When dealing with improvements, organizations seek to find a break-even point for their applications as early as possible in order to maximize the return from their investment. However, in some cases such a strategy can lead to a long term failure by not realizing the full benefits, when focusing only on a short term. The LEGO (Living EnGineering prOcess) approach – a method for building your own process meta-model based on multiple inputs – is a way to make an organization more efficient and effective, optimizing resources, as well as time and costs through looking at its entire Business Process Model. This paper introduces the elements for designing a strategy for a more valuable deployment of a process improvement initiative, in order to optimize the choice of the models and elements to be considered as an input to the LEGO approach

1. EuroSPI2 2012 – 19° EuroSPI Conference
Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
Guidelines for a Profitable
Deployment
www.eng.it
Luigi BBuugglliioonnee
Christiane GGrreessssee vvoonn WWaannggeennhheeiimm
Fergal MMccCCaaffffeerryy
Jean C.R. HHaauucckk
The LEGO Strategy

2. www.eng.it
DKIT At a glance
Dundalk Institute of
Technology is a 90 acre
campus situated between
Dublin and Belfast (each
approximately 50 miles
away).
The Institute consists of 4
Schools:
1. Business & Humanities
2. Informatics & Creative
Arts
3. Engineering
The Regulated Software Research Group which is 4. Health & Science
part of LERO (the Irish Software Engineering
Research Centre) is part of the School of Informatics
& Creative Media

3. FFiinnaannccee IInndduussttrryy TTEELLCCOO UUttiilliittiieess
PPAA & HHCC
4466
Managed Operations Broadband & Media
www.eng.it
Engineering At a glance
ERP IT Security ECM
Plant Management
System
SSyysstteemm IInntt.. &
CCoonnssuullttaannccyy
OOuuttssoouurrcciinngg
SSooffttwwaarree
7700
1100
2200
8800
2200
5544
2277
1199
8800
1100
1100
%
%
%%
RReesseeaarrcchh aanndd
DDeevveellooppmmeenntt
3355
1199
_The first Italian ICT player
_ more than 730 M/€ revenues
_ 1000 clients
_ 6,300 IT specialists
wwwwww.e.enngg.i.tit

4. www.eng.it
UFSC At a glance
Federal University of Santa Catarina
Florianópolis/Brazil [http://www.ufsc.br]
• 48 Master courses
• 38 PhD courses
• 62 Undergraduate courses
• EUR 268 million annual budget
• 25,737 Undergraduate students
• 8,543 Graduate students
• 34,280 Students
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6E1Z5DEuvk]
INCoD is to be a reference institute for excellence in research, validation
and dissemination to support digital convergence. [http://www.incod.ufsc.br]
The Software Quality Group focuses on scientific research, development and
transfer of SE models, methods and tools. [http://www.gqs.ufsc.br]

5. The LEGO Strategy Goals of the presentation
G1. Discuss the benefits from a well established long-term
strategy (not only tactic…)
G2. Propose the LLEEGGOO approach for making
organizations more effective and efficient, optimizing
resources
G3. Show the needed elements for designing a strategy
for a better deployment of a process improvement initiative
5 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

6. Agenda
The LEGO Strategy
6 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Introduction
– What is Strategy?
– IT Projects: State-of-the-art
• Why Process Improvement Programs Fail?
– The Three Waves and Most Recurring Problems
– Further Attention Points
• Looking for a Solution: Back to the Strategy
– Reactive vs Proactive Models
– The LEGO approach
– Looking for a Strategy
• Establishing a Strategy from Historical Data
– Positioning the LEGO approach in the PDCA Cycle
– Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work
• Conclusions Next Steps
• Q A

7. Introduction What is Strategy?
7 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

8. Introduction IT Projects: State-of-the-Art (11/2)
Example: CHAOS Reports Example: CHAOS Reports 2 2000022--0088 D Daatata
FFaailieledd p prroojejecctsts s seeeemmss t oto i ninccrreeaassee
Several top-5 (or top-10) lists for
main causes:
http://goo.gl/LT5Wc
http://goo.gl/ZCk6T
http://goo.gl/xde73
http://goo.gl/hBFMp
http://goo.gl/NohkZ
...
Several top-5 (or top-10) lists for
main causes:
http://goo.gl/LT5Wc
http://goo.gl/ZCk6T
http://goo.gl/xde73
http://goo.gl/hBFMp
http://goo.gl/NohkZ
...
8 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

