ASPICE – way to assess your process .

ASPICE (or Automotive SPICE) is a standard framework applied to company processes to avoid risks and minimize failures on the end user. It provides methods to score each supplier and their whole process structure. 

Within the ASPICE framework, you score processes with a 0-5 capability determination scale. 

Each level means:

• 0 – Incomplete -> A process is not achieving its purpose or is not implemented.
• 1 – Performed -> An implemented process is achieving its purpose.
• 2 – Managed -> A previously performed process is now implemented in a managed fashion. Subsequent steps of the process are established, controlled, and maintained.
• 3 – Established -> A previously managed process is now implemented using a defined process that can achieve its process outcomes.
• 4 – Predictable -> A previously established process is now operated predictively within defined limits. Quantitative management needs are identified to find and address process variations for further improvement.
• 5 – Innovating -> A previously predictable process is now continually improved to respond to organizational change.

To simplify the approach, most OEMs are looking for partners that can achieve level 2 or 3, which gives OEMs reason to believe that a partner delivers correctly created elements. It lets OEMs avoid problems at the end of product development. Level 2/3 represents a situation where your organization has:

• a thoroughly defined process and strategies for product creation.
• several quality checkpoints testing if the product development involves the previously defined inputs.
• complete list of output items needed for product development.
• ways to describe each process step with reports and metrics.
• a scheduled information flow between partners, suppliers, and company departments.

Process assessment model

The assessment process bases on a two-dimensional framework (graph from official AUTOSAR Guideline V4.0):

The Y-axis points let us assess each process step individually.

The X-axis follows an assessment of the process step based on points/practices provided by the ASPICE standard.

To better understand the scoring system, we need to introduce some wording in ASPICE:

• Process Attributes (PA) – are main points connected directly with the Capability level to achieve it (ex. level 1 has a PA1.1) including the scope and achievements.
• Generic practices – it is a list of points to follow and fulfill with corresponding PA points for the Capability level.

In addition, each process step in ASPICE is described by:

• Process outcomes – main goals which specific step is trying to achieve.
• Work products – list of standard output items that the process should establish, manage, and provide to reach a specific outcome.
• Base practices – which are a list of points that categorize what to do to achieve process outcomes with appropriate work products.

Assessment score is based on scale NPLF where letters stand for:

To achieve capability level 1, a company needs to get a score of L or F on corresponding process attributes. PA1.1 has only one generic practice. It is to fulfill all base practices associated with the assessed process steps. Each step is scored individually.

To achieve capability level 2, you need to achieve a score of F on the previous level (PA1.1) and at least L or F in the newly introduced PA2.X points attached to it. The same logic applies to achieving levels 3, 4, and 5.

Rating your capability level will give you an overview of where your process is, where there are flaws and possible corrections.

If you would like to find out more about ASPICE, I suggest looking for free guideline documents and a pocket guide that can help you understand each process step. Next time, I will try to explain how to use ASPICE to asses your product life cycle processes.