How Can We Compare Processes?

How can processes be compared? We have characterized them by looking at the two dimensions discussed below and shown in our process map (see Figure 3.1).

• Low Ceremony/High Ceremony ^[6] on the horizontal axis. Low Ceremony produces minimum supporting documentation and has little formalism in the working procedure; High Ceremony has comprehensive supporting documentation and traceability maintained among artifacts, Change Control Boards, and so on.

• Waterfall/Iterative on the vertical axis. Waterfall is a linear approach with late integration and testing; Iterative is a risk-driven development approach with early implementation of an architecture and early integration and testing.

Figure 3.1. Process Map for Process Comparison. By organizing processes and process assessment frameworks along two dimensions ”Low Ceremony/High Ceremony and Waterfall/Iterative ”you can compare them and analyze which are the most suitable for your project or organization.