PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES

 

PS&J Software Six Sigma provides process improvement consulting, training, support and coaching in each of the following areas:

Brief descriptions of all the courses are available below. Customization is available on all courses. If you would like to get a detailed description or talk to us, contact us at Quality@SoftwareSixSigma.com or by phone at 201-947-0150 or 201-358-8828.

 

 

GOALS AND CHOOSING A METHODOLOGY

Many organizations want to undertake an improvement initative but are not sure where to begin, don’t understand the cost, and are uncertain of the payback.  Sometimes they latch on to a popular improvement methodology without really understanding if it is appropriate for them.  PS&J Software Six Sigma can help you:

Once a methodology has been selected, PS&J Software Six Sigma can help your organization develop an improvement plan and associated ROI analysis, provide training and on-going support as necessary.

For more information, read our white papers on Improvement Planning and Measurements and Management or e-mail us at Quality@SoftwareSixSigma.com.

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

In order to successfully deal with any process improvement initiative, an organization must be prepared understand the perspective all stakeholders, realistically address all their issues, and assemble a coalition supporting the planned organizational change. PS&J Software Six Sigma can help your organization identify critical change management issues and resolve these issues by putting effective practices in place that reduce risk and pay high downstream dividends.  An organization only gets one chance to do this right the first time, after that it gets much harder.

Category:  Change Management
Course: Improvement Essentials
Length: 2 Days
Description:  A compelling blend of theory and practice, this course lays the foundation for implementing process improvement effectively.  Participants first learn the universal principles of improvement and then learn how to apply them in a practical, down-to-earth ways. Topics include: The Nature of Change; Change Life Cycles; Resistance and Support; Cultural Alignment.

Category:  Change Management
Course: Leading and Managing Process Improvement
Length: 2 Days
Description:  Key knowledge and skills for both overseeing a process improvement initiative and managing the details of its day-to-day implementation.  do it once, and do it well, because you won't get a chance to do it over. Topics include: Roles in Change; Change Life Cycles; Resistance and Support; Cultural Alignment.

Category:  Change Management
Course: Measuring, Planning and Monitoring for Process Improvement
Length: 3 Days
Description: Participants learn to collect and analyze data in ten critical areas and use it to plan and monitor their initiative's progress.  Identify key enablers and barriers to success and mitigate or eliminate the associated risks. Topics include: Data Collection and Analysis; Support Building; Cultural Alignment; Sponsor Development and Support; Communication; Infrascturcture Development and Utilization.

Category:  Change Management
Course: Implementation SkillShop
Length: 2 Days
Description:   Much of effective improvement involves working with and influencing key individuals on a one-to-one basis.  This course teaches key skills that process improvement staff apply every day. Topics include: Listening Skills for Win-Win; Authentic Behavior and Trust Building; Fundamentals of Win-Win Negotiation; Negotiation under Duress; Building Trust through Negotiation.

Category:  Change Management
Course: Consulting SkillShop
Length: 2 Days
Description:   Process improvement staff consult extensively as a part of their responsibilities -- with their immediate boss, with other managers, and with key staff members and teams.  Participants learn an effective process -- and acquire the skills needed -- to do this work more effectively. Topics include: Consulting Roles and Life Cycle; Contact and Initiation; Contracting; Data Gathering, Analysis, and Feedback; Planning, Eecution and Monitoring; Evaluation, Feedback and Temination.

Category:  Change Management
Course: Foundations Workshop
Length: 2 Days
Description:   An intensive, roll-up-your-sleeves experience that lays important groundwork and loads your initiative for success.  For initiatives that are already underway, the workshop can be structured to back-fill some critical elements that probably are causing problems. Topics include: Life Cycle Overview; Initiating Phase Overview; Recognizing the Stimulus; Understanding the Context; Securing Support; Organizing for Success; Downstream Concerns.

Category:  Change Management
Course: Rapid Team Deployment Workshop
Length: 2 Days
Description:   A highly interactive workshop that will help get teams up and running with minimal delay.  Anticipate and resolve fundamental issues so teams can focus immediately on the task at hand and work effectively together. Topics include: The Team Deployment Process; Preparation; Establishing the Team; Defining Goals and Roles; Committing for Action.

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT

PS&J Software Six Sigma can help you implement a lightweight, cost effective, measurement driven, surprise free Project Management process consistent with PMI’s PMBOK.  We can help you to integrate your Project Management process with CMMI and/or Six Sigma if your organization has on-going process initiatives in either or both of those areas.

