Strengthen process debt identification through process assessment standards

Process Debt (PD), a concept derived from the Technical Debt, consists of a sub-optimal activity that might have short-term benefits but generates a negative impact in the medium-long term. PD identification is a key phase of PD management as it aims to determine the type of PD, where it is located, and how to estimate its impact. However, PD identification is the most challenging phase, as practitioners find it the most effort-intensive, mainly due to the immaterial nature of the process. In this paper, to mitigate the difficulties of PD identification, we propose a methodology that relies on frameworks compliant with the ISO/IEC 33000 family standard, the reference standard for process assessment. We also provide an exemplar application using the data from a process assessment performed using the Automotive SPICE, a framework compliant with the ISO/IEC 33000 requirements. An excerpt of the case study results is presented, showing the potential for a systematic and effective approach to PD identification.