The properties of the three parts and the uses of the process frameworks are described in detail later in this article. The procedural framework is necessary to represent common procedural activities. A process framework for software engineering describes five framework activities. Communication, planning, modeling, construction, and deployment are all examples of framework activities.
Each engineering action defined by a framework activity comprises a list of necessary work results, project milestones, and software quality assurance (SQA) points. The documents also provide the key performance indicators that the APQC recommends for measuring and monitoring the performance of each group of processes. Whether you're looking to compare, manage content, or define business processes, process frameworks save you time and effort by providing a foundation on which to build. Each process category has its own document with detailed definitions and key measures for each process, to help organizations identify and align their activities with global terminology.
The sets of tasks, the general activities, and the activities of the process framework define the characteristics of the software development process. To help you understand these processes, the APQC has created definitions that link each process in the PCF. Process frameworks are essentially lists of all the key processes that take place in an organization, grouped hierarchically to show how they relate to each other. In addition to the cross-sector PCF, APQC offers additional versions of the PCF that include industry-specific processes and nuances.
Find out what the PCF is, why organizations use it, the difference between cross-sector and industry-specific PCFs, and how to access the definitions and metrics of the processes included in the PCF. Read these case studies to discover how leading organizations in various industries use the PCF as a basis and common language to help them develop and manage standardized processes. General activities are carried out during a software development process to improve project management and monitoring. The skills needed to select, design, and apply process frameworks for a myriad of value-based purposes will also be discussed.
APQC (American Productivity & Quality Center) is the world's leading authority on benchmarking, best practices, process and performance improvement, and knowledge management (KM).