OPP.SP 1.4 Analyze Process Performance and Establish Process Performance Baselines

The selected measures are analyzed to characterize the performance of the selected processes or subprocesses achieved in work activities. This characterization is used to establish and maintain process performance baselines (See the definition of “process performance baseline” in the glossary.) These baselines are used to determine the expected results of the process or subprocess when used on a set of work activities under a given set of circumstances.

Process performance baselines are compared to the organization’s quality and process performance objectives to determine if the quality and process performance objectives are being achieved.

The process performance baselines are a measurement of performance for the organization’s set of standard processes at various levels of detail. The processes that the process performance baselines can address include the following:

• Sequence of connected processes
• Processes that cover the entire life of the work
• Processes for developing individual work products

There can be several process performance baselines to characterize performance for subgroups of the organization.

 

Tailoring the organization’s set of standard processes can significantly affect the comparability of data for inclusion in process performance baselines. Effects of tailoring should be considered in establishing baselines. Depending on the tailoring allowed, separate performance baselines may exist for each type of tailoring.

Example Work Products

1. Analysis of process performance data
2. Baseline data on the organization’s process performance

Subpractices

1. Collect the selected measurements for the selected processes and subprocesses.

The process or subprocess in use when the measurement was taken is recorded to enable its use later.

2. Analyze the collected measures to establish a distribution or range of results that characterize the expected performance of selected processes or subprocesses when used on a set of work activities.

This analysis should include the stability of the related process or subprocess, and the impacts of associated factors and context. Related factors include inputs to the process and other attributes that can affect the results obtained. The context includes the business context (e.g., domain) and significant tailoring of the organization’s set of standard processes.

The measurements from stable subprocesses in work activities should be used when possible; other data may not be reliable.

3. Establish and maintain the process performance baselines from collected measurements and analyses.

Process performance baselines are derived by analyzing collected measures to establish a distribution or range of results that characterize the expected performance for selected processes or subprocesses when used on work activities in the organization.

4. Review and get agreement with relevant stakeholders about the process performance baselines.

5. Make the process performance information available across the organization in the measurement repository.

The organization’s process performance baselines are used by work groups to estimate the natural bounds for process performance.

6. Compare the process performance baselines to associated quality and process performance objectives to determine if those quality and process performance objectives are being achieved.

These comparisons should use statistical techniques beyond a simple comparison of the mean to gauge the extent of quality and process performance objective achievement. If the quality and process performance objectives are not being achieved, corrective actions should be considered.

7. Revise the process performance baselines as necessary.