9. Introduction IT Projects: State-of-the-Art (22/2)
Weak alignment
between perspectives
Few attention to COQ
(Cost of Quality)
Some questions:
•Thus, aren’t strategies really applied in organizations?
• Which are the main root causes for failure?
• Could MCMs (Maturity Capability Models) help in improving the whole picture?
Some questions:
•Thus, aren’t strategies really applied in organizations?
• Which are the main root causes for failure?
• Could MCMs (Maturity Capability Models) help in improving the whole picture?
9 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
Weak alignment
between perspectives
Few attention to COQ
(Cost of Quality)

10. Agenda
The LEGO Strategy
10 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Introduction
– What is Strategy?
– IT Projects: State-of-the-art
• Why Process Improvement Programs Fail?
– The Three Waves and Most Recurring Problems
– Further Attention Points
• Looking for a Solution: Back to the Strategy
– Reactive vs Proactive Models
– The LEGO approach
– Looking for a Strategy
• Establishing a Strategy from Historical Data
– Positioning the LEGO approach in the PDCA Cycle
– Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work
• Conclusions Next Steps
• Q A

11. Why PI Programs Fail? The Three Waves Most Recurring Problems
Y2K
11 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
Mid ’90s
1
Mid Y2K
2
1. Get certified by ISO 9001/9002
2. Get compliant by MCMs (e.g. CMMI, SPICE, etc.)
3
3. Multimodel Approach (e.g. SEI’s PRIME, etc.)

12. Why PI Programs Fail? Further Attention Points
Some misconceptions and issues can be:
•• An ISO management system ssttaannddaarrdd iiss aabboouutt rreeqquuiirreemmeennttss,, nnoott
pprroocceesssseess
Maybe trivial, but not always clear a management system standard is not directly comparable
•• RRuunn aa RRCCAA aatt tthhee ssttrraatteeggiicc lleevveell ttoo eessttaabblliisshh tthhee mmaaiinn lliisstt ooff iissssuueess ttoo
bbee ffiixxeedd wwiitthh pprriioorriittyy ffoorr aa ssuussttaaiinnaabbllee,, mmiidd--lloonngg tteerrmm iimmpprroovveemmeenntt
pprrooggrraamm
12 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
with a process model
•• SSttaaggeedd rreepprreesseennttaattiioonnss iinn MMCCMM hhaass pprrooss ccoonnss
Some core processes are not visible till the end
E.g. in CMMI the process about RCA (Root-Cause Analysis) is CAR (ML5)
Common acceptance about a high-level equivalence between ISO 9001:2008 certification and
CMMI ML2-3
RCA is a mandatory requirement for get certified with ISO 9001:2008
•• ‘‘HHoorriizzoonnttaall’’ MMCCMMss ccaann mmiissss ssoommee ddeettaaiillss
Horizontal vs Vertical MCMs: http://slidesha.re/JotY6V
Yet done a preliminary analysis of main CSFs?
• Run a RCA at the strategic level to establish the main list of issues to
be fixed with priority for a sustainable, mid-long term improvement
program

13. Agenda
The LEGO Strategy
13 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Introduction
– What is Strategy?
– IT Projects: State-of-the-art
• Why Process Improvement Programs Fail?
– The Three Waves and Most Recurring Problems
– Further Attention Points
• Looking for a Solution: Back to the Strategy
– Reactive vs Proactive Models
– The LEGO approach
– Looking for a Strategy
• Establishing a Strategy from Historical Data
– Positioning the LEGO approach in the PDCA Cycle
– Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work
• Conclusions Next Steps
• Q A

14. Looking for a Solution Reactive vs Proactive Models
•• Possible oorrggaanniizzaattiioonnaall ‘‘ppoossttuurree’’
Reactive compliance
Proactive improvement (+ compliance)
•• CCeerrttiiffiiccaattiioonnss
Should be the ‘natural’ consequence of a proper acting
in applying common-sense rules and principles, not
the target for an improvement program
•• MMaaiinn eelleemmeennttss ttoo ffooccuuss oonn……
People (e.g. CMMI-DEV RD about req. elicitation)
DIKW (Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom) as a
path toward a complete and satisfactory Knowledge
Management process (e.g. from ITIL v3 2011 ST core
book)
14 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

