Six
Sigma in the software industry must have caused a few eyelids to bat in its
early days. Six Sigma in manufacturing is completely understandable. For the
same logic to apply to software products, it still has a long way to go to
establish itself. However, for the moment it is safe to assume that there exist
factors within the software industry that contribute to the shift that we
discussed above. This also makes way for examples such as constant changing
tools like hardware & software, decline in adherence to procedures, etc.
Level of CMM© At Which Six
Sigma Can Be Applied
Six
Sigma needs to be applied a bit differently when it comes to software service
companies. For a company intending to streamline their processes, Six Sigma
contributes well by way of helping to refine the mechanism.
It may not seem too practical to talk about
defect-free processes so that you can begin implementation. The need here is
the road map for organizations to work on defect control targets in stages. CMM
level 1 and level 2 companies may find Six Sigma to be ideal to augment their
framework application procedures for defect reduction. Levels above 3 will have
attained the maturity levels sufficient for immediately implementing framework of
measurement practices and will proceed further. At the mature levels of CMM 4
and 5, you can establish the complex metrics of ‘true’ Six Sigma to maximize
leverage.
Techniques of Six Sigma for Software
As
with manufacturing, the fundamental step is to begin with ‘the customer is
always right’ approach. You can use a number of metrics, tools and charts to
define customer specifications for critiquing and analyzing various parameters
such as cost, quality and schedules at different levels.
There is no reason why Six Sigma will not go beyond
cosmetic improvements and changes in the software industry. The ‘goal
questioning metric’ or GQM, may be made use of in combination with other tools.
The GQM technique combines well with the DMAIC model of Six Sigma. This is
especially helpful, especially with Six Sigma being more focused on data-
driven techniques.
However, you must keep in mind that when applying
Six Sigma in your organization, it is necessary that suitability of a chosen
tool or technique is established beforehand.
The Big
Question
The big question as to whether Six Sigma can really
be applied as successfully in the software industry as it was to manufacturing
is still being debated. The real challenge is to see if it can be implemented
without reinventing the wheel. There is
also disagreement among leaders in the software industry about the need for Six
Sigma.
One possible solution is that the proven processes
of CMM, PSP and ISO can always contribute while Six Sigma can be used a
complimentary tool.