title: The PSP0 Process and modern tools and programming languages
body: <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Software_Process" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Personal Software Process</a> (PSP) is designed to allow software engineers to understand and improve their performance. The PSP uses scripts to guide a practitioner through the process. Each script defines the purpose, the entry criteria, the steps to perform, and the exit criteria. PSP0 is designed to be a framework that allows for starting a personal process.</p>
  
  <p>One of the scripts used in PSP0 is the Development Script, which is to guide development. This script is used once there is a requirements statement, a project plan summary, time and defect recording logs are made, and a defect type standard is established. The activities of this script are design, code, compile, and test. The script is exited when you have a thoroughly tested application and complete time and defect logs.</p>
  
  <p>In the Code phase, you review the requirements and make a design, record requirements defects in the log, and perform time tracking. In the Compile phase, you compile, fix any compile time errors, and repeat until the program compiles, and record any defects and time. Finally, in the Test phase, you test until all tests run without error and all defects are fixed, while recording time and defects.</p>
  
  <p>My concerns are with how to manage the code, compile, and test phases when using modern programming languages (especially interpreted languages like Python, Perl, and Ruby) and IDEs.</p>
  
  <p>My questions:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>In interpreted languages, there is no compile time. However, there might be problems in execution. Is executing the script, outside of the unit (and other) tests, considered "compile" or "test" time? Should errors with execution be considered "compile" or "test" errors when tracking defects?</li>
  <li>If a test case encounters a syntax error, is that considered a code defect, a compile defect, or a test defect? The test actually found the error, but it is a code problem.</li>
  <li>If an IDE identifies an error that would prevent compilation before actually compiling, should that be identified? If so, should it be identified and tracked as a compile error or a code error?</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>It seems like the PSP, at least the PSP0 baseline process, is designed to be used with a compiled language and small applications written using a text editor (and not an IDE). In addition to my questions, I would appreciate the advice and commentary of anyone who is using or has used the PSP.</p>