What is Software process framework And, Umbrella activities

 ❖ Software generic process framework activities

. A process framework establishes the foundation for a complete software process by identifying a small number of framework activities that are applicable to all software projects, regardless of their size or complexity.

• In fig each framework activity is populated by a set of software engineering actions. A collection of related tasks that produces a major software engineering work product.

• Each action in process framework is populated with individual work tasks that accomplish some part of the work implied by the action.

1. Communication:

Communication framework activity involves heavy communication and collaboration with the customer,encompasses requirements gathering, data gathering and other related activities.

2. Planning:

Planning activity establishes a plan for software engineering work that follows. Planning describes the technical tasks to be conducted, the resources that will be required, schedule, and the risks that are likely in the work products to be produced.

3. Modeling:

Modeling activity encompasses the creation of models that allow the developer and the customer to better understand software requirements specifications and the design that will achieve those requirements.

There are two types of modeling i.e. analysis modeling and design modeling.

4. Construction:

Construction activity combines code generation and the testing.

5. Deployment:

The software is delivered to the customers who evaluates the delivered product and provides feedback based on the evaluation.

❖ Umbrella activities:

 .Types of Umbrella activities

1) Software project tracking and control

2) Risk management

3) Software Quality Assurance (SQA)

4) Formal Technical Reviews (FTR)

5) Measurement

6) Software Configuration Management (SCM)

7) Reusability management

8) Work product preparation and production

1)Software project tracking and control

•In this activity, the developing team accesses project plan and compares it with the predefined schedule.

•If these project plans do not match with the predefined schedule, then the required actions are taken to maintain the schedule.

2)Risk management

•Risk is an event that may or may not occur.

•If the event occurs, then it causes some unwanted outcome. Hence, proper risk management is required.

3)Software Quality Assurance (SQA)

•SQA is the planned and systematic pattern of activities which are required to give a guarantee of software quality. For example, during the software development meetings are conducted at every stage of development to find out the defects and suggest improvements to produce good quality software.

4)Formal Technical Reviews (FTR)

•FTR is a meeting conducted by the technical staff.

•The motive of the meeting is to detect quality problems and suggest improvements.

•The technical person focuses on the quality of the software from the customer point of view.

5)Measurement

•Measurement consists of the effort required to measure the software.

•The software cannot be measured directly. It is measured by direct and indirect measures.

•Direct measures like cost, lines of code, size of software etc.

•Indirect measures such as quality of software which is measured by some other factor. Hence, it is an indirect measure of software.

6)Software Configuration Management (SCM)

•It manages the effect of change throughout the software process.

7)Reusability management

•It defines the criteria for reuse the product.

•The quality of software is good when the components of the software are developed for certain application and are useful for developing other applications.

8)Work product preparation and production

•It consists of the activities that are needed to create the documents, forms, lists, logs and user manuals for developing a software.