posted 06 April 1999 05:33 PM               

From: "Pat Dey"
Subject: SPICE: ISO Standard for Software Process Assessment/Dey

I think many answers to our recent debate on the costs and benefits of
external ISO 9000 audits might be found, for the software industry, in SPICE.

Here are some quotes from their website
http://www.sqi.gu.edu.au on the development of the new ISO 15504 standard for software process assessment which, in draft form, is being trialled around the world this year.

"SPICE" is a major international initiative to support the development of an International Standard for Software Process Assessment. The project has three principal goals:

- to develop a working draft for a standard for software process assessment.
- to conduct industry trials of the emerging standard.
- to promote the technology transfer of software process assessment into the software industry world-wide. "

"This International Standard incorporates the intent of the ISO 9000 series to provide confidence in a supplier's quality management whilst providing acquirers with a framework for assessing whether potential suppliers have the capability to meet their needs. Process assessment provides users with the ability to evaluate process capability on a continuous scale in a comparable and repeatable way, rather than using the pass/fail characteristic of quality audits based on ISO 9001. "

This work appears to be combining the best of the ISO 9k standards for software (eg TickIT) with the SEI's work on the Capability Maturity Model and other major initiatives. Significantly, it provides an international forum for defining and improving the assessment (audit) process.