Improving Software Development through Three Stages

In three stages covering 12 years and 16 projects, a software development group worked on attaining visible schedule control and usable software design documentation. The first stage identified two major problems: unstable code and schedule delays. The group used code inspection to address the immediate issue of code construction. In the second stage, the group formulated and implemented a software development process that addressed the entire software development life cycle. The third stage improved that process. The major factor in process improvement was the group's willingness to identify its mistakes and problems.