The need for information systems has increased to a point where virtually all business environments require some sort of software to aid in its daily operations. This study will address the need for quality information systems by examining techniques which can potentially aid in producing consistent high-quality information systems. Two techniques in particular, namely Process Maturity Models (PMMs) and Systems Development Methodologies (SDMs) are examined. Process Maturity Models such as the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) as well as the ISO-9000 standards aid in standardising and improving an organisation’s information systems development processes. These Process Maturity Models often require either the use of certain Systems Development Methodologies or at the very least techniques used within some Systems Development Methodologies. Systems Development Methodologies refer to a set of development processes, tools, techniques etc. which can be used during software development to standardise the entire development process by offering the use of modelling techniques, tools to analyse requirements, illustration of processes etc. These techniques differ from one Systems Development Methodology to the next. This study aims to identify the relationship between Process Maturity Models and Systems Development Methodologies. During the research process a questionnaire was sent out to people within the information technology business environment. The questionnaire contained questions used to determine and measure the usage of Systems Development Methodologies and how projects were affected. The questionnaire was also used to do an informal assessment of each respondent’s Capability Maturity Model level. Furthermore the data retrieved was statistically analysed and the results were interpreted. The results indicate that a relationship exists between the use of SDMs and the success of the respondent’s development processes and developed products. A total of 73% of respondents indicated that they do use SDMs to some extent, the most common being the Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC). The majority of organizations implementing SDMs have been doing so for three years or more. Results also show that most of the respondents are not certified in some formal Process Maturity Model; however, they do implement some of the processes required by models such as the CMMI. An informal assessment performed indicated that 65% of respondents can be grouped into a perceived CMMI level 2 category. Project outcome was measured and the relationship between PMM implementation as well as SDM use was measured. Results show no statistical evidence which indicates that an organisation’s perceived CMMI level is influenced by SDM use, both vertically and horizontally. Results do, however, indicate that organizations which have been implementing SDMs for a longer period of time are more likely to apply CMMI level 4 activities. Results also indicate that the horizontal use (number of projects/people which implement SDM knowledge) of SDMs have a significant effect on the development process- and the developed product success. Lastly the results indicated that organizations which satisfy more of the CMMI’s level 4 activities experience a higher quality development process which leads to a more successful development process. / Thesis (MSc (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The need for information systems has increased to a point where virtually all business environments require some sort of software to aid in its daily operations. This study will address the need for quality information systems by examining techniques which can potentially aid in producing consistent high-quality information systems. Two techniques in particular, namely Process Maturity Models (PMMs) and Systems Development Methodologies (SDMs) are examined. Process Maturity Models such as the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) as well as the ISO-9000 standards aid in standardising and improving an organisation’s information systems development processes. These Process Maturity Models often require either the use of certain Systems Development Methodologies or at the very least techniques used within some Systems Development Methodologies. Systems Development Methodologies refer to a set of development processes, tools, techniques etc. which can be used during software development to standardise the entire development process by offering the use of modelling techniques, tools to analyse requirements, illustration of processes etc. These techniques differ from one Systems Development Methodology to the next. This study aims to identify the relationship between Process Maturity Models and Systems Development Methodologies. During the research process a questionnaire was sent out to people within the information technology business environment. The questionnaire contained questions used to determine and measure the usage of Systems Development Methodologies and how projects were affected. The questionnaire was also used to do an informal assessment of each respondent’s Capability Maturity Model level. Furthermore the data retrieved was statistically analysed and the results were interpreted. The results indicate that a relationship exists between the use of SDMs and the success of the respondent’s development processes and developed products. A total of 73% of respondents indicated that they do use SDMs to some extent, the most common being the Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC). The majority of organizations implementing SDMs have been doing so for three years or more. Results also show that most of the respondents are not certified in some formal Process Maturity Model; however, they do implement some of the processes required by models such as the CMMI. An informal assessment performed indicated that 65% of respondents can be grouped into a perceived