DreamSpring Processes
The Path from Dream to Reality
Why Processes?
The purpose of any process is to:
- allow best practices to be consistently repeated by any staff member.
- discover and record best practices.
These two things more than make up for the significant effort required in implementing and using processes.
The DreamSpring Processes
The currently available documents on our processes:
- DreamTeam new product process - the overall product development process
Process Tools
We use the following techniques and tools:
- inspections - check for defects early
- cycles - release early and often
- roles - divide responsibilities
- flow of artefacts - track dependencies
- CVS - version control for all documents and source
- WinCVS - a GUI client for CVS
- time tracking - to improve planning
- defect tracking - to improve quality
Tailoring the Processes
For each project, the processes are tailored to suit its particular demands.
Tailoring ensures that the processes are the "ideal" weight for the project. We are developing techniques for formalising the tailorability of our processes.
Origins of our Processes
The processes used within DreamSpring are chosen to ensure innovation, customer focus, and quality (see our mission).
With that in mind, we have drawn inspiration from popular processes within the IT industry and the broader business world:
- Cooper's Stage-Gate™ Process - the overall framework for our product development
- Team Software ProcessSM (TSPSM) from SEI - techniques for building quality into the product and team
- Rational Unified Process® (RUP®) from Rational® - object oriented, iterative development ideas
- UML - the Universal Modelling Language used to design complex object oriented products
- Use Cases: Requirements in Context, written by Daryl Kulak and Eamonn Guiney - a great process for iteratively developing software requirements using UML
