What is SPICE?

SPICE stands for Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination. It can be translated into our language as development of software processes and determination of skill level. The purpose of the SPICE model is to create a common structure for different software process evaluation methods and a common language for evaluation results.

In recent years, technocities have been increasing, the number of companies in the field of information technologies has increased, and the labor force, experience and capital have been increasing the competitiveness of our country. On the other hand, in order to make this rapid development in the information technology sector permanent and sustainable, planning processes, traceability and measurability features should be added to software processes. Project planning, scaling, role sharing, risk planning, procurement, maintenance and repair processes need to be determined and calculated well in order to achieve the objectives of the enterprises.

The SPICE standard, or the ISO 15504 Software Process Assessment System standard, is an internationally recognized software process quality standard designed to improve software processes and to determine the ability levels of each process.

Delivering quality products to customers on time and at expected cost is the common goal of software companies who want to succeed. For this reason, these companies have focused on improving software processes to see how software processes develop and need innovations. Process assessment models are also needed to know the process improvement opportunities and carry out process assessment studies. Although there are several models in the process evaluation of software companies, it is generally based on a widely used model such as SPICE in the world. However, this model covers a wide range and process evaluation models such as Medi SPICE, Automotive SPICE and Enterprise SPICE have emerged over time.

What is ISO 15504 Software Process Evaluation System?

The ISO 15504 standard was prepared jointly by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and published in 1995. These standards are designed for software companies and aim to improve software development processes. These standards also allow the evaluation of the effectiveness of the processes applied by the companies.

In general, ISO 15504 Software Process Evaluation System is based on project planning process, project management process, software development process and organizational processes which are involved in software development processes.

Information technology sector is an important sector that is developing rapidly in the world and in our country. Software studies are the locomotive of this growth and have a strategic importance. Software companies need process evaluation studies for the following reasons:

• Understand what needs to be done with the need to improve software processes
• Determining the adequacy of processes to prove to customers
• Understand which processes and competencies are important in process evaluation

Software companies can use the evaluation results as follows:

• As a guide to software processes
• As a reference to prove process and process adequacy
• As a training document on employee development
• As a valid reference when comparing itself with other companies
• In-house as a process and process adequacy checklist

The Turkish Standards Institute has published the ISO 15504 standard series developed by ISO under the following headings:

• TS ISO / IEC 15504-1 Information technology - Software process evaluation - Part 1: Glossary of concepts and definitions (canceled)
• TS ISO / IEC 15504-2 ... Section 2: Reference model for process and process capacity (canceled)
• TS ISO / IEC 15504-3 ... Section 3: Evaluation process
• TS ISO / IEC 15504-4 ... Section 4: Guidance for the implementation of assessments
• TS ISO / IEC 15504-5 ... Section 5: Example for the process evaluation model
• TS ISO / IEC 15504-6 ... Chapter 6: Example for the life cycle process evaluation model
• 15504-8 ... Section 8: An exemplary process evaluation model for IT service management
• TS 15504-9 ... Section 9: Target process profiles
• TS ISO / IEC TS 15504-10 ... Section 10: Safety additions

The first two standards that were subsequently revoked were replaced by the following standards:

• TS ISO / IEC 33001 Information technology - Process evaluation - Concepts and terms
• TS ISO / IEC 33002 Information technology - Process evaluation - Requirements for the execution of process evaluation

The term geliştirme software development life cycle Bilgi in the field of information technologies refers to all the phases of the software activities during the production and usage process. In this cycle, basic steps such as analysis, analysis, design, implementation, testing and maintenance are taken. User requirements are constantly changing and evolving. Therefore, this cycle is repeated for new software requirements on the one hand and updates for existing software. In this respect, the fact that software companies have obtained ISO 15504 Software Process Evaluation System certificate or SPICE certificate for short is a great gain.