CMMI level 2 category. Project outcome was measured and the relationship between PMM implementation as well as SDM use was measured. Results show no statistical evidence which indicates that an organisation’s perceived CMMI level is influenced by SDM use, both vertically and horizontally. Results do, however, indicate that organizations which have been implementing SDMs for a longer period of time are more likely to apply CMMI level 4 activities. Results also indicate that the horizontal use (number of projects/people which implement SDM knowledge) of SDMs have a significant effect on the development process- and the developed product success. Lastly the results indicated that organizations which satisfy more of the CMMI’s level 4 activities experience a higher quality development process which leads to a more successful development process. / Thesis (MSc (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The purpose of the thesis work is to map, explain, propose and follow up on solutions to quality problems in a small growing IT company in an attempt to reduce or completely eliminate costs of poor quality. The report includes theory of change management, process and quality management, process maturity, agile methods, characteristic features for IT companies, DMAIC project tool and challenges for growing companies. It is a case study that is based predominantly on qualitative primary data. Data has been collected using a customer survey, as well as observations and interviews with employees and management. The result shows that the organization is struggling with quality problems. The problems look slightly different depending on which department is being reviewed. In the development department, which works with large projects over a long period of time, the main problem is lack of complete customer requirement specifications. At the Operations Department the main problem is that they are unable to test according to needs. Cunclusions to be drawn is that there are quality deficiencies related to testing and requirements specification within the IT company. Part of the reasons behind the problems is the lack of structure and follow-up. Three action plans have been drawn up to address the problems. A follow-up plan has also been created, which includes both follow-up of statistical data and feedback from employees and customers. / Syftet med examensarbetet är att kartlägga, förklara, föreslå och följa upp lösningar på kvalitetsproblem inom ett litet växande It-företag, i ett försök att få kvalitetsbristkostnader att minska eller helt försvinna. I rapporten innefattas teori om förändringsledning, process- och kvalitetsledning, processmognad, agila arbetssätt, karaktäristiska drag för It-företag, projektverktyget DMAIC samt utmaningar för växande företag. Rapporten är en fallstudie som till övervägande del består av kvalitativa primära data. Data samlas in med hjälp av en kundenkät, samt observationer och intervjuer med medarbetare och ledning. Resultatet visar att organisationen brottas med kvalitetsproblem, som innebär att värdefull tid läggs på att arbeta med saker som inte hade behövts om de gjort rätt från början. Problemen ser något annorlunda ut beroende på vilken avdelning som granskas. På utvecklingsavdelningen, som arbetar med stora projekt över lång tid är det framför allt bristande kravspecifikationer från kunderna som är bekymret. På driftsavdelningen är den främsta problematiken att de inte hinner med att testa så som de hade önskat. Slutsatser som kan dras är att det inom det studerade It-företaget finns kvalitetsbristkostnader relaterade till testning och kravspecificering. En del av orsakerna som ligger bakom problemen är bristen på struktur och uppföljning. Tre handlingsplaner har upprättats för att komma till rätta med problemen. En uppföljningsplan är också skapad, som innefattar både uppföljning av statistisk och återkoppling från medarbetare och kunder.

Использование процессного подхода к ведению бизнеса, в основе которого лежит детальный анализ существующих бизнес-процессов и их последующая оптимизация, является одним из основных источников долгосрочных конкурентных преимуществ не только промышленных предприятий, но и организаций, выполняющих работы либо оказывающих услуги. Целью магистерской диссертации является разработка методики принятия эффективных управленческих решений по совершенствованию системы управления бизнес-процессами некоммерческой организации. Научная новизна работы выражается в обосновании целесообразности применения теоретической базы в области бизнес-процессов к некоммерческой организации, не преследующей цели извлечения прибыли, с применением универсальной процессной модели фреймворк APQC PCF. Практическая значимость исследования заключается в возможности применения описанных алгоритмов совершенствования системы управления бизнес-процессами в деятельности любой организации, имеющей целью повысить свою эффективность за счет повышения процессной зрелости. / Using a process approach to doing business, which is based on a detailed analysis of existing business processes and their subsequent optimization, is one of the main sources of long-term competitive advantages not only for industrial enterprises, but also for firms that provide services. The aim of the master's thesis is to develop a methodology for making effective decisions to improve the business process management system of a non-profit organization. The scientific novelty of the work is expressed in substantiating the appropriateness of applying the theoretical base in the field of business processes to a non-profit organization that does not pursue the goal of making profit, using the universal process model of the APQC PCF framework. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the described algorithms for improving the business process management system in the activities of any organization with the goal of achieving high efficiency by increasing process maturity.

