DIN ISO/IEC 15504-4:2011-08

The ISO/IEC 15504 standard series provides a model for process assessment which is known under the name SPICE (Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination). This model supports the management software engineering processes by a structured approach for improvement of development processes, which will, in the end, lead to reduction of costs and higher product quality. ISO/IEC 15504-4 provides guidance on how to utilize a conformant process assessment within a process improvement programme or a process capability determination. ISO/IEC 15504-4 is for information purposes only. The guidance provided does not presume specific organizational structures, management philosophies, life cycle models or development methods. In the case of process improvement, the concepts and principles are appropriate for the full range of different business goals, application domains and sizes of organization, so that all types of organizations may use them. In the case of process capability determination, this guidance is applicable within any customer-supplier relationship, and to any organization wishing to determine the process capability of its own processes.