Now let's briefly look at what the software companies that have this document have achieved in this way:

• A standard structure is established for software processes
• A systematic order is established for the determination of the firm's software capability, evaluation and improvement of software quality

• The company has the opportunity to measure the development of software quality
• A culture of continuous improvement is established in the company and concrete steps are taken to continue this.
• Software processes that meet the objectives of the company are arranged with an engineering approach
• The company's resources are used effectively and correctly
• Software firms find themselves in a more concrete comparison with their competitors

The ISO / IEC 15504 SPICE model is applicable for companies of various sizes and various application areas. It is not interested in the organizational structure or management philosophy of the software company. It also does not rely on a particular software technology or software development method. Because this model sets out the basic requirements for quality software engineering.

In the selection of materials used in the production of pressure vessels, the material's resistance to fluid, weldability, mechanical and thermal loads and market conditions are taken into consideration. In the selection of the most suitable materials in production, the following factors, which have an impact on weldability, are taken into account: the chemical structure of the material, the effect of stresses, the thermal changes during the welding process and the thickness of the material. For example, during the welding process, continuous changes occur in the steel materials with the effect of high temperature. For this reason, welding processes can be carried out in steels with high welding ability without special precautions and these changes cause problems in welded structure. If the steel material has limited weldability, even a normal welding process can lead to changes in the welded product which cause serious problems. For example, cracks may occur during or after the welding process or reductions in strength values ​​may occur. Therefore, special precautions should be taken before welding works on such materials.

In the meantime, it is necessary to confirm whether the welding consumable to be used during the joining of the specified material, the welding method to be applied and the welding parameters to be applied before the production works start, shall be verified by welding method verification studies. Another important point in welded manufacturing should be checked whether welders or welding operators who have welded manufacturing have sufficient training, experience and capability and whether there are welder documents. These conditions are very important for achieving the predicted welding quality. In the meantime, the thickness and dimensions of the materials to be joined should also be suitable.

In general, pressure vessels use a single-sided or double-sided but fully penetrated welding method depending on the thickness of the material. The main welding methods are submerged arc welding, electric arc welding and submerged arc welding. In general, the welding method to be applied depends on the possibilities of manufacturing. However, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

What is ISO 3834 Welded Manufacturing Management System?

The most important point in welding works is that there are hardly detected errors in the completed welding. The majority of these errors are directly related to the quality of the weld and can only be detected by destructive inspection methods. A small number of welding defects are detected by non-destructive testing methods. Therefore, the essential quality is to ensure the design and production stages. Achieving this depends on controlling all processes with an effective quality control system.

The first studies in this direction are the EN 729 standard series. Published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) in 1994, these standards define the quality criteria for arc welding of metallic materials. The standards that make up the array are:

• EN 729-1 Quality requirements for welding - Metallic materialfusion welding - Part 1: Selection and use guidelines
• EN 729-2 ... Section 2: Comprehensive quality requirements
• EN 729-3 ... Section 3: Standard quality requirements
• EN 729-4 ... Section 4: Basic quality requirements

Enterprises have used this set of standards until recently. However, the International Standards Organization (ISO) has published a series of ISO 3834 standards on the same subject. Both sets of standards are similar in content. The ISO 3834 standard provides guidance for welding operations in metallic manufacturing plants.

When both standards involved in the implementation caused some confusion, the European Standardization Committee and the International Standards Organization convened in 2005 and agreed to publish the ISO 3834 Welded Manufacturing Management System standard. In this way, the EN 729 series of standards is no longer applied and only the ISO 3834 standard is introduced in the welded manufacturing sector. In our country, Turkish Standards Institute has published the following standards based on ISO standards:

• TS EN ISO 3834-1 Quality requirements for the melting of metallic materials - Part 1: Criteria for selecting the appropriate level of quality requirements
• TS EN ISO 3834-2 ... Section 2: Comprehensive quality requirements
• TS EN ISO 3834-3 ... Section 3: Standard quality requirements
• TS EN ISO 3834-4 ... Section 4: Basic quality requirements
• TS EN ISO 3834-5 ... Section 5: Documents required to verify the conformity of ISO 3834-2, ISO 3834-3 or ISO 3834-4 standards with quality requirements

Today, the European Union directives also refer to the ISO 3834 standard. For example, European Union pressure vessels directive 97 / 23 / EC46 and EN 13814 Gaming and entertainment area structures and machines - Safety standard.

