Software Engineering Standards and Gaming Development
 
Susan "Kathy" Land
 
IEEE Distinguished Lecturer
2009 IEEE Computer Society President
 
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
WPI-Higgins House, Worcester, MA
 
Susan Every organization faces their own unique challenges when developing software, none more so than that of gaming development. This presentation will describe how IEEE Software Engineering Standards have been used to support the processes required for basic software project control and management. It will explore how IEEE Software Engineering Standards have been practically applied to cope with the real-world problems that occur when you present the mix of Department of Defense (DoD) infrastructure (contracting and oversight activities) with the agile requirement to support gaming system development. Examples will be shown from America's Army development efforts.
 
The IEEE Computer Society currently provides over 40 standards that support software and systems engineering lifecycle activities and methodologies. Many of these directly support the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) level 2 process areas mapping directly to its goals and practices. The SED is a CMM Level 4 Organization and fully supports Level 2 CMMI-SW methodology. It was important that AA program look at how the CMMI model could be applied, and for tools to help describe classic software engineering methodology to members of the development team. IEEE SS&E standards were used to support a variety of CMMI compliance activities, but more importantly, the standards were used to train staff, and establish and help improve existing software engineering practices.
 
Ms. Land works for MITRE, a not-for-profit organization chartered to work in the public interest. MITRE manages three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): one for the Department of Defense (known as the DOD Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence FFRDC), one for the Federal Aviation Administration (the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development), and one for the Internal Revenue Service (the Center for Enterprise Modernization). (source: www.mitre.org).
 
Prior to joining MITRE, she served as the Program Manager for America’s Army, a multi-online game environment funded by the U.S. Army.
 
She has over 20 years of Information Technology related work experience including information management systems programming, database systems development, and enterprise application programming. Ms. Land was recently elected to serve as the 2009 President of the IEEE Computer Society.
 
She has extensive experience implementing software process improvement and is a recognized expert in this area having published several books on the subject to include: Practical ISO 9001 Software Process Documentation - Using IEEE Software Engineering Standards, Practical CMMI Software Process Documentation - Using IEEE Software Engineering Standards, and Jumpstart CMM/CMMI Software Process Improvement - Using IEEE Software Engineering Standards.
 
Ms. Land has a BS, The University of Georgia, 1984, and numerous certifications.
 
Time / Place:
The Worcester County Section dinner meeting will be held at WPI in Olin Hall, room 107, on December 5th from 6:00 to 9:00pm. Ms. Land's presentation will start at 6:00 followed by an optional dinner at Higgins House (on the WPI campus).
 
Reservations for dinner are required. The cost to members and guests will be $15 each, students and children are $10 each. The choice for dinner is Chicken Piccata or Salmon. To register please e-mail Al Reinhart at a.reinhart@ieee.org with your name, the number of attendees of each type, and dinner selection. You will receive a confirmation and instructions. Reservations must be received by Friday, November 30, 2007. Directions to WPI.   WPI Campus map.
 
PLEASE NOTE: Susan "Kathy" Land will also speak on:
 
December 4th - New Hampshire Computer Society Chapter
Co-sponsored by NH Women in Engineering 7:00 - 8:00 pm Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester Walker Auditorium, Robert Frost Hall For more information contact Prof. James Isaak, CS2007@JimIsaak.com See: http://www.snhu.edu/209.asp for directions
 
December 6th - Providence Section
Dinner talk, 6PM, Seekonk Ramada; see http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r1/providence/
 
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