Software Engineering Institute

March 15, 2010—Two highly respected organizations halfway around the world from each other recently signed agreements to become SEI strategic partners for the Team Software Process (TSP). Next Process Institute, Kawasaki, Japan, and Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Tec de Monterrey), Mexico, are now authorized to offer TSP services that previously were not available locally.

In addition to the services provided by other SEI Partner Network organizations, strategic partners are able to teach SEI advanced courses, conduct qualifying events such as observations and certification examinations for individuals in SEI qualification tracks, and conduct quality assurance and standardization activities in the region for the SEI technologies they represent. Advanced courses and examinations previously were conducted only by the SEI. 

For TSP, this means that the strategic partners will deliver TSP Coach Training and PSP Instructor Training. In addition, the strategic partners can conduct observations of TSP coaches, mentor new coaches, and offer the certification exams for PSP developers and TSP coaches. 

“The SEI’s Team Software Process has been shown to be one of the most effective software engineering processes in terms of cost, schedule, quality, and predictability,” said James Over, SEI team lead for TSP. “It is transforming the performance of organizations around the world, giving them the ability to deliver extremely high-quality software to committed plans.

“To help the SEI transition TSP into widespread use, I am pleased to have Tec de Monterrey and Next Process Institute as the SEI’s first Strategic Partners for TSP. Both Tec and NPI have enjoyed great success implementing TSP with companies in their region, and now as strategic partners, they will help us transition TSP into wider use by providing advanced training and regional support for TSP,” Over said.

“SEI strategic partners are highly experienced SEI Partners in selected regions who ensure a high-quality adoption process is applied,” said Lisa Masciantonio, manager of the SEI Partner Network. “In these emerging markets, it is a challenge for the SEI to have the resources to provide every country with tailored technology transition services to fit each of their particular needs.” 

“Japan and Asia-Pacific countries are the largest software sourcing region in the world, and software engineers and their managements are expected to create extremely high quality software for new products or for adapting legacy systems for rapidly advancing innovative global business,” said Yoshi Akiyama, founder of Next Process Institute. “As an SEI strategic partner for TSP, Next Process Institute, supports timely—and quicker—transition of advanced TSP services for software engineers, high performance teams, and software-organization managements in the region.”

Additionally, said Akiyama, sourcing these advanced services locally through on-site training or open courses, means significant cost savings—when considering travel costs or currency exchange rates—compared to acquiring these services directly from the SEI in the United States.

Having strategic partners for TSP throughout the world will be an “amazing help” in the transition of TSP agreed Tec de Monterrey Fellow Fernando Jaimes Pastrana. “To be much closer to the demand and to respond much more quickly to the different parts of the world that are experiencing tremendous growth is a benefit,” he said. “To have local partners with significant reach is of great importance to the mission of the SEI and, of course, to the regions involved. México and Latin America have grown in attractiveness for the U.S. software-development outsourcing market because they are in the same time zone and geographically close. Very high quality through TSP will be a key competitive advantage to maximize value when outsourcing to México and Latin America. Also identifying key R&D regional and industry issues and working joint solutions with the strategic partner brings effectiveness and timely response to both the SEI and the region.”

The strategic partnership is important to the partner’s mission as well, said Jaimes Pastrana. “It is our mission [at Tec de Monterrey] not only to develop human resources, in which we have an excellent reputation, but also to make important progress in our direct interaction with society to transition technologies like TSP. The association with the SEI strengthens this part of our mission and enriches it definitely.”

Additional SEI Partner organizations in other regions are expected to become strategic partners for TSP soon.