Bootstrap: fine-tuning process assessment

Bootstrap was a project done as part of the European Strategic Program for Research in Information Technology. Its goal was to develop a method for software-process assessment, quantitative measurement, and improvement. In executing that goal, Bootstrap enhanced and refined the Software Engineering Institute´s process-assessment method and adapted it to the needs of the European software industry-including nondefense sectors like banking, insurance, and administration. This adaptation provided a method that could be applied to a variety of software-producing units, small to medium software companies or departments that produce software within a large company. Although the Bootstrap project completed in 1993, its attribute-based method for assessing process maturity continues to evolve. The authors describe the elements of the method, how it can be used to determine readiness for ISO 9001 certification, and how it was applied in two instances to substantially improve processes.<>