ADPD and SW-CMM

ADPD has been discussed in the previous chapter and introduced as an Agile methodology, but focused on reaching the Level 3 of SW-CMM (Paulk, Curtis, Chrissis, & Weber, 1993; Paulk, Weber, Garcia, Chrissis, & Bush, 1993). In this chapter, all the relationships between ADPD and SW-CMM at Level 3 will be discussed in order to verify how it is possible to adopt an Agile methodology and at the same time be compliant with standard methods such as the SW-CMM. In the chapter not related to Agile methodologies, a short introduction to SW-CMM has been reported, but in order to have clear detail of the matching between SW-CMM Level 3 and ADPD, it is necessary to describe in more detail the CMM Key Process Areas (KPAs) related to Levels 2 and 3. In Table 1, the KPAs for the target maturity levels are reported. KPA 2.4 will not be addressed in this discussion, since the target environment discussed in Chapter VII does not include the case in which subcontracting exists and since subcontracting requires a development method that is more structured; therefore, it is difficult to achieve by the ADPD or Agile methodologies, in general. Subcontracting can be considered for the sake of simplicity as COTS (components off the shelf); all the other KPAs must be addressed and satisfied. Paulk (2001) examines the relationships between XP and SW-CMM, evidencing if the KPAs are addressed totally, partially, or not at all.