For more information, read our white paper on Software Project Management Training or e-mail us at Quality@SoftwareSixSigma.com.

Category:  Project Management
Course:  Managing Software Projects
Length:  1 Day
Description:  Managing Software Projects is a high level course for those that are familiar with all the standard project management techniques but have limited software experience. It provides the knowledge to understand technical and management issues specific to software development and to manage software projects to successful conclusions.

Category:  Project Management
Course:  Leading Software Projects
Length:  4 Days
Description:  Leading Software Projects provides a firm grasp of project management methods and techniques in the context of software development, but it also goes far beyond the typical PMBOK training class by providing specific detailed methods for managing the software development process’s cause and effect relations.  For organizations with a CMM, CMMI, or ISO goal the course includes an optional module addressing model compliance. Additional tailoring is available on request.

Category:  Project Management
Course:  Six Sigma Software Project Management
Length:  5 Days
Description:  Six Sigma Software Project Management provides a firm grasp of project management methods and techniques in the context of software development, but it also goes far beyond the typical PMBOK training class by providing specific detailed methods for managing the software development process’s cause and effect relations, from a Six Sigma Perspective, illustrating how to make effective use of the Six Sigma toolkit to managed project performance. It is targeted for an organization that has a Six Sigma initiative, but can be of great value anywhere there is a focus on metrics and fact-based management. It can be used to train project managers or as an elective in a Black Belt training program.

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CMMI

CMMI is a large intimidating model. Many organizations don’t know where to begin or may implement a heavy bureaucratic process that attempts a literal interpretation of the model.  PS&J Software Six Sigma can help you design a lightweight process appropriate to the size of your organization that address the goals of your target CMMI level and that capitalizes on existing practices to the maximum extent possible.  The process that we can help you put in place can be objectively measured and will result in measurable cost savings.

PS&J Software Six Sigma can show you how to implement your processes in such a way that it will pay for itself in cost savings and product quality improvements and that you will be fully prepared for a formal assessment. We can also show you how to integrate your CMMI improvement activities with any other ongoing process improvement initiatives like PMP or Six Sigma.

If your organization is using Agile methods including  Xtreme, SCRUM, we can provide an approach that is fully consistent with both the Agile methods and with the goals of the CMMI model.

PS&J has extensive experience with all aspects of the CMMI dating back to the introduction of the original CMM in the 1980’s.  PS&J is an SEI partner for CMMI and is authorized to deliver CMMI training and perform formal assessments (SCAMPI) under license from the SEI.
PS&J offers a package of services that address the whole CMMI model based improvement cycle in a methodical and consistent way including:

The cycle can be repeated as often as necessary to meet the organization’s business goals. Although we provide individual elements of the cycle as point services, e.g. the SPI Planning Workshop or an Assessment, we recommend the whole package for any clients that arejust starting out with CMMI model-based improvement.
The Sponsorship Seminar:

The sponsorship seminar concludes with a facilitate workshop session that helps management define a set of SMART process improvement goals for the organization.

Preliminary Assessment

Unless there is a business case for an immediate formal assessment (SCAMPI), PS&J recommends kicking off the improvement process with an informal assessment.   An informal assessment doesn’t require as much effort on the part of the internal staff and as a result costs considerably less than a full-blown assessment.  The assessment is used to baseline current organization capabilities, identify gaps, and serve as a catalyst for change. Assessment results, along with management goals, are the primary inputs to the improvement-planning workshop.

Planning Workshop

Once the management goals are set, PS&J facilitates an SPI workshop to build a plan to meet management’s goals.
The planning team typically includes process owners, all members of the staff responsible for the process improvement activity as well as the project managers, and some members of the senior technical staff selected for their influence and technical leadership qualities.
This workshop process allows the team to identify, prioritize, and establish a consensus about the opportunities for improvement that have the best chance at meeting management’s goals and provide the best overall return on investment. The team creates an overall plan for the year and a detailed plan for the next quarter.  The plan includes:

The team then produces a presentation summarizing the plan.  The workshop concludes with the team presenting the plan to management for approval.  The sponsors have an opportunity to review the plan and to ask questions during the presentation.  Sponsoring management’s approval of the plan defines a commitment between all parties.

