ESSI-Train - Training and awareness activities for software development
The European Systems and Software Initiative (ESSI), an accompanying measure of the Community's specific RTD programme in the field of Information Technologies (ESPRIT), is currently funding six training and awareness projects, collectively known as ESSI-Train. The aim of these projects is to raise general awareness of the benefits of advanced software engineering practice and to disseminate best practice in software development (management practices, methodologies, tools). The main goal of the Commission in bringing these six projects together in a "cluster" is to facilitate cooperation between smaller, individual projects which might otherwise operate quite independently. The projects participating in ESSI-Train are: - MURMUR: a multimedia CBT package on Managing User Requirements; - RAPID: a rapid means for SMEs to develop and implement an ISO 9000 compliant QMS; - SCATE: aims to make SPI accessible to small software teams in English, French and Greek-speaking countries; - TAPISTRY: designed to make the skills and expertise of top SPI experts accessible to SMEs; - TRAPSP: training in the Personal Software Process model using multimedia and distance training; - INSPIRE: seeks to promote all of the above and other proven SPA methods to Central and Eastern Europe (a project funded through the INCO-COPERNICUS programme). The ESSI-Train cluster will be developed through a series of six workshops to be held over a period of two years. Each workshop will offer training consortiums the opportunity to meet to exchange ideas, discuss potential collaboration, and present concrete results, whilst at the same time addressing one major issue of concern common to all the projects. The information generated by ESSI-Train, whether in the form of a training product, training workshop activity, written report or CD-ROM, will be reviewed and added to the VASIE (Value Added Software Information for Europe) repository - a web-based information structure bringing together results from all ESSI projects ( http://www.esi.es/VASIE/ ).