Managing New Tools*

Software organizations manage new software engineering tools through initiatives aimed at improving software processes and products. Each new initiative raises a number of engineering and management questions. As engineers we are feature and system oriented; we tend to focus on what a new tool can be used for. As managers we are effect and process oriented; we concentrate on how to implement the tool into the existing organizational and technical environment. The purpose of this paper is to direct attention and guide action in managing new software engineering tools. Based on established theories of software and technology assimilation we present key decisions, generic options, and underlying rationales involved in designing initiatives. This involves a discussion of five key questions: why adopt a specific tool, what to use the tool for, which roles to support, where to use the tool, and how to manage the assimilation process.