Background: The administrators, managers, and leaders of criminal justice organizations experience a plethora of processes that impact the strategic, tactical, and operational facets of their respective organizations. Sound processes are central to effectively and efficiently managing criminal justice organizations and for facilitating the optimal operations of the organization. Such management characteristics are necessary to render public services towards the goals of deterring crime and maintaining societal order. Administrating and managing criminal justice organizations involves paradigms that favor process improvement and quality of processes. Existing methods include the Compstat paradigm Total Quality Management, business process management, business process improvement, business process reengineering, standards, legislation, policy, and Six Sigma. However, such paradigms not approach process improvement from the unique perspective of process maturity as a foundational basis. Additionally, no solitary foundational basis exists that uniquely addresses organizational process improvement issues, regarding criminal justice entities, from the perspective of evolutionary process maturation through time. This research examines the potential of adapting the Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMi) as a foundational process improvement framework among criminal justice organizations. Within the CMMi framework, process improvement begins from a state of random, ad hoc processes and culminates in a state of highly optimized processes. Through time, process maturation occurs through five primary stages sequentially: 1) random, 2) managed, 3) defined/specific, 4) quantitatively managed, and 5) optimized. This research explores the potential of leveraging the CMMi paradigm as a form of organizational process improvement within the criminal justice domain. Scope of the Study: This research investigated the potential for adapting the Capability Maturity Model (Integrated) (CMMi) within the criminal justice domain. A derivative maturity model framework, the Criminal Justice Maturity Model (CJMM), was crafted using the CMMi concept as its foundational premise. A Likert scale survey was implemented to investigate the perceptions of personnel regarding process improvement initiatives and their work settings. This study was constrained to the criminal justice domains of the states of Alabama and Mississippi. Data processing encompassed demographic descriptions of the survey instrument and the received responses, ANOVA, Chi-Square analysis, and the Cronbach Method. Stratifications involved separating the survey responses into classifications of Alabama versus Mississippi entities, urban versus rural entities, and management versus non-management entities. Findings and Conclusions: The conclusions of this research failed to show that all five levels of the maturity model framework appear to be separately perceived among the respondents. Therefore, per each individual stage of the maturity model framework, this research failed to show conclusively that the complete maturity model framework is adaptable among administrative settings in the criminal justice domain and that process maturity issues among respondent settings are addressed via a process maturity framework. Because this research failed to show the perceived characteristics of all five maturity levels of the maturity model framework separately, it is concluded that the criminal justice administrative settings of the respondents do not conform completely to the tenets of the CMMi paradigm. Future studies were recommended to pursue additional approaches of this research project. This study represents an initial starting point from which several future endeavors may be initiated. / Criminology and Security Science / D.Litt. et Phil. (Police Science)

Background: The administrators, managers, and leaders of criminal justice organizations experience a plethora of processes that impact the strategic, tactical, and operational facets of their respective organizations. Sound processes are central to effectively and efficiently managing criminal justice organizations and for facilitating the optimal operations of the organization. Such management characteristics are necessary to render public services towards the goals of deterring crime and maintaining societal order. Administrating and managing criminal justice organizations involves paradigms that favor process improvement and quality of processes. Existing methods include the Compstat paradigm Total Quality Management, business process management, business process improvement, business process reengineering, standards, legislation, policy, and Six Sigma. However, such paradigms not approach process improvement from the unique perspective of process maturity as a foundational basis. Additionally, no solitary foundational basis exists that uniquely addresses organizational process improvement issues, regarding criminal justice entities, from the perspective of evolutionary process maturation through time. This research examines the potential of adapting the Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMi) as a foundational process improvement framework among criminal justice organizations. Within the CMMi framework, process improvement begins from a state of random, ad hoc processes and culminates in a state of highly optimized processes. Through time, process maturation occurs through five primary stages sequentially: 1) random, 2) managed, 3) defined/specific, 4) quantitatively managed, and 5) optimized. This research explores the potential of leveraging the CMMi paradigm as a form of organizational process improvement within the criminal justice domain. Scope of the Study: This research investigated the potential for adapting the Capability Maturity Model (Integrated) (CMMi) within the criminal justice domain. A derivative maturity model framework, the Criminal Justice Maturity Model (CJMM), was crafted using the CMMi concept as its foundational premise. A Likert scale survey was implemented to investigate the perceptions of personnel regarding process improvement initiatives and their work settings. This study was constrained to the criminal justice domains of the states of Alabama and Mississippi. Data processing encompassed demographic descriptions of the survey instrument and the received responses, ANOVA, Chi-Square analysis, and the Cronbach Method. Stratifications involved separating the survey responses into classifications of Alabama versus Mississippi entities, urban versus rural entities, and management versus non-management entities. Findings and Conclusions: The conclusions of this research failed to show that all five levels of the maturity model framework appear to be separately perceived among the respondents. Therefore, per each individual stage of the maturity model framework, this research failed to show conclusively that the complete maturity model framework is adaptable among administrative settings in the criminal justice domain and that process maturity issues among respondent settings are addressed via a process maturity framework. Because this research failed to show the perceived characteristics of all five maturity levels of the maturity model framework separately, it is concluded that the criminal justice administrative settings of the respondents do not conform completely to the tenets of the CMMi paradigm. Future studies were recommended to pursue additional approaches of this research project. This study represents an initial starting point from which several future endeavors may be initiated. / Criminology and Security Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Police Science)

The aim of this work is to acquaint the reader with the theory of human resources management, process reengineering area and related expressions. The work identifies personal types or groups of persons involved in the process reengineering projects and availability of defined human resources on the Czech market. Theoretical knowledge is described on two real projects of process reengineering - in small and purely Czech company and in large multinational company. On these projects also participated teams of different HR composition and scale, which allow to show interesting differences. Two projects only are certainly not relevant for the sample of general conclusions, but they are very useful to demonstrate specific examples of theory in practice. In a reengineering process also occur some problems caused by the type of projects, by process maturity, but also by the composition of human resources involved in the project. Parts of this work are crisis plans too - proposals for solving these crisis situations. I believe that the progress of the project is also affected by the level of stress put on the human resources, which is found in the survey that is part of this work. The survey compares whether the effects of stress changes team roles of specific project participants, including the composition of the project team. The research results are the main contribution of this work. The basis of the research is the definition of the team roles by Belbin. The main part sof this work are the basic terms and current level of examination of this area, it also contains examples of real projects, research and crisis plans.