IT R&D programme : Volume VIII: Software systems and software best practice; summaries of ESSI projects (pilot phase)

This report contains information on the 101 projects (92 application experiments and nine dissemination actions) launched in the pilot phase of the European systems and software initiative (ESSI), a group of actions aimed at promoting the adoption of software best practice. After a short introduction on ESSI, summaries of the pilot phase are presented in two separate sections: application experiment summaries and dissemination action summaries. Application experiments are targeted at building up a comprehensive set of examples to show that the adoption of improved software development practices is both possible and has clear industrial benefits. The experiments involve the introduction of state-of-the-art software engineering supports (e.g. management practices, methodologies, tools) into real produption environments that address specific applications, and then an evaluation of the resulting impact. Dissemination actions aim at fostering specific communities of interest (such as producers concerned with, for example, embedded software development) and promoting, on a widespread basis, the relevant results of the application experiments and other sources of best practice advice and experience. Overall, the aim is to ensure that companies on a Community-wide basis are aware of the experiences of the users involved in ESSI and of the opportunities more generally available to assist them in improving their software capabilities.