On-going Support & Checkpoints

PS&J can support an organization’s internal process improvement teams by:

If desired, PS&J can perform quarterly checkpoints.  During a checkpoint, PS&J will interview a subset of practitioners and managers, as well as examine data and analyze metrics collected over the last quarter.  PS&J will then facilitate a planning session covering activities for the next quarter.  Management is briefed on progress relative to the plan and on plans for the coming quarter. The briefing includes progress relative to the schedule, planned and actual costs, planned and actual savings to date, and next quarter activities including planned costs and savings.

Final Assessment

Normally an improvement cycle concludes with an assessment, typically a SCAMPI A or a SCAMPI B.  PS&J is an SEI partner for SCAMPI.  We can help you select the type that is best for you and actually conduct the assessment and all supporting activities. The results of SCAMPI A are submitted to the SEI and published. A SCAMPI A assessment result can be a valuable tool for getting new business, particularly in the case with government contracts. If no marketing advantage accrues from a SCAMPI A assessment, its if frequently possible to get most of the same benefits with a SCAMPI B.  This allows reducing the number of people interviewed and relaxing some of the requirements for multiple instances of evidence that a practice is in use.  This can reduce costs considerably since the major cost in any assessments is the time of the interviewees.

For more information, read our white papers on Model-Based Software Process Improvement, Model-Based Improvement Pitfalls, Six Sigma and the CMMI, and Implementing a Measurement Framework or e-mail us at Quality@SoftwareSixSigma.com.

Category:  CMMI
Course:  Introduction to CMMI for Development
Length:  3 Days
Description:  This three-day course introduces managers and practitioners, appraisal team members, and process improvement teams to CMMI fundamental concepts. The CMMI for Development (CMMI-DEV) model is a tool that helps organizations to improve their ability to develop and maintain quality products and services.

Category:  CMMI
Course:  Achieving Business Results through CMMI
Length:  1 Day
Description:  The biggest obstacle to implementing any process improvement effort is getting started. "Achieving Business Results with CMMI" provides process improvement leaders with the information they need to successfully kickoff their CMMI based improvement effort. We have compiled lessons learned through our years of software process improvement experience and the experiences of our customers in a course that addresses:

This course explains how to achieve measurable business results with CMMI. It illustrates how to measure software process performance, how to design a process to meet specific quantitative business goals, and how to measure return on process improvement investment. It provides examples of cost-effective practices in each CMMI process area and explains the mechanisms by which these practices improve the bottom line. It points out common process improvement pitfalls and provides advice on avoiding them and it explains strategies for cost efficient implementation of a CMMI based process improvement initiative.

Category:  CMMI
Course:  Implementing a CMMI Software Metrics Framework
Length:  4 Days
Description:  Implementing a CMMI Software Metrics Framework is designed for an organization just starting out with CMMI or a CMM level 2 -3 organization making the transition to CMMI. Explains how to define, implement, and use a software metrics framework consistent with the requirements of the CMMI. Illustrates the use of software metrics for estimation, decision support project management, process management, and quality management. Reviews the issues associated with automated data collection and analysis, data security, and data privacy.

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SIX SIGMA

If your organization is interested in applying Six Sigma techniques to software development and/or maintenance projects, PS&J Software Six Sigma can help you implement Six Sigma methods within the context of software engineering.  Six Sigma originally grew out of manufacturing and later out of product engineering. You will likely encounter many inconsistencies if you attempt to apply these stock versions of Six Sigma to software development.  PS&J Software Six Sigma has extensive experience adapting Six Sigma methods to software development projects. We can help you integrate Six Sigma into your software processes, show you how to use Six Sigma for software project management, and show you how to integrate Six Sigma with other process improvement methodologies such as CMMI and PMP.

For more information, read our white papers on Software Six Sigma and on Six Sigma, the CMM and the CMMI or e-mail us at Quality@SoftwareSixSigma.com.

Category:  Six Sigma
Course: Introduction to Software Six Sigma
Length: 3 Days
Description: Provides an introduction to the application of Six Sigma to software development and maintenance. Targeted to personnel who need to understand how to apply Six Sigma to software development. Explains the differences between applying Six Sigma in a manufacturing or service environment and a software development or maintenance environment. Illustrates the application of the Six Sigma tool kit to software development. Demonstrates techniques to measure, improve, and manage the software process. Uses software specific examples throughout.

