This version of the Rational Method Composer for the ASPICE Process Assessment Model provides coverage of the process groups identified by the HIS (HerstellerInitiative Software) group of companies, that consist of Audi, BWM Group, Daimler, Posrche and VolksWagen. The HIS group defined a subset of the ASPICE Process Reference and Assessment Models so that they could standardise on the way that they could evaluate the capability and maturity of their suppliers.

The  subset of ASPICE Process Groups selected by HIS can be seen highlighted in blue in the diagram below.

The core functionality of this subset is the Engineering and Supporting Process Groups, with some support for basic Project Management and Acquisition Processes.

Process Assessment

As part of this assessment a standardised format was agreed between the HIS members for the exchange of assessment information. The assessment was based upon the standard ASPICE assessment of Process Attributes and Capability levels which are based upon the various ASPICE Generic Practices. 

The rating scale is based upon the rating scale used in ISO/IEC 15504 but in this instance is extended to rate both single base practices and generic practices.

There are three types of format for the exchange of assessment information each format works at different levels of the detail.

The first is the Capability Level format which gives a high level overview of how the suppliers capability across all the Basic Processes.

Where the rating maps to the Capability Level where

0=Incomplete  1 = Performed  2 = Managed  3 = Established  4 = Predictable  5= Optimizing

The second exchange format relates to a detailed assessment of the Base Processes based upon the Process Attributes. The Capability Exchange format is a less detailed version of this format. The idea here is that for a for a particular Capability Level to be met it must have been Largely or Fully Achieved.

The final format is even more detailed and goes into an assessment of each Base Practices that go to make up a Base Process, each Base Process is then measured against the Process Attributes that make up the Generic Practices.

The Rational Solution for HIS ASPICE

The Rational Solution for HIS ASPICE consists of three components

Published Website of the ASPICE HIS Process Assessment Model

The website can be installed on the Jazz team server where Rational Team Concert is deployed (see ASPICE process template and practice content setup and configuration) and used to provide guidance to the user on what assessments need to be carried out against which part of the process. The website can be reached from any of the automatically created work items in an RTC ASPICE Process Assessment Project.

The Rational ASPICE Process Assessment content consists of 5 key sections that cover

An introduction to what HIS ASPICE is and how the Rational Solution can help a company asses its compliance to HIS ASPICE

An overview of how to install and set up the three components of the Rational Solution for HIS ASPICE, ( ASPICE process template and practice content setup and configuration) these are:

Published web site (that you are reading now)

Rational Team Concert ASPICE assessment process template

Import and use the ASPICE assessment RELM views

The tasks and guidance taken from ASPICE PAM for the Process and Bases Practices (ASPICE Processes and Base Practices)

The tasks and guidance taken from the ASPICE PAM for the Process Attributes and Generic Practices (ASPICE Capability Levels and Generic Practices)

Details of all of the work products relevant for compliance  to HIS ASPICE Capability Level 1  (ASPICE Workproducts)

Rational Team Concert (RTC) Process Template

The RTC process template for the ASPICE Process Assessment Model contains a number of work item templates that allow the user to generate consistent sets of work items that guide the user through the assessment process. It is advised that users set up a timeline, iteration, team, plan and stream to capture compliance information. The intent is that as each stage of the ASPICE Process Reference Model (PRM) is completed it can be linked to and assessed using the work items captured in the process template. The work items also provide a means of capturing the assessment of each Process Group, Base or Generic Practice. By linking back to the work products and work item representing the ASPICE PRM the user is showing an audit trail for compliance to ASPICE and proof of how it was achieved.

The work item templates are arranged so that each process group has a specific work item template that will produce work items so that the Base Practices and Generic Practices for assessment to Capability levels 1 to 5 are created.

ASPICE RELM Views

The ASPICE RELM views are set of views that capture the overarching assessment of the Capabilities, Processes, Practices. The views are scoped to a project and they display the assessment information captured in the various work items that reflect the standard of compliance for that project. The format used to display this information is based upon the exchange formats detailed above.