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DD ISO IEC TS — Information Technology Process Assessment Target Process Profiles (DD ISO IEC TS 15504-9:2011)
DD ISO/IEC/TS 15504-9:2011 — Information Technology — Process Assessment — Part 9: Target Process Profiles
💻 DD ISO/IEC/TS 15504-9:2011 is a British Standards Institution (BSI) Draft for Development (DD), the UK national implementation of the international Technical Specification ISO/IEC/TS 15504-9:2011 “Information technology – Process assessment – Part 9: Target process profiles”. It is Part 9 of the well-known process assessment standard family ISO/IEC 15504 (commonly called SPICE – Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination), defining “target process profiles” used for process assessment and providing a reference model for setting the target capability levels for process improvement.
💡 DD (Draft for Development) is a provisional BSI publication used to gather application experience before formal conversion to a standard; its content is not a formal British Standard, but it is frequently cited as a technical basis in software and systems engineering.
1. Standard Overview and Series Positioning 📌
This article is the summary review for the “DD ISO IEC TS” prefix of the BSB223 batch. The standard in this batch is DD ISO/IEC/TS 15504-9:2011 (ISO/IEC/TS 15504-9:2011), published by BSI on 31 August 2011 (ISBN 978 0 580 71802 1). UK participation was entrusted to Technical Committee IST/15 (Software and systems engineering).
| Batch Prefix | Standard | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| DD ISO IEC TS | DD ISO/IEC/TS 15504-9:2011 | Information technology – Process assessment – Part 9: Target process profiles | UK adoption of ISO/IEC/TS 15504-9:2011 |
As a Draft for Development, this publication “is not to be regarded as a British Standard”. It is issued in the Draft for Development series and is of a provisional nature, to be applied on a provisional basis so that information and experience of its practical application can be obtained. BSI will report UK experience to the international organization and will initiate a review not later than 3 years after publication, deciding whether to support conversion to an international standard, to extend the life of the Technical Specification, or to withdraw it.
⚠️ A DD document is not a formal standard and is issued on a provisional basis. If used in contracts or certification, its later status (conversion, extension or withdrawal) should be confirmed in advance to avoid relying on a document that may be withdrawn.
2. Process Assessment Framework and Capability Levels 🔧
The ISO/IEC 15504 series defines the framework for process assessment. Its core concepts include:
| Element | Description | Key Content |
|---|---|---|
| Process Reference Model (PRM) | Defines process categories and processes | ISO/IEC 12207 and other process libraries |
| Process Assessment Model (PAM) | Assesses process capability | Process attribute (PA) rating |
| Capability levels | Level 0-5 capability measure | Incomplete, Performed, Managed, Established, Predictable, Optimizing |
| Target process profiles | Set target capability levels | Defined in this Part 9 |
Capability levels range from 0 (incomplete) to 5 (optimizing). Each level is characterized by a set of Process Attributes (PA):
- Level 1 (Performed): the process is implemented and achieves its process outcomes; PA1.1 process performance.
- Level 2 (Managed): the process is performed and managed; PA2.1 performance management, PA2.2 work product management.
- Level 3 (Established): a defined process achieves its process objectives; PA3.1 process definition, PA3.2 process deployment.
- Level 4 (Predictable): the process operates within statistical control; PA4.1 process measurement, PA4.2 process control.
- Level 5 (Optimizing): the process is continually improved to meet business goals; PA5.1 process innovation, PA5.2 process optimization.
💡 A “target process profile” sets the desired process capability level for an organization or business unit, serving as a baseline for process improvement and assessment. Part 9 provides the representation and usage guidance for target profiles, to be used with Part 2 (performing an assessment), Part 3 (guidance on performing an assessment) and Part 4 (guidance on use for process improvement).
3. Key Requirements for Target Process Profiles 🔥
3.1 Representation of a Target Profile
A target process profile is defined by specifying, for each relevant process, a “target process capability level” or a set of “target process-attribute ratings”. It may be a single-point target (one level per process) or a target range (allowing variation within an interval), providing differentiated targets for processes with different maturity or business goals.
3.2 Comparison with Assessment Results
Process assessment yields the current capability level (process-attribute ratings); comparing the assessment result with the target profile identifies the gaps, providing input for process improvement. Gap analysis is the core step of the SPICE improvement method.
3.3 Use in Assessment and Improvement
Target profiles usually originate from organizational strategy and business goals, industry best practice, or specific process-domain requirements. After an assessment, the organization may use the target profile to develop an improvement plan, determine the capability levels to be raised with priority, and allocate appropriate resources and governance.
🚨 The reliability of a process assessment result depends on the quality of the assessment evidence and the assessor’s competence. Target-profile setting should avoid a “one size fits all” approach – different processes contribute differently to business value, so target levels should be differentiated according to risk and business impact.
4. Engineering Application Points 🛠️
- 📋 Process improvement: set capability improvement targets from the target profile, form a roadmap, and integrate them into project management and organizational governance.
- 🔍 Capability assessment: use an assessment method consistent with ISO/IEC 15504, with competent assessors rating process attributes.
- 🛡️ Supplier evaluation: in software and systems engineering procurement, evaluate supplier process capability against target profiles and assessment results to reduce delivery risk.
- 📊 Industry benchmarking: target process profiles may be set against industry benchmarks (such as Automotive SPICE, CMMI benchmarking) for horizontal comparability.
- 🔗 Relationship with CMMI: ISO/IEC 15504 and CMMI have conceptual correspondences; target profiles may serve as a bridge for benchmarking and mutual recognition.
✅ In modern software and systems engineering, the ISO/IEC 15504 (SPICE) series has evolved into ISO/IEC 33001 and related series (the new numbering for process assessment). The target-process-profile concept of this Part 9 remains widely used in process improvement and capability evaluation.
5. Frequently Asked Questions ❓
❓ Q: What is the difference between a DD document and a British Standard?
A: DD (Draft for Development) is a provisional BSI publication without the status of a British Standard, used to gather application experience before formal conversion; its status is determined by review (conversion to international standard, extension or withdrawal).
A: DD (Draft for Development) is a provisional BSI publication without the status of a British Standard, used to gather application experience before formal conversion; its status is determined by review (conversion to international standard, extension or withdrawal).
❓ Q: What is a target process profile?
A: A target process profile sets the expected process capability level (or target process-attribute ratings) for process assessment, serving as a baseline for process improvement and assessment; comparing assessment results with the target profile identifies improvement gaps.
A: A target process profile sets the expected process capability level (or target process-attribute ratings) for process assessment, serving as a baseline for process improvement and assessment; comparing assessment results with the target profile identifies improvement gaps.
❓ Q: How many capability levels are there?
A: Six levels, from 0 (incomplete) to 5 (optimizing), each characterized by a set of process attributes such as PA1.1 process performance, PA2.1 performance management, etc.
A: Six levels, from 0 (incomplete) to 5 (optimizing), each characterized by a set of process attributes such as PA1.1 process performance, PA2.1 performance management, etc.
🔍 Q: How should target profiles be differentiated?
A: They should be differentiated according to each process’s contribution to business value and risk, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach; core/high-risk processes may be set at higher target levels while supporting processes may be lower.
A: They should be differentiated according to each process’s contribution to business value and risk, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach; core/high-risk processes may be set at higher target levels while supporting processes may be lower.
❓ Q: What is the relationship between ISO/IEC 15504 and CMMI?
A: The two are highly corresponding in process capability/maturity concepts and can be benchmarked against each other; target process profiles may serve as a bridge for mutual recognition between CMMI maturity ratings and ISO/IEC 15504 capability ratings.
A: The two are highly corresponding in process capability/maturity concepts and can be benchmarked against each other; target process profiles may serve as a bridge for mutual recognition between CMMI maturity ratings and ISO/IEC 15504 capability ratings.