A formal meta-model of software process

Software process play an important role in improving the quality of software products. Formal software process model is conducive to the accurate description of software processes. A software process meta-model is a formal tool used to define software process models. In this paper, a software process meta-model SPMM is designed. Firstly, five important properties in software processes are discussed. Furthermore, based on CSP and Hoare Logic, the definition of SPMM and the rules to build software process models are proposed. In SPMM, not only are the important components, e.g. tasks, activities and software processes in software processes, formally defined, but also the five important properties of software process are embodied. Therefore, SPMM can model software processes at different abstract levels. Thus, the basis to simulate, control, analyze, measure and improve software processes is established.