A structured method for assessing the maturity of an electronic design process

The structured assessment technology discussed is a means for characterizing and measuring the performance of electronic design processes. A model of an excellent design process has been constructed from the combined judgments of experienced managers and engineers and from criteria included in development improvement programs. A questionnaire has been designed to inquire about the use of model practices. The responses are used to measure process maturity employing a scale based on the five-step scale developed by the Software Engineering Institute for software design processes. The measurement is used to monitor improvement in the process as changes are made and to compare a process with industry profiles. The assessment was first tested on six projects. Thereafter, consultants have used the assessment on eleven client projects. Using these projects as an indicator of industry practices, it is concluded that there are weaknesses in customer requirements gathering, in customer involvement in development, in training and support of managers and engineers, and in the use of aids for electronic design and component data transfer