Many practitioners are frustrated by software process improvement initiatives that fail, but now they can solve the problem, once and for all. Improving Software Organizations shares the field's most practical techniques for overcoming the key obstacles to process improvement. It offers a complete framework for software process improvement that draws upon the experiences of seven leading development organizations. This book contains powerful, experience-based lessons for planning, implementation, and ongoing management. Coverage includes: enhancing learning and knowledge transfer in the organization; choosing the right role for assessment methods such as CMM and Bootstrap; defining appropriate metrics for software improvement; and more. Mathiassen also offers practical guidance for maintaining the progress of a software improvement initiative once the lofty rhetoric and first wave of enthusiasm have died down.