ISO/IEC 15504
This topic contains questions and answers about ISO/IEC 15504.
Contents:
- What is ISO/IEC 15504?
- What does the SEI plan to do to be compliant to this standard? How will the SEI help the community prepare to meet this standard?
- How does ISO/IEC 15504 relate to the Software CMM and to ISO 9001?
- Will the software community have to choose between 15504 and their current model of choice?
- What are the considerations in determining whether 15504 conformance is important to my business?
- How can I obtain more information about 15504?
What is ISO/IEC 15504?
ISO/IEC 15504 is an international standard for process assessment developed under the auspices of the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC).
During the course of its development, it has evolved from a focus on a single reference model of good software practice to a framework for process appraisal encompassing the field of information technology. It is applicable to multiple disciplines and allows for discipline communities to define their own set of discipline-specific processes and reference models or good practice. It is a framework standard in that it is directed primarily to model and method developers as opposed to off-the-shelf usage.
The full international Standard version of 15504 consists of five documents. 15504-1 (Concepts and Vocabulary), 15504-2 (Performing an Assessment), 15504-3 (Guidance on Performing an Assessment), 15504-4 (Guidance on Use for Process Improvement and Process Capability Determination), and 15504-5 (An Exemplar Process Assessment Model) were published in 2003-2006.
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What does the SEI plan to do to be compliant to this standard? How will the SEI help the community prepare to meet this standard?
The SEI continues to work with industry and government to align the CMMI Product Suite closely with 15504. Model changes made in v1.2 have further improved the compatibility of CMMI with ISO 15504. The SEI has reported on joint appraisal efforts with the ISO 15504 editor to confirm the usability of CMMI appraisal documentation in the 15504 framework. For more information, see http://www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi/adoption/pdf/kitson06.pdf. The SEI is also working with the international standards community to influence the continued development of 15504 along with key process reference models such as those for ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 12207, and ISO/IEC 15288.
return to topHow does ISO/IEC 15504 relate to the Software CMM and to ISO 9001?
ISO/IEC 15504 is an independent effort by ISO/IEC. It was inspired by the Software CMM and ISO 9001, but the purpose of 15504 is to harmonize a number of different models (including the Software CMM, CMMI, ISO 9001, ISO 12207, Trillium, Software Technology Diagnostic, and Bootstrap) and assessment methods (including CBA IPI, SCE 3.0, Bootstrap, and SCAMPI). In contrast, ISO 9001 is an established set of requirements for quality management systems.
return to topWill the software community have to choose between 15504 and their current model of choice?
No, the role of 15504 is to provide a harmonizing framework within which existing or future models and assessment methods can conform. It is not designed or intended for stand-alone use. Therefore, the only choice facing potential users is whether 15504 conformancy is important to their business. If it is, then potential users would need to use methods and models that are 15504 conformant.
return to topWhat are the considerations in determining whether 15504 conformance is important to my business?
There are several factors to consider. Do you provide products to a customer who is likely to ask for assessment results generated by a 15504-conformant assessment? Are multiple assessment methods/models used within your enterprise? If one or more of these is the case then 15504 conformance may be relevant.
return to topHow can I obtain more information about 15504?
More information can be found on the ISO Web site at http://www.iso.org.
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