Software Certification Programme

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/20...ss_30032228.php

Software certification programme

Software Park Thailand has kicked off the SPI@ease programme, whose goal is to encourage local firms to achieve the international standard for software process improvement, the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI).

The programme aims to create 15 companies as newly CMMI-certified Level 2 to Level 5 in the next three years. They will get financial support from Software Park Thailand to the tune of 70 per cent of the cost of CMMI certification.

Chamaiporn Pornpruethianan, deputy director of Software Park Thailand, said the park aimed to help seven or eight local software firms become certified CMMI Level 2, four certified Level 3, and three or four certified Levels 4 and 5.

The number of CMMI-certified companies is a crucial factor for the Thai software industry, as the standard is accepted globally. Certification creates more confidence among potential customers.

The programme started this month with a recruitment stage until August, by which time the park aims to have selected 15 companies.

Manoo Ordeedolchest, board committee member of the National Science and Technology Develop-ment Agency, said the number of CMMI-certified companies was very important. If the number is small, Thai firms will lose competitiveness. "We have started now, so it is not too late. The programme is supported by NSTDA budgets with Bt20 million," he said.