Automating Software Productivity Planning: Lightweight Tools for Upgrading Team Practices

Abstract

A lightweight iterative workflow, called Productivity and Sustainability Improvement Planning (PSIP) has been developed to assist software teams with employing good software engineering practices. Three PSIP tools automate practice summarization, self-assessment, and progress tracking to enhance team engagement around software process improvement: Reposcanner, RateYourProject (RYP) and Progress Tracking Cards (PTCs) respectively. Reposcanner is a data analysis tool. RYP is an interactive self-assessment tool that provides an easy-to-use entry point to the PSIP process. Once process improvements are identified, PTCs are created by teams to measure outcomes and progression toward their goals. We present an exemplifying case study with a software team where these tools have been put to use, along with a description of the tools, and future plans for further improvements.