The long-term effects of an EPG/ER in a small software organisation

We present an assessment of the usage of an improved electronic process guide/experience repository (EPG/ER) tool about a year after its installation in a small-to-medium software development company (SME). The current study, conducted over 21 weeks, reveals the long-term effects of EPG/ER usage in the company. The findings not only validate results from previously published preliminary evaluations on the effectiveness of the EPG/ER as a software process improvement (SPI) tool but also demonstrate the ability of the EPG/ER to be incrementally improved to suit the changing needs of the company. Our study shows that tangible benefits from the use of the EPG/ER can not only be realized quickly but also, more importantly, that the tool remains useful with many more benefits accruing over time.