Studying online (if an online offering is shown below)
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
This unit focuses on the underlying principles of software processes, their analysis, measurement and improvement. These principles are examined using current research-oriented and commercial implementations. Understanding the principles enables a student to select an appropriate process methodology for a specific software development environment, measure its effectiveness and improve the process over time. Topics covered include software process components; development life cycles; processes modelling and simulation; measuring and assessing process methodologies; and the meta process and methodology verification. Current process methodologies that are critically examined include Rational Unified Process, Personal Software Process/Team Software Process, Lightweight (Agile) Processes and OpenSource Process. A variety of software process improvement and assessment methodologies are examined including CMM, CMMI, 6Sigma, TQM and AMI-Bootstrap.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
Availability Location Mode Not available in 2025 UWA (Perth) Face to face - Outcomes
Students are able to (1) describe the fundamentals of group dynamics and how they affect a software process; (2) critically evaluate a process and customise it to specific development environments; (3) employ mechanisms for the measurement and assessment of process effectiveness; (4) critically comment on all aspects of software development life cycles and processes; (5) explain a number of key process methodologies and models; and (6) improve and optimise processes.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) projects; (2) research seminar and report; and (3) final exam. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Arran Stewart
- Unit rules
- Prerequisites
- enrolment inthe 62550 Master of Professional Engineering (Software Engineering) and completion of 12 points of programming-based units
- Incompatibility
- CITS8220 The Software Process: Principles, Implementation and Improvement.
CITS4222 Software Engineering Industry Project Leadership
- Text
-
Humphrey, W. S. Team Software Process: Leading a Development Team: Addison-Wesley 2008
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.