Category:  Six Sigma
Course: Software Six Sigma Green Belt
Length: 12 Days
Description: Provides an introduction to Six Sigma and its application to software engineering targeted to software developers and software team leads. Explains the differences between applying Six Sigma in a manufacturing or service environment and a software development or maintenance environment. Teaches the how to apply the Six Sigma tool kit to software. Shows specific techniques to measure, improve, and manage the software process. Uses software specific examples throughout and includes extensive programming exercises to motivate software engineers to incorporate the use of six sigma techniques for continuous software process improvement into their every day practices.

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INSPECTIONS AND DEFECT PREVENTION

If you are already doing peer reviews or even inspections, you may be concerned that they are not as efficient as they should be or that they don’t find enough significant defects to justify their high cost. If you have this concern, it may indicate that you don’t have enough data to characterize the inspection process, to manage it, and to optimize its performance.   We can help you baseline your current capability, identify improvement opportunities, quantity the ROI, and effectively implement improvements to you process that will result in measurable cost savings and improvements in product quality.  Inspections should always reduce costs, never increase them.

PS&J Software Six Signa can teach you how to use statistical techniques to select high-risk products for review and to fix defect prone products before they get to test and integration. We use inspection data to drive proactive defect prevention resulting in a closed loop process for product and process quality management. If your organization has a CMMI or Six Sigma goal, we can help you to effectively integrate inspections and defect prevention, particularly at CMMI levels 4 and 5.

For more information, read our white papers on Software Appraisals and Measurements and Management or e-mail us at Quality@SoftwareSixSigma.com.

Category:  Inspections and Defect Prevention
Course: Performing Software Appraisals
Length: 1.5 Days
Description: Performing Software Appraisals shows software engineers how to perform cost effective appraisals that can dramatically improve product quality and reduce project costs and cycle time. Covers personal reviews (bench-checks), walkthroughs and inspections. Emphasizes a disciplined approach based on Tom Gilb’s inspection process. Address roles, responsibilities, appraisal techniques, and measurements. Students work in teams to perform an actual inspection, taking turns in each inspection team role.

Category:  Inspections and Defect Prevention
Course:  Managing and Moderating Inspections
Length: 0.5 Days
Description:  Success of any inspection process depends on the skills of the inspection team leader. Managing and Moderating Inspections shows the an inspection team leader how to plan the inspection, establish entry and exit criteria, manage the inspection meeting, and perform the follow up meeting. Inspection team leaders learn how to set standards for professional behavior, deal with problem personalities, and ensure the efficient use of inspection time. Inspection team leaders lean how to exploit six sigma techniques to perform cost effective inspections that improve product quality and reduce project costs and they learn how to manage your inspection process to optimize return on investment and product quality while minimizing integration & test costs.

Category:  Inspections and Defect Prevention
Course:  Software Defect Prevention
Length:  1.5 Days
Description:  Software Defect Prevention shows how to implement a formal software defect prevention process that complements software appraisal and design processes. Participants learn how to record defects found in the appraisals, testing, and operations. They learn how to analyze defect data using Six Sigma techniques and how to to select and prioritize categories of defects for early detection or outright prevention. They learn specific techniques for making whole classes of defects unlikely to occur. Course includes participation in a hands-on defect prevention meeting.

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PERSONAL SOFTWARE PROCESS (PSP) AND TEAM SOFTWARE PROCESS (TSP)

The Personal Software Process (PSP) is an SEI technology that brings discipline to the practices of individual software engineers, dramatically improving product quality, increasing cost and schedule predictability, and reducing development cycle time for software.

The Team Software Process (TSP) is a complementary SEI technology that enables teams to develop software-intensive products more effectively. TSP shows a team of engineers how to produce quality products for planned costs and on aggressive schedules.

Watts Humphrey developed PSP and TSP at the SEI in the mid-1990’s. The PSP project was aimed at demonstrating that a CMM level 5 process could be used by an individual to develop high quality software without excessive process overhead. PSP proved quite successful and TSP was developed to provide a framework for applying PSP in a team setting to develop high quality software. The two processes are licensed SEI technologies.  They are almost always used together in a project setting.

TSP uses team based planning sessions called launches to put detailed project plans in place. Team based planning has a number of advantages. Five people working for 4 days will generate a far higher fidelity plan than one person working alone for 20 days. They will identify more tasks and more dependencies than a single person, and will be less likely to have a consistent estimating bias. Errors from multiple uncorrelated estimates tend to cancel out. The team will develop a plan faster than a single person. They will own it. They will use it.

