GARP -: The evolution of a software acquisition process model

At DaimlerChrysler, the greatest part of the business and automotive software is provided by suppliers, often developed in complex software acquisition projects. Therefore, the development of a mature software acquisition process is essential for business success. One task of the DaimlerChrysler software process research department is the evaluation, customisation, and implementation of methods and techniques for software acquisition. This paper gives an overview of software acquisition process activities that were performed at this department. We developed a comprehensive lifecycle oriented model of a software acquisition reference process. The sub-steps of this process model are further explained by best practices. Furthermore, we describe how we used this acquisition process reference model for improving software acquisition activities at DaimlerChrysler.