Overview
This activity covers the creation and handling of Software Trouble Reports, Software Change Requests (SCR), and Requests for Deviation/Waiver (see Appendix C for forms). It explains how and when these reports and requests are written, how they are analyzed, the relationships among them, and the steps in the approval process.
Roles and Responsibilities
The software project group that includes the following:
The project software manager is responsible for calling the Software Control Board (SCB) meeting and ensuring that the appropriate people attend. The project software manager is also responsible for assigning the appropriate individuals to analyze Software Trouble Reports, SCRs, and Requests for Deviation/Waiver, and for reviewing the results.
The software configuration management (SCM) manager is responsible for recording all decisions made during the SCB meeting and for maintaining the project’s SCM tracking system.
The requester writing the request or report is responsible for submitting the Software Trouble Reports, SCRs, or Requests for Deviation/Waiver.
The reviewer is responsible for analyzing the Software Trouble Reports, SCRs, or Requests for Deviation/Waiver. The reviewer is appointed by the project software manager.
Controls
The change management process, which is documented in the Configuration Control section of the SCM Plan (SCMP) (see Appendix E) and which explains the processes for submitting reports and requests, and having them approved or disapproved.
Inputs
Need to change a software product (document or code).
Need to request a deviation or waiver.
Problem discovered in a software product.
Dispositioned Requests for Deviation/Waiver received from the software engineering process group (SEPG).
Procedures
This activity consists of the following subactivities, which may be performed by different individuals. The subactivities are listed in sets. One subactivity from the first set must be performed before any in the remaining sets are performed; a subactivity from the second set follows, and then either subactivity 2.2.6 Hold Software Control Board Meeting or 2.2.4 Request Software Product Change (back in the first set) follows.
1) 2.2.1 Request Deviation/Waiver, 2.2.2 Report Software Product Problems, or 2.2.4 Request Software Product Change. A requester writes a Request for Deviation/Waiver to seek permission to circumvent some organizational process or standard or to obtain a waiver from some system or software requirement. A requester writes a SCR to change a baselined product (i.e., documentation or code). A requester writes a Software Trouble Report to report a problem discovered in a software product during or after qualification testing.
2) 2.2.3 Review Reported Problems or 2.2.5 Analyze Software Change Request. The project software manager assigns a reviewer to analyze each SCR, Software Trouble Report, and Request for Deviation/Waiver. The project software manager then reviews the results of the analysis of the Software Trouble Report or Request for Deviation/Waiver. The project software manager sends all SCRs to the SCB for review once they are analyzed. The project software manager may determine that no change is needed to resolve a Software Trouble Report (e.g., the report is a duplicate or the problem was due to user error) or may decide to have a SCR written. The project software manager may reject a Request for Deviation/Waiver or submit it to the SCB for approval or disapproval.
3) 2.2.6 Hold Software Control Board Meeting. The SCB meets to approve or disapprove all SCRs and Requests for Deviation/Waiver. The SCB is chaired by the project software manager, who prepares the agenda; schedules meetings; and determines which developers, software engineering managers, or testers shall attend. Other SCB members include the SCM manager and a software quality assurance (SQA) representative. Any changes that may affect system requirements, system designs, interfaces (either hardware or human), or deviations or waivers from system standards or requirements are submitted to the project-level Configuration Control Board (CCB). Any deviations or waivers from the organization’s standard software process are submitted to the SEPG. When these are dispositioned by the software engineering process group (SEPG), an announcement is made at the meeting.
Outputs
A SCR or Request for Deviation/Waiver, which the SCB has approved.
A CCB Candidate List, which is submitted to project-level configuration management (CM) (if it was determined that a change in or a deviation or waiver from a project-level product, requirement, or standard is needed).
Any Requests for Deviation/Waiver submitted to the SEPG (if it was determined that a deviation or waiver from an organizational standard or requirement is needed).