Australian Award for Excellence in Software Process Improvement

The Australian Award for Excellence in Software Process Improvement is offered to encourage a disciplined approach to the development of software within Australia by recognising outstanding examples of achievement in quality and productivity. The award is organised by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) and funded by the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (DIST) and the ACS.

The award is intended to provide the opportunity for the winning team, its organisation and its achievement to receive national recognition. The winning application will be announced at the Australian Software Engineering Conference (ASWEC).

Conference, travel and accommodation costs will be provided for one representative of the winning organisation who will, at that time, have the opportunity to give a presentation on their achievement. Details of the award will be published as part of conference proceedings. The winning organisation will be able to use the award for their publicity.

It is intended to offer this award in future on an annual basis.

Eligibility Requirements

Applications for the Australian Award for Excellence in Software Process Improvement will be made by a team on behalf of an organisation which maybe profit or non-profit and may be industrial, service, academic or government.

To be eligible for the award the team must:

• Be composed of one or more software engineering professionals who participate in software development, support or management.
• Be part of an organisation where software is, or is critical to, core business.
• Be resident in Australia.
• Have performed the work primarily in Australia.

An organisation may submit more than one application. Multiple applications may be made on the basis of the same improvement, but not in the same year; with the exception that a winning application cannot be re-submitted.

Organisations with whom members of the selection committee are associated are in-eligible.

Award Criteria

The applications will be assessed on the basis of an improvement to the organisation's software process. This improvement may involve management, support, development, or operational methods or procedures and may include other activities in addition to software development or enhancement. To be considered for this award, the improvement must be significant, planned, sustained and measured.

• Significant means that the improvement is linked to the business success of the organisation.
• Planned means that the improvement is a direct result of documented and tracked decisions, commitments and activities within the organisation.
• Sustained means that the improvement is ongoing in the organisation, i.e. that it is part of the way the organisation does its business and that the organisation is committed to using it across the whole of the designated organisation. This should be demonstrated by ongoing plans and other documentation.
• Measured means that the improvement must be supported by data clearly identifying performance before and after the improvement. The connection between the improvement and the measured results must be demonstrated.

All applicants will receive a written synopsis of the results of their application.

The selection committee reserves the right not to make an award if no applications are judged as meeting the award criteria.

Application Process

Applications must:

1. Contain an overview of no more than three printed pages. This overview should include:

• The identity of the organisation.
• A description of the organisation.
• The goal of the improvement.
• A general description of the improvement including what was done, why it was done and what the outcome was.
• A summary of the evidence that the improvement met the project or organisationís objectives and was effective.
• A description of the improvement's significance to the organisation.

2. Contain up to ten pages of graphs, figures, tables or other supporting data and notes.

3. Identify the individual who will represent the organisation.

4. Be accompanied by a signed statement from a senior executive of the organisation in which the improvement was undertaken. The executive must second the application, agree to all award conditions listed in this document and state that the improvement is substantiated by currently available and accurate data. Applications will not be accepted without this signed statement.

5. Be submitted in English.

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by a committee consisting of members who are knowledgeable and experienced in software process improvement.

The committee will:

1. Review the applications for compliance with administrative requirements stipulated in this document.

2. Rank each application by reviewing the application against the criteria of planning, sustainability, measurability and significance.

    To evaluate the planning of the improvement, the committee will consider such factors as:

• The coverage of the plan, e.g. does it cover the whole improvement lifecycle from the selection of the goals through to how the ongoing future work will be planned.
• The level of details in the plans.
• The degree of compliance with the plans.

   To evaluate whether an improvement is sustained, the committee will consider such factors as

• The number of projects and organisational elements that have benefited.
• The likelihood that the improvement is permanent.
• The level of documentation of the improvement, e.g. described in informal memoranda, internal reports, or organisational standards.

   To evaluate whether an improvement is measured, the committee will consider such factors as

• The completeness of the data on the improvement.
• The degree to which the data demonstrate the improvement.
• The number and breadth of the measures used to demonstrate the improvement.
• The connection between the improvement and the results.

   To evaluate the significance of the improvement, the committee will consider such factors as

• The connection between the process improvement and the identified critical business success factors.
• The degree to which this connection between the improvement and the business success factors has been validated.

3. Choose up to three finalist organisations, based on the evaluation, for site visits to verify the data and to clarify issues raised during the review of the written application. Conduct site visits at the selected organisations (information gathered during the visit will not be disclosed without prior approval by the organisation).

4 Select the winner from the finalist organisations1.

Award Conditions

Once a nomination is submitted, the following conditions apply:

• Representatives from the award committee may visit the organisation where the improvement work was done to conduct interviews and review additional data.
• In general all applications and all supporting materials provided with the applications may be published. In addition, if the applicant is selected as the winner, the data and specific information about the achievement will be published in the proceedings of the ASWEC conference. However, any information supplied subsequent to the application will be treated as confidential.
• All materials produced with the application and subsequently submitted to the award committee will become the property of the ACS and will not be returned.

Award Schedule

April 30th Applications for the award to be given each year must be received by the ACS by April 30th of that year.

May-June If required, the award committee visits selected organisations.

August All applicants are notified of the award committee decisions.

October The award is publicly announced and presented to, the winner's spokesperson at ASWEC.

Applications

Award applications are to be sent to:

Attention: AAESPI
ACS National Office
PO Box 534
Queen Victoria Building
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Courier Address
Level 3
160 Clarence Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

For information

Telephone: Doug Jay (2) 9325 3100
Email inquiries to: AAESPI@acs.org.au

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See also: Strategy for Information Technology Research in Australia