ISO 3834 Welding Management System What Does Business Gain?

ISO 9001 Quality Management System is a general quality certification and does not fully meet the production processes of a specific activity or working with different materials. For this reason, welded manufacturing enterprises should be evaluated and certified separately by an independent, impartial and competent certification body according to TS EN ISO 3834 standard. However, thanks to this document, businesses gain a commercial value and the production processes are carried out to provide certain products of the desired quality, providing more confidence for customers. As ISO 3834 standard becomes increasingly widespread, it allows enterprises to document their competencies. ISO 3834 certification is the following gains:

• The welding requirements of the ISO 9001 standard are fully met
• Reduces the need for repetition, repair and repair
• Activities are completed within the planned time
• Increases reputation and recognition in the domestic and foreign markets
• Welding work is coordinated more efficiently
• Increased employee satisfaction and proactive workforce in the enterprise
• Easier bidding for different jobs
• New technologies are used efficiently and costs are reduced
• Welded manufacturing quality increases in the enterprise
• Increases the reliability of the enterprise with customers

Development of Tourism Sector in Turkey

The years of 1980, where structural changes in the economy came to the fore, have created fundamental changes in the economic and social life of our country. One of the prominent sectors in the change is tourism. Many incentives have been provided in the tourism sector and the tourism sector has gained a very different character and operation than before the 1980s. The tourism sector has not only grown in numbers but also has a positive impact on people's quality of life and living conditions. This sector, which employs more than one million people, affects the lives of five million people on average, considering the relatives of the employees. In fact, the second sector that provides the most employment with the lowest investment is tourism in the economy.

In the first years of the establishment of the Republic, only about five thousand foreign visitors came to our country, while today the number of visitors increased to over 40 million annually and our country is the sixth destination that attracts the most tourists. The tourism sector has developed not only quantitatively but also qualitatively. The most important note is that the tourism sector, which now purchases goods and services from the main sector close to 60, is the sector with the lowest dependence on imports in providing services. At the same time, as the use of technology in tourism is low, it is a dynamic sector in closing trade deficits of other sectors where technology use is high. According to the calculations, one unit demand increase in tourism revives the economy by two units. One unit of revival in the economy creates one unit of revival in tourism.

As a result of the increase in international competition with the phenomenon of globalization and the incredibly rapid development of communication technology, the world has now become a single market. This situation forces the tourism sector to do something in terms of the marketing strategies they will apply in domestic and foreign markets. The aim of marketing activities in the tourism sector is to meet consumer expectations at the right time and in the right direction.

Tourism is a dynamic and interactive service sector that is constantly developing and growing. Various economic, technological, sociocultural, demographic, political and geographical factors are constantly affected by tourism. Overall, the increase in tourism activities is an indicator of economic development in a society. Sociocultural factors are the expression of any social tendency that motivates people. For example, it is a sociocultural factor that people in the northern countries believe that sunbathing is beneficial, or that the idea that vacation is not a luxury but a need for people. Demographic factors that affect tourism are the increase in the level of education, the increase in the cost of having children, and the shrinking of families through urbanization. Increasing computer and internet usage and providing easier access to information are the technological factors affecting tourism. One of the most important factors in the development of tourism is the innovations in transportation.

Finally, one of the factors affecting tourism is political factors. Tourism depends on the freedom of people to travel within the country and abroad. The most vivid examples of this are the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the increase in the number of people who have the freedom to travel with more flexible policies in China.

What is ISO 18513 Tourism Services Management System?

