Fundamentals of CMMI
The Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, USA) developed the CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration.) It is a process and behavioral model that helps organizations encourage productive, efficient behavior and streamline process improvement to decrease risk in the product, services, and software development. It was developed with the help from the US government and DoD, making CMMI a standard requirement for software development contracts.
CMMI
The CMMI starts by evaluating three areas through an appraisal process:
Process and service development
Service establishment and management
Product and service acquisition
It provides businesses with everything needed for a constant product and service development. But besides being a process model, the CMMI is also a behavioral model that can be used for tackling all the logistics of improving performance and creating a structure for encouraging dynamic behavior in the organization.
SCAMPI - Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement
SCAMPI is the appraisal method used by the CMMI Institute and is outlined in the SCAMPI Method Definition Document. It includes three appraisal classes:
SCAMPI A. SCAMPI A is the most rigorous and useful method after the lead appraiser implements several processes. It must be performed by the lead appraiser and is the only SCAMPI level that results in an official rating.
SCAMPI B. Less formal than the previous method which helps predict success for evaluated practices, help find a CMMI maturity level and give the business what is needed for where they are in their maturity process.
SCAMPI C. The less expensive, more flexible, and shorter than SCAMPI A and B, used at the micro/high level to address departmental issues, smaller process, or organizational issues.
CMMI Maