Wallmüller, ErnestHegering, Heinz-GerdLehmann, AxelOhlbach, Hans JürgenScheideler, Christian2019-04-032019-04-032008978-3-88579-227-7https://dl.gi.de/handle/20.500.12116/21387Literature [Gra97] claims that up to 70% of software process improvement initiatives fail to achieve their intended goals. No single organization is likely to have the range of experience necessary to identify these critical factors. We need to examine abroad sample of projects undergoing SPI in order to determine characteristics that successful SPI efforts have in common, characteristics that unsuccessful SPI efforts have in common, and the factors that distinguish successes and failures. It seems likely that the answers will depend to some extent on the particular improvements attempted, the characteristics of the organization undergoing improvement, the application domain, the technical environment, and the people involved. Any effort to understand the results of SPI must take factors like these into account. The talk will address the key factors and constraints of software process improvement based on experiences with different companies in Europe.enText/Conference Paper1617-5468