Trillium Model
Encyclopedia
The Trillium Model, created by Bell Canada
, combines requirements from the ISO 9000
series, the CMM
for Software, and the Malcolm Baldrige criteria
, with software quality standards from the IEEE. Trillium has a telecommunications
orientation and provides customer focus. The practices in the Trillium Model are derived from a benchmarking
exercise which focused on all practices that would contribute to an organization's product development and support capability.
The Trillium Model covers all aspects of the software development life-cycle
, most system and product development and support activities, and a significant number of related marketing activities. Many of the practices described in the model can be applied directly to hardware development.
This Model and its accompanying tools are not in themselves a product development process
or life-cycle model
. Rather, the Trillium Model provides key industry practices
which can be used to improve an existing process or life-cycle
and Practices
. There are four different ways in which the Trillium Model is typically applied.
The Capability Evaluation and Capability Joint-Assessment are two methods of evaluating an organization's product development and support process capability. A Capability Evaluation is the evaluation of a supplier by a second party, typically the customer. A Capability Joint Evaluation assumes an effective partnership relationship exists between the customer and supplier.
For the Development organization, achieving a higher capability can result in:
, most system and product development and support activities, and a significant number of related marketing activities. Although Trillium has been designed to be applied to embedded software systems such as telecommunications systems, much of the model can be applied to other segments of the software industry such as Management Information Systems (MIS)
. The various differences between the Trillium Model and the CMM
as given as follow:
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
, combines requirements from the ISO 9000
ISO 9000
The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
series, the CMM
Capability Maturity Model
The Capability Maturity Model is a development model that was created after study of data collected from organizations that contracted with the U.S. Department of Defense, who funded the research. This model became the foundation from which CMU created the Software Engineering Institute...
for Software, and the Malcolm Baldrige criteria
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes U.S. organizations in the business, health care, education, and nonprofit sectors for performance excellence. The Baldrige Award is the only formal recognition of the performance excellence of both public and private U.S. organizations given by...
, with software quality standards from the IEEE. Trillium has a telecommunications
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
orientation and provides customer focus. The practices in the Trillium Model are derived from a benchmarking
Benchmarking
Benchmarking is the process of comparing one's business processes and performance metrics to industry bests and/or best practices from other industries. Dimensions typically measured are quality, time and cost...
exercise which focused on all practices that would contribute to an organization's product development and support capability.
The Trillium Model covers all aspects of the software development life-cycle
Software development process
A software development process, also known as a software development life cycle , is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. Similar terms include software life cycle and software process. It is often considered a subset of systems development life cycle...
, most system and product development and support activities, and a significant number of related marketing activities. Many of the practices described in the model can be applied directly to hardware development.
Objectives
The Trillium Model has been developed from a customer perspective, as perceived in a competitive, commercial environment. The Model is used in a variety of ways:- to benchmarkBenchmarkingBenchmarking is the process of comparing one's business processes and performance metrics to industry bests and/or best practices from other industries. Dimensions typically measured are quality, time and cost...
an organization's product development and support process capability against best practices in the industry, - in self-assessment mode, to help identify opportunities for improvement within a product development organization, and
- In pre-contractual negotiations, to assist in selecting a supplier.
This Model and its accompanying tools are not in themselves a product development process
New product development
In business and engineering, new product development is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a new product to market. A product is a set of benefits offered for exchange and can be tangible or intangible...
or life-cycle model
Software development process
A software development process, also known as a software development life cycle , is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. Similar terms include software life cycle and software process. It is often considered a subset of systems development life cycle...
. Rather, the Trillium Model provides key industry practices
Best practice
A best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark...
which can be used to improve an existing process or life-cycle
The Trillium Scale
The Trillium scale spans levels 1 through 5. The levels can be characterized in the following way:- Unstructured: The development processSoftware development processA software development process, also known as a software development life cycle , is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. Similar terms include software life cycle and software process. It is often considered a subset of systems development life cycle...
is adhocAd hocAd hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
. Projects frequently cannot meet quality or schedule targets. Success, while possible, is based on individuals rather than on organizational infrastructure. (Risk - High) - Repeatable and Project Oriented: Individual project success is achieved through strong project management planning and control, with emphasis on requirements managementRequirements managementRequirements management is the process of documenting, analyzing, tracing, prioritizing and agreeing on requirements and then controlling change and communicating to relevant stakeholders. It is a continuous process throughout a project...
, estimationEstimationEstimation is the calculated approximation of a result which is usable even if input data may be incomplete or uncertain.In statistics,*estimation theory and estimator, for topics involving inferences about probability distributions...
techniques, and configuration managementConfiguration managementConfiguration management is a field of management that focuses on establishing and maintaining consistency of a system or product's performance and its functional and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life.For information assurance, CM...
. (Risk - Medium) - Defined and Process Oriented: Processes are defined and utilized at the organizational level, although project customization is still permitted. Processes are controlled and improved. ISO 9001ISO 9000The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
requirements such as training and internal process auditingAuditThe general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
are incorporated. (Risk - Low) - Managed and Integrated: Process instrumentation and analysis is used as a key mechanism for process improvementProcess improvementIn organizational development , process improvement is a series of actions taken by a process owner to identify, analyze and improve existing business processes within an organization to meet new goals and objectives. These actions often follow a specific methodology or strategy to create...
. Process change managementChange management processThe change management process in systems engineering is the process of requesting, determining attainability, planning, implementing, and evaluating of changes to a system...
and defect prevention programsSoftware reviewA software review is "A process or meeting during which a software product is examined by a project personnel, managers, users, customers, user representatives, or other interested parties for comment or approval"....
are integrated into processes. CASE tools are integrated into processes. (Risk - Lower) - Fully Integrated: Formal methodologiesMethodologyMethodology is generally a guideline for solving a problem, with specificcomponents such as phases, tasks, methods, techniques and tools . It can be defined also as follows:...
are extensively used. Organizational repositories for development history and process are utilized and effective. (Risk - Lowest)
Architecture of the Trillium Model
The Trillium Model consists of Capability Areas, RoadmapsTechnology roadmap
A technology roadmap is a plan that matches short-term and long-term goals with specific technology solutions to help meet those goals. It is a plan that applies to a new product or process, or to an emerging technology. Developing a roadmap has three major uses...
and Practices
Best practice
A best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark...
. There are four different ways in which the Trillium Model is typically applied.
The Capability Evaluation and Capability Joint-Assessment are two methods of evaluating an organization's product development and support process capability. A Capability Evaluation is the evaluation of a supplier by a second party, typically the customer. A Capability Joint Evaluation assumes an effective partnership relationship exists between the customer and supplier.
Benefits
For Customer organizations, a higher capability means that:- the development organization is more responsive to customer and market demands,
- the life-cycle cost of the product(s) is minimizedProduct life cycle managementProduct life-cycle management is the succession of strategies used by business management as a product goes through its life-cycle. The conditions in which a product is sold changes over time and must be managed as it moves through its succession of stages.Product life-cycle Like human beings,...
, and - end-user satisfaction is maximized.
For the Development organization, achieving a higher capability can result in:
- lower development and maintenance costs,
- shorter cycle time and development intervals,
- an increased ability to achieve content and schedule commitments due to effective project riskIdentifying and Managing Project RiskIdentifying and Managing Project Risk by Tom Kendrick, is a book about identifying and managing risks on projects. The book is geared to be used by a junior Project Manager and Kendrick aligns the chapters of the Book to the Project Management Institute's Guide to the Project Management Body of...
analysis and effort estimationEstimation in software engineeringThe ability to accurately estimate the time and/or cost taken for a project to come in to its successful conclusion is a serious problem for software engineers. The use of a repeatable, clearly defined and well understood software development process has, in recent years, shown itself to be the...
, and - an increasing ability to meet quantifiable design and quality objectives at all stages of the development processSoftware development processA software development process, also known as a software development life cycle , is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. Similar terms include software life cycle and software process. It is often considered a subset of systems development life cycle...
CMM vs. Trillium
The Trillium Model covers all aspects of the software development life-cycleSoftware development process
A software development process, also known as a software development life cycle , is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. Similar terms include software life cycle and software process. It is often considered a subset of systems development life cycle...
, most system and product development and support activities, and a significant number of related marketing activities. Although Trillium has been designed to be applied to embedded software systems such as telecommunications systems, much of the model can be applied to other segments of the software industry such as Management Information Systems (MIS)
Management information system
A management information system provides information needed to manage organizations efficiently and effectively. Management information systems involve three primary resources: people, technology, and information. Management information systems are distinct from other information systems in that...
. The various differences between the Trillium Model and the CMM
Capability Maturity Model
The Capability Maturity Model is a development model that was created after study of data collected from organizations that contracted with the U.S. Department of Defense, who funded the research. This model became the foundation from which CMU created the Software Engineering Institute...
as given as follow:
- Trillium mMdel architecture is based on roadmaps, rather than key process areas (KPAs) present in CMM
- Trillium Model has a wider product perspective rather than only based on software process improvement
- Trillium claims a wider coverage of capability impacting issues.
- Trillium Model has orientation towards customer focus, technological maturity and telecommunication industry.