TSP has been used with pure software teams and with mixed teams of hardware, software, systems, and test professionals. It has been shown to sharply reduce total development cost. In our experience, it has been common for new TSP teams to increase productivity from 30%-50% within one year. Product quality, measured in terms of defect escapes, typically improves 4x in the first year and gradually moves to 10x improvement.

PS&J Software Six Signa is an SEI partner for PSP and TSP, offering the full complement of SEI licensed training, project launches, and team coaching.

For more information, read our white paper on PSP & TSP or e-mail us at Quality@SoftwareSixSigma.com.

Category:  Team Software Process (TSP)
Course: TSP Executive Strategy Seminar
Length: 1.5 Days
Description: An introductory course that covers the key concepts and principles of the TSP and Personal Software Process (PSP) from a management perspective. The purpose of the course is to provide the foundation that managers need to begin to introduce and apply the TSP in their organization.

Category:  Team Software Process (TSP)
Course:  Leading a Development Team
Length: 3 Days
Description: This three-day course is designed to teach first-line managers or team leaders how to manage projects quantitatively in order to complete projects on schedule, within budget, and with all requirements met. The course covers the knowledge and skills leaders need to effectively lead and coach development teams.

Category:  Team Software Process (TSP)
Course:  TSP Team Member Training
Length: 2.5 Days
Description: This 2 1/2 day course is designed for system, hardware, and test engineers, technical writers, trainers, support personnel, and others who are not software developers but who will be participating in a self-direct team. It is also appropriate for members of integrated product development teams that are building software-intensive systems. Successful completion of the course will enable participants to understand the rationale and foundational concepts behind the PSP and TSP; to develop ways to measure size, time, and defects in their work; to use a personal planning framework to plan and track tasks; and to use the a quality strategy to manage the defects in their work and support the team's quality goals.

Category:  Team Software Process (TSP)
Course: PSP for Engineers:  Part I Fundamentals and & Part II Advanced
Length:  The full course can be delivered in a 10 Day or a 12 Day format
Description: Part I, Fundamentals, teaches software engineers the principles, concepts, and benefits of the PSP, a process-based approach for developing software. Students who complete the course will be able to apply the PSP methods to their own personal work process and participate on a Team Software Process (TSP) team. Students learn how to measure and analyze their personal software process, use process data to improve their personal performance, and apply PSP methods to other structured tasks. The student can choose to follow this course with Part II, PSP Advanced, which provides in-depth coverage of the advanced topics of PSP and picks up where PSP Fundamentals leaves off. Together the two courses cover a significant subset of the PSP Body of Knowledge and help to prepare students for the PSP Developer Certification exam.

Category:  Team Software Process (TSP)
Course: PSP Across the Life Cycle
Length: 4 Days
Description: The standard SEI-authorized PSP training is built around the application of PSP to implementation, i.e. the phase of the software life cycle that includes: detailed design, code, and unit test. This PS&J proprietary course shows how apply the PSP process to all the major software development activities including: requirements analysis, architecture design, integration & test, and maintenance.

Category:  Team Software Process (TSP)
Course: Six Sigma for PSP
Length: 3 Days
Description: Although PSP makes an excellent foundation for the application of Six Sigma techniques to software engineering, the standard SEI-authorized PSP training does not address the application of the Six Sigma tool kit for data analysis, continuous improvement, and process control. This PS&J proprietary course supplements the PSP for Engineers course with the information necessary to use Six Sigma to analyze PSP data, systematically improve process performance, and to control process performance to improved levels.

Category:  Team Software Process (TSP)
Course: TSP Team Launch
Length: 4 Days (Launch), 3 Days (Re-Launch)
Description: The TSP Launch is a project planning workshop that adds a project management layer to the PSP. It helps engineers to produce quality products for planned costs and on aggressive schedules. Engineers manage their own work and take ownership of their plans and processes. TSP helps the engineers to build a gelled, self-directed team and to perform as effective team members. It shows management how to guide and support these teams and how to maintain an environment that fosters high team performance.

PS&J recommends launching a TSP team four to six weeks after completion of PSP training followed by a re-launch approximately every three months until the project is completed. PSP and TSP are applicable to new development and maintenance. Team size ranges from 5 - 15 professionals for simple teams. Larger multi-teams can range up to several dozen professionals. A typical initial launch usually takes a little under 4 days.  A typical re-launch takes about 3 days.

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