Software process automation has two meanings in this book. First, the software for process or activity automation is based on groupware. Second, in reviewing groupware for technical writing process automation, we are led to the development of groupware for software development and maintenance. The goal of this process automation survey is continuous process improvement to advance quality and productivity. Further stimulus is given by the Capability Maturity Model and the ISO-9000-3 standard. Groupware is networking software to provide communications and data interchange, command, and control among many workstations. The groupware is object-oriented in that at any level of the software, program code, text, and graphics data elements are considered objects, which are reusable.

Process automation is developed as a process centered framework (PCF), which is a software product for a process enactment language. A process centered environment (PCE) is PCF groupware programmed to manage a specific task such as software development with tools such as metrics collection, project management, and software development. PCE examples are developed using the graphical language ProNet, which can be executed using ProSim, a simulation language. These languages are not currently available as PC software, so the graphical language is translated to Prolog, which can then be executed for the simulation. Two PCE products for the technical writing application--Process Weaver and Synervision--are reviewed. Finally, PCE groupware for computer-assisted software engineering (CASE) is discussed.

A good argument is made that flexible PCE groupware is the type to obtain. The PCE should be graphically based. The graphic language, defining connectability, is compiled into executable code. It needs to allow windows, screens, or panels with pull-down menus, buttons, and help screens. The enterprise that considers buying the groupware would want example packages that illustrate many significant features. A PCE software support group would develop the enterprise’s custom package by cutting, pasting, and creating from these examples to produce groupware that fits the enterprise’s current policies. The enterprise would choose a software product because it is totally flexible in all the areas identified for future changes. As corporate policy grows, PCE software support can make the package evolve. As changes are identified that enable continuous process improvement, PCE software support makes these changes.

User adoption issues are extensively discussed, including resistance to change, the imposition of software process automation on the employees, lessons from groupware, process ownership and improvement, and questionnaires and responses to the Process Weaver and Synervision examples. Different versions or copies of the software automation groupware can be installed on a LAN for testing, evaluation, training, and production. Christie only illustrates groupware for technical writing and software development or maintenance, but it can also be used to manage a business; artwork; newspaper, magazine, or book publication; or various science and engineering projects. It can be used to manage the activities on any group of computers. This book is recommended to those who are interested in obtaining their first groupware or those who already have groupware and need a perspective for analyzing future directions.