BOOTSTRAP: five years of assessment experience

The main characteristics of the BOOTSTRAP method are briefly described, i.e. the reference framework, the assessment procedure, the structure of the questionnaires and the rating and scoring mechanisms used. The major part deals with the results of the BOOTSTRAP assessments performed worldwide over the last 5 years. In this part, major experiences from over 40 sites and 180 projects are analysed in detail and summarised. The empirical data support the basic concepts of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), but demonstrate that the more detailed profiles the BOOTSTRAP method provides are an excellent instrument to identify strengths and weaknesses of an organisation. BOOTSTRAP proved to be a very efficient and effective means not only to assess the current status of software process quality but also to initiate appropriate improvement actions. The last part deals with future trends in software process assessment approaches, i.e. the development of a common framework for performing assessments.