Software improvements in an international company

The Schlumberger Laboratory for Computer Science (SLCS) was formed in 1989 as a corporate-wide resource to enhance the quality and creativity of software products within Schlumberger and to improve the productivity of software development. Because of a wide range of needs, it was necessary to decide which techniques SLCS's small software improvement team could use most effectively. The authors describe the choices made and the effectiveness of those choices in work with Schlumberger's engineering organizations. Through the motivation efforts of a small group, productive changes have occurred across the company. Improvements were made in many development areas, including project planning and requirements management. The catalysts behind these advances included capability assessments, training, and collaboration.<>