The Tetrad Influences: A Case Study of an Adaptable Software Configuration Management Process

Introduction

Gone are the days when the Software Configuration Management (SCM) process with its basis in hardware development was first applied to the classical standalone software development environments in the 1950’s. In such environments, software changes used to follow the sequential approach using software development methodologies, such as, waterfall and spiral models etc.

With radical advancement in software tools, technologies, and development techniques in the last six decades, the software engineering paradigm also got shifted in four important ways: 1) software development methodologies (for example, RAD, agile software development methodologies, and open source software development methodologies); computing environments (for example, parallel computing, grid computing and cloud computing); improvement standards (for example IEEE, ITIL, PMP, Prince2); and organization needs for traceability and governance regardless of their size (Durrani, Richardson, & Lenarcic, 2013).

This article use the term “the tetrad influences” (as shown in Figure 1) to represent the impact of these four IT dynamics on the SCM process. In order to realize the benefit of the SCM process under the tetrad influences, an adaptable SCM approach is required that uses lean thinking principles and the associated lean tools (Appleton & Berczuk, 2003; Appleton & Cowham, 2008; Poppendieck, 2011).

Figure 1.

The tetrad influences on the SCM process

In this article, we will present a conceptual framework to illustrate the tetrad influences on the SCM process and will then propose an adaptable SCM model called “SALAM” (Software configuration Adaptable Lean Agile Management) aligned with the conceptual framework. We will also contribute a case study of a large Australian IT project, where we implemented the SALAM model under the tetrad influences (consisting of hybrid project teams using both agile and plan driven methodologies in a hybrid cloud computing environment).

This article is structured as follows: In the background section, we describe key concepts, and terminologies associated with the conceptual framework. Then we present our conceptual framework and will propose the SALAM model in alignment with the conceptual framework. We will then present our case study including motivation, research methodology, execution, and results and we will conclude in the last section.

Background

This section will present terminologies, concepts, principles, standard definitions and previous SCM reference models which will facilitate to construct the conceptual framework and the associated SALAM model.