Agile methods hold a significant promise to reduce cycle times and provide greater value to all key stakeholders involved in the software ecosystem. While these methods appear to be well suited for embedded systems development, their use has not become a widespread practice. In analyzing the state-of-the-art, as captured in published literature, we found that there are technical issues (requirements management, and testing), as well as organizational issues (process tailoring, knowledge sharing & transfer, culture change, and support infrastructure). In this paper, we build preliminary guidance for firms around these six areas and presented as a framework that will enable understanding the expected adoption trajectory.

Openness and trust are key elements to sustaining any successful client-supplier relationship. When the relationship is transitioning from being arms-length to evolving into a true partnership, it is critical to establish a shared understanding of not only the current state, but also of the expected future state. A workshop organized and facilitated by a neutral party, with the senior leadership of both organizations provides an ideal means for articulating implicit assumptions and surfacing hidden challenges such that an actionable vision can be created. Using a recent workshop held with both EuroTel and IndiaCo, the key elements of the workshop are discussed, along with the lessons learned. Moreover, this workshop provides further insight into the mechanics of the evolution and governance of outsourcing relationships.

Recreating the context in which software processes are developed is difficult in the undergraduate classroom environment. As a result, traditional lecture-based teaching approaches do not necessarily translate into long-term understanding of software processes. To give students a deeper appreciation for the strengths and weaknesses of software process models, we designed the software process simulation game using constructivism as the underlying foundation. In this paper, we discuss the challenges associated with teaching software processes models, provide an overview of the game, detail its mechanics, and discuss the lessons learned from playing the game. Since the game does not involve actual programming or design activities, it can be used effectively for teaching both novice and experienced software engineers.

Software is a critical component of mission capability in all aerospace systems. This capability is realized directly through the use of onboard software, and enabled through the use of software on ground support systems. Students attending an aerospace engineering program come with a highly diversified background in software development ranging from novice user to expert programmer. A first course in software development has to account for the diversity, and as an outcome provide both a common vocabulary, as well as a common baseline of skills. This paper presents our learning from designing and teaching such a course for aerospace engineering undergraduates