15. Looking for a Solution The LEGO Approach
11. .MMCCMM R Reeppoossitiotoryry 2. Process
15 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
2. Process
Architecture
Architecture
3. Mappings 44. .AAppppraraisisaal lM Meeththoodd
Comparisons
3. Mappings
Comparisons
1.
Identify goals
2.
Query the
MCM repository
3.
Include new
elements
4.
Adapt
Adopt
Source: Buglione L., Gresse von Wangenheim C., Hauck J.C.R., Mc Caffery F., The
LEGO Maturity Capability Model Approach, Proceedings of 5WCSQ, 5th World
Congress on Software Quality, Shanghai (China), Oct 31- Nov 4 2011

16. Looking for a Solution Looking for a Strategy
TThhee S STTOOMMooddeel l
LLeevveell SScceennaarriioo ##11 –– GGooaallss SScceennaarriioo ##22 -- GGooaallss
• Run periodical appraisals using the
resulting (LEGO) meta-model mapped on
the organizational Business Process Model
(BPM)
• Run quarterly audits based on ISO
19011:2011 guidance
16 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
O - Operational
• Become compliant with main best
practice models/frameworks after taking
the best of them using the LEGO approach
• Become ISO 9001 certified within 2
years
T – Tactical
• Be the best ICT provider in a certain
market
• Provide quality S – Strategic product/services

17. Agenda
The LEGO Strategy
17 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Introduction
– What is Strategy?
– IT Projects: State-of-the-art
• Why Process Improvement Programs Fail?
– The Three Waves and Most Recurring Problems
– Further Attention Points
• Looking for a Solution: Back to the Strategy
– Reactive vs Proactive Models
– The LEGO approach
– Looking for a Strategy
• Establishing a Strategy from Historical Data
– Positioning the LEGO approach in the PDCA Cycle
– Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work
• Conclusions Next Steps
• Q A

18. Establishing a Strategy LEGO in the PDCA Cycle
•• SSoommee nnootteess……
‘+’ potential added value
Coloured actions additional steps for implementing a strategy against the typical
PDCA-based improvement
18 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Some notes…
‘+’ potential added value
Coloured actions additional steps for implementing a strategy against the typical
PDCA-based improvement

19. Establishing a Strategy Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work (11/6)
Source: Buglione L., Strengthening CMMI Maturity Levels with a Quantitative Approach to Root-Cause Analysis, Proceedings of the 5th Software
Measurement European Forum (SMEF 2008), Milan (Italy), 28-30 May 2008, ISBN 9-788870-909999, pp. 67-82, URL: http://goo.gl/T4ROJ
19 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

20. Establishing a Strategy Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work (22/6)
Possible sources with best
Possible sources with best
practices for finding
practices for finding
solutions to a root-cause
solutions to a root-cause
RRoooot-t-CCaauusseess
20 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

21. Establishing a Strategy Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work (33/6)
MMooddeell VVeerrssiioonn PPrroocceessss GGooaall PPrraaccttiiccee FFrreeqquueennccyy IImmppll.. PPrriioorriittyy
Id. PPAA SSGG//GGGG SSPP//GGPP CCaauussee--EEffffeecctt
1 CMMI-DEV 1.3 MA – Meas Analysis SG 1 1 B
2 CMMI-DEV 1.3 MA – Meas Analysis SG 2 1 B
OPD – Org. Process SP 1.4 1 B
Definition
4 CMMI-DEV 1.3 PI – Product Integration 1 E
5 CMMI-DEV 1.3 PP – Project Planning GP 2.5 1 C
6 CMMI-DEV 1.3 RD – Req. Development SP 1.1 2 A
7 CMMI-DEV 1.3 RD – Req. Development SG 3 1 A
8 CMMI-DEV 1.3 REQM – Req. Management SP 1.3 1 D
9 CMMI-DEV 1.3 REQM – Req. Management SP 1.4 1 D
10 CMMI-DEV 1.3 VER – Verification SP 1.3 1 E
11 CMMI-DEV 1.3 VER - Verification SG 1 1 E
•• SSoommee nnootteess……
Establish a priority by frequency + causal relationships among processes
E.g. see CMMI-DEV ‘Related PAs’ section within each PA description at the beginning
21 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
3 CMMI-DEV 1.3
• Some notes…
Establish a priority by frequency + causal relationships among processes
E.g. see CMMI-DEV ‘Related PAs’ section within each PA description at the beginning

22. Establishing a Strategy Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work (44/6)
PPrroocceessss FFrreeqquueennccyy PPrriioorriittyy
RD 3 A
MA 2 B
REQM 2 D
VER 2 E
OPD 1 B
PP 1 C
PI 1 E
•• SSoommee nnootteess……
• Some notes…
Plot processes by frequency
Plot processes by frequency
22 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

23. Establishing a Strategy Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work (55/6)
PPrriioorriittyy PPrroocceessss FFrreeqquueennccyy
A RD 3
B MA, OPD 3
C PP 1
D REQM 2
E VER, PI 3
•• SSoommee nnootteess……
Grouped processes by cause-effect can be another element for grouping
corrective/improvement actions
E.g. MA + OPD historical data (gathering) and proper definitions of measures at the
beginning or during the project lifetime
E.g. VER + PI few integration tests run (VER) and a format data incompatibility (PI)
23 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Some notes…
Grouped processes by cause-effect can be another element for grouping
corrective/improvement actions
E.g. MA + OPD historical data (gathering) and proper definitions of measures at the
beginning or during the project lifetime
E.g. VER + PI few integration tests run (VER) and a format data incompatibility (PI)

24. Establishing a Strategy Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work (66/6)
24 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck

25. Agenda
The LEGO Strategy
25 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Introduction
– What is Strategy?
– IT Projects: State-of-the-art
• Why Process Improvement Programs Fail?
– The Three Waves and Most Recurring Problems
– Further Attention Points
• Looking for a Solution: Back to the Strategy
– Reactive vs Proactive Models
– The LEGO approach
– Looking for a Strategy
• Establishing a Strategy from Historical Data
– Positioning the LEGO approach in the PDCA Cycle
– Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work
• Conclusions Next Steps
• Q A

26. Conclusions Next Steps
The LEGO Strategy
Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you
one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of
circumstances. (SSSSuuuunnnn TTTTzzzzuuuu)
26 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Strategy
A ‘flavour of the month’ approach cannot look to the mid-long term
Must fit with the organizational size and main attributes
Must be aligned with the ‘MVV’ (Mission-Vision-Values) of the organization
• Process Improvement programs
Often based on ‘horizontal’ models, missing the depth for some improvement actions
Need to ‘go deep’, merging elements from several models and frameworks
The LEGO (Living EnGineering prOcess) approach
http://slideshare.re/nssLR8 [5WCSQ, Shangai, Nov 2011]
Choose and integrate the ‘pieces of the puzzle’ you need for your goals the target is
your QMS, not the model(s) you’re using
The ‘LEGO Strategy’
Run a RCA in the ‘Plan’ phase in an improvement plan
Coordinate the three STO (Strategic – Tactical – Operational) levels
Derive the strategy from your historical data
...why don’t try?
Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you
one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of
circumstances. (SSSSuuuunnnn TTTTzzzzuuuu)

27. Agenda
The LEGO Strategy
27 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
• Introduction
– What is Strategy?
– IT Projects: State-of-the-art
• Why Process Improvement Programs Fail?
– The Three Waves and Most Recurring Problems
– Further Attention Points
• Looking for a Solution: Back to the Strategy
– Reactive vs Proactive Models
– The LEGO approach
– Looking for a Strategy
• Establishing a Strategy from Historical Data
– Positioning the LEGO approach in the PDCA Cycle
– Focusing on Strategy: Making it Work
• Conclusions Next Steps
• Q A

28. Lessons Learned...
28 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
URL: www.dilbert.com
The LEGO Strategy

29. Q A
VViieelleenn DDaannkk ffüürr IIhhrree AAuuffmmeerrkkssaammkkeeiitt!!
TThhaannkkss ffoorr yyoouurr aatttteennttiioonn!!
29 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
The LEGO Strategy

30. Our Contact Data
30 EuroSPI2 2012 – Vienna (Austria), 25-27 June, 2012
© 2012 Buglione, Gresse von Wangenheim, McCaffery, Hauck
Luigi
Buglione
Engineering.IT/ETS
luigi.buglione@eng.it
Jean Carlo R.
Hauck
UFSC
jeanhauck@gmail.com
Fergal
McCaffery
DKIT
fergal.mccaffery@dkit.ie
The LEGO Strategy
C. Gresse von
Wangenheim
UFSC
gresse@gmail.com