However, despite these factors, the important point is that the hotels, holiday villages and touristic facilities operating in the tourism sector provide quality and reliable services. The tourism sector itself includes many services, such as banks, travel agencies, tour operators and shops, as well as services such as accommodation, transportation, food and beverage and entertainment.

ISO 2003 Tourism Services Management System standard was published in 18513 as a result of the efforts of International Standards Organization (ISO) to achieve a standard in the services provided in the tourism sector. In our country, this standard has been published by Turkish Standards Institute with the following title: TS EN ISO 18513 Tourism services - Hotels and other types of tourism accommodation - Terminology. This standard covers accommodation, eating and drinking, recreation (entertainment based on physical activity) and other services in the tourism sector.

The ISO 18513 standard is the only internationally recognized standard in the field of accommodation today. The design of this standard has taken a long time, because tourism activities are a set of events with significant social, cultural and economic consequences.

Prior to the publication of this standard, with the increasing national and international travels, many public and private institutions began to discuss the issue of how to classify hotels, and this became a worldwide problem. On these developments, the World Tourism Organization initiated a study on the classification of hotels in 2001. The preparation of the ISO 18513 standard is the result of these efforts.

The main principles adopted by the ISO 18513 standard can be explained as follows:

• In all touristic facilities housekeeping and front offices, signs, reservation rules and common language that have the same meaning and easily understood by customers must be established everywhere in the world. Warnings such as cold and hot water selection, telephone exchange, reception numbers and please do not disturb should be standard.
• All employees should have a common level of foreign language education.
• In touristic facilities, security systems such as fire safety, smoke detectors, fire extinguishing systems and signs indicating escape routes should be of a certain standard.
• Voltage and electrical plugs must be standard in all tourist facilities.
• Water and air quality in tourist facilities, hygiene of food and beverages, hygiene conditions of kitchens and restaurants, clothing and cleaning of employees should be standard. At the same time, the cleaning and hygiene conditions must be monitored continuously. In addition, employees in kitchens and restaurants should have a certain level of education. In addition, standards should be set for the procurement process and working conditions with suppliers.
• Finally, the product evaluation methods and standards indicating the performance of employees should be determined.

In short, quality standards, criteria, principles and hotel classification systems have been established in tourism sector with the cooperation of World Tourism Organization on the one hand and International Standards Organization on the other hand. The ISO 18513 standard eliminated elements that could create unfair competition in the tourism sector.

What is 7 Star Hotel Certification?

Seven Star Quality System is a Quality Management System designed by TÜRCERT and introduced to the tourism sector. However, the 7 star here does not have anything to do with the known star system of hotels and tourist facilities. The Seven Star Quality System is a system that combines the standards and principles of various management systems and is designed entirely for hotels and tourist facilities.

The Seven Star Quality System incorporates the following management systems, expressed in color.

White Star Energy Management System

The development of tourism is a great economic power for our country. However, protecting local resources and not damaging the environment is a huge responsibility. This sector consumes a lot of energy, and as the sector grows, the need for energy will grow further. At this point, enterprises should act with a sense of responsibility and operate within the framework of the legal regulations in force. One of these responsibilities is saving energy consumption, controlling greenhouse gas emissions and being sensitive to environmental conditions.

The basis of the White Star Energy Management System is the ISO 50001 Energy Management System standard. This system provides the following main benefits to businesses:

• Saves energy and reduces costs
• Compliance with domestic and foreign legal regulations
• Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced
• Environmental damages are taken under control
• Efficient operation of machinery and equipment is ensured
• The entity can benefit from the State-provided Productivity Enhancing Project Grant Supports.

Red Star Food Safety Management System

World population is increasing rapidly, whereas natural resources are decreasing more rapidly. This raises concerns about food safety in the future. Like all sectors, enterprises operating in tourism sector should give importance to food safety and try to take precautions against food hazards.

Red Star Food Safety Management System is based on ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System standard. This system provides the following main benefits to businesses:

• A measurable improvement in the quality of services provided by the organization
• Increases the reputation of the organization and creates a sense of trust in the industry
• Reduce costs by minimizing service errors
• The organization gains superiority over its competitors and increases profitability
• Management efficiency of the organization increases and an effective decision system is established
• The organization has access to foreign markets
• Joint responsibility of employees is provided and an effective self-control system is provided in the organization
• Compliance with domestic and foreign legal regulations

Yellow Star Customer Satisfaction Management System

Ensuring customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction is much more important in the tourism sector, which is a service sector. Maintaining existing customers on the one hand and establishing long-term relationships with newly acquired customers on the other hand are also priorities for hotels and touristic facilities serving in the tourism sector.

The basis of the Yellow Star Customer Satisfaction Management System is the TS ISO 10002 Customer Satisfaction Management System standard. This system provides the following main benefits to businesses:

• Organizations prove that they care about customers
• Meeting, evaluating and resolving customer complaints becomes systematic
• Possible problems with the customer are solved quickly and fairly
• The organization gains a certain advantage over its competitors
• Excellent customer relationship management
• The organization gains the opportunity to turn customer complaints into opportunities

Blue Star Hygiene Management System

In terms of businesses operating in the tourism sector, it is inevitable to determine control points for disinfection and sterilization and to obey the rules of all employees in buildings, offices, toilets and showers, kitchens and dishwashers, appliances and equipment used, lighting and heating systems and storage places. The main purpose of doing this is to prevent damage to customers.

The basis of the Blue Star Hygiene Management System is the ISO 13027 Hygiene and Sanitation Inspection System standard in Food Business. This system provides the following main benefits to businesses:

• Organizations prove to their customers that they are clean and hygienic
• Ensures reliable and quality service offered
• Reduces customer complaints and creates trust in customers
• Hence the reputation of the organization increases
• The organization identifies physical, chemical or biological risks from today and takes precautions.
• Joint responsibility of employees is provided and an effective self-control system is provided in the organization
• Compliance with domestic and foreign legal regulations

Mor Yildiz Social Responsibility Management System

Hotels and tourist facilities must maintain the environment in which they operate in order to be sustainable. The social responsibilities of enterprises in this sense include the following: protection of the natural environment, providing quality services in line with the demands of the customers, providing accurate and complete information to the people about the activities and supporting various health and art activities.

The basis of Mor Yıldız Social Responsibility System is the ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Management System standard. This system provides the following main benefits to businesses:

• Improved poor working conditions in the organization
• Supports the efforts of NGOs
• Contribution to Social Responsibility Mutual Funds

Turkuaz Yıldız Environmental Management System

Natural environmental conditions are getting worse every day and the world's ecological balance is irreparably deteriorated. It is necessary to minimize the damages caused by the organizations and prevent them as much as possible.

Turkuaz Yıldız Environmental Management System is based on ISO 14001 Environmental Management System standard. This system provides the following main benefits to businesses:

• Organizations prove their commitment to environmental management
• Pollution from activities is controlled from source
• Confidence is given to customers
• The organization receives the necessary authorization and authorization documents more easily
• Establishment reputation in domestic and foreign markets
• Natural resources are used effectively and costs are reduced
• Compliance with domestic and foreign legal regulations

Orange Star Quality Management System

In terms of hotels and tourist facilities, quality standards are extremely important to meet customer expectations, to comply with legal regulations and to increase customer satisfaction.

The basis of the Orange Star Quality Management System is the ISO 9001 Quality Management System standard. This system provides the following main benefits to businesses:

• Activities in the organization are carried out in a discipline
• The organization works customer-oriented and easily follows the demands and expectations of customers
• The organization gains reputation in domestic and foreign markets and gains competitive advantage
• The organization has the convenience of selecting suppliers and keeping them under control more easily
• Reduces error rates and increases productivity
• Measurement, analysis and evaluation of the services provided are easy.