The State of Software Engineering Practice: A Preliminary Report
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-89-TR-001Abstract
This is the first in a series of SEI reports to provide periodic updates on the state of software engineering practice in the DoD software community. The SEI has developed, and is refining, a process framework and assessment methodology for characterizing the processes used by software organizations to develop and evolve software products. This report provides a brief overview of the process framework and assessment approach, describes assessment results obtained to date, and discusses implications of the current state of the practice for both customers and suppliers of DoD software.
Cite This SEI Report
Humphrey, W., Kitson, D., & Kasse, T. (1989, February 1). The State of Software Engineering Practice: A Preliminary Report. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-89-TR-001). Retrieved September 15, 2026, from https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/the-state-of-software-engineering-practice-a-preliminary-report/.
@techreport{humphrey_1989,
author={Humphrey, Watts and Kitson, David and Kasse, Timothy},
title={The State of Software Engineering Practice: A Preliminary Report},
month={Feb},
year={1989},
number={{CMU/SEI-89-TR-001},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
url={https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/the-state-of-software-engineering-practice-a-preliminary-report/},
note={Accessed: 2026-Sep-15}
}
Humphrey, Watts, David Kitson, and Timothy Kasse. "The State of Software Engineering Practice: A Preliminary Report." (CMU/SEI-89-TR-001). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, February 1, 1989. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/the-state-of-software-engineering-practice-a-preliminary-report/.
W. Humphrey, D. Kitson, and T. Kasse, "The State of Software Engineering Practice: A Preliminary Report," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-89-TR-001, 1-Feb-1989 [Online]. Available: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/the-state-of-software-engineering-practice-a-preliminary-report/. [Accessed: 15-Sep-2026].
Humphrey, Watts, David Kitson, and Timothy Kasse. "The State of Software Engineering Practice: A Preliminary Report." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-89-TR-001). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Feb. 1989. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/the-state-of-software-engineering-practice-a-preliminary-report/. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.
Humphrey, Watts; Kitson, David; & Kasse, Timothy. The State of Software Engineering Practice: A Preliminary Report. CMU/SEI-89-TR-001. Software Engineering Institute. 1989. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/the-state-of-software-engineering-practice-a-preliminary-report/