[comp.software-eng] software grows up

rob@perle.UUCP (Rob McDougall) (06/20/89)

     I read an article in the June issue of Electronics magazine
     called 'It's Time To Grow Up',  written by Jack Shandle. 
     The piece describes the levels of maturity of all software
     companies in terms of five levels.  The first level is
     characterized by being 'chaotic', and is occupied by 84% of
     the companies surveyed.  The second level is 'intuitive' and
     is occupied by only 14% of the companies surveyed, while the
     third level or 'quantitative' level is occupied by a meager
     2%.  No companies were in the fourth or fifth levels.    

     The information in the article was from an organization based
     in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University, called the
     Software Engineering Institute (SEI), directed by Watts
     Humphery.  

     I am very interested in finding more out about the ranking
     system used by SEI, and was wondering if anyone out there
     knew of any information relating to them, or knew of any
     contacts within the company that I could get in touch with.  

     Your help is appreciated.  
-- 
Rob McDougall				Perle Systems Inc; Scarborough, Ontario
nunc est bibendum                     
                                        UUCP: ....!uunet!mnetor!perle!rob

bwalker@marlin.NOSC.MIL (Beth Walker) (06/21/89)

The SEI Joint Program Office has published a technical
report on the methodology used.  

Technical Report CMU/SEI-87-TR-23
ESD-TR-87-186

Title:  A Method for Assessing the Software
Engineering Capability of Contractors.

Authors:  W.S. Humphrey and W.L. Sweet


The copy I have says that the document is available
through the Defense Technical Information Center.  The
address given is:

Defense Technical Information Center
Attn: FDRA
Cameron Station
Alexandria, VA  22304-6145