BOOTSTRAP 3.0—A SPICE1 Conformant Software Process Assessment Methodology

BOOTSTRAP methodology was initially developed in an ESPRIT project together with European industry. After February 1993, the methodology has been managed and further developed by a European Economic Interest Group, called BOOTSTRAP Institute. BOOTSTRAP methodology version 3.0 was released in September 1997. It is compliant with the ISO/IEC software engineering standard number 15504, the emerging standard on software process assessment. The core of the methodology consists of an assessment model and method. The assessment model of the methodology version 3.0 was updated to align with the ISO 12207 life-cycle and 15504 reference model requirements. In addition to the Process and Capability dimensions, it contains a Technology dimension. The Process dimension contains 33 different processes organised in six clusters: Organisation, Life Cycle Dependent, Management, Support, Customer-Supplier, and Process Related. The Capability dimension consists of six levels, each level consisting of one or more process attributes, adopted from ISO 15504. An assessment is conducted at SPU and project levels. The BOOTSTRAP Institute organises and co-ordinates assessor training and registration scheme. BOOTSTRAP methodology is being used in two European projects: SPAM and PROFES.