In a QMS several types of processes will be needed in order to accomplish your work.
For a software development company, lots of core processes will be defined (engineering ones) but they are not enough. In the end you'll end with dozens of processes so it's a good idea to organize them in order to allow for some roles (e.g. engineers, project managers) not to get lost while starting.
So, one of the main issues here is how to do this split between them? Again the main keyword is REUSE. Let's not invent the wheel.
The
key process areas in a Quality Management System can be based on the
ISO15504/SPICE process model as well as the ISO12207 Life Cycle Model standards.
According to SPiCE for
SPACE (ISO/IEC TR 15504 Conformant Method for the Assessment of Space Software
Processes - Part A: SPiCE for SPACE Assessment Model, Issue 1.1 Draft C, 27.07.01,
PASCON/WO6-CCN5/TN7A.)
the following description is provided for each dimension:
Primary
life cycle processes,
includes customer-supplier processes and engineering processes.
Customer-supplier processes have directly impact on the customer, support
development and transition of the software to the customer, and provide for the
correct operation and use of the software product and/or service. Engineering
processes consists of processes that directly specify, implement, or maintain
the software product, its relation to the system, and its customer
documentation. In circumstances where the system is composed totally of
software, the engineering processes deal only with the construction and
maintenance of such software.
Supporting
life cycle processes,
includes processes that may be employed by any of the other processes
(including other supporting processes) at various points in the software life
cycle.
Organisation life cycle processes,
includes management and organisation processes. Management processes contain
practices of a generic nature that may be used by anyone who manages any type
of project or process within a software life cycle. Organisation processes
establish the business goals of the organisation and manage process, product,
and resource assets that, when used by the projects in the organisation, will
help the organisation achieve its business goals.
