testing said application.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises the steps of planning a product test and executed said product test.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises the steps of planning an acceptance test and executed said acceptance test.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery management comprises deployment of said product.

45. The method of claim 1 wherein the maturity of said product is judged using the Capability Maturity Modeling (CMM) or the Integrated Capability Maturity Modeling (CMMI).

46. A system for producing a more mature product, said system comprising

a organizational management module;

a product management module; and

a delivery management module.

47. The system of claim 46 further comprising a program management module.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein one or more of said modules is distributed over the network.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein said network is the Internet.

50. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps of managing an organization developing said product;

managing the managing a project for developing said product; and

managing the delivery of said product.