Abstract

In today's global economy and global approach to developing and supporting software, it is critical that the process utilized for such activities is clearly defined and communicated to all constituents. In this entry, the general topics related to software process, process definition, process rationale, process communication, and cost are first discussed. A specific list of items: activities, control, product and artifacts, resources, and tools (ACPRT) are introduced as categories of information that are necessary for a well-defined software process. Examples from graphic process languages such as Visual Process Language (VPL) and Little-JIL, from Ada-based programming-like process languages such as APPL/A (A Language for Software Process Programming) and CSPL (Concurrent Software Process Language), and from XML-based process definition and exchange languages such as XPDL and BPEL are then explored as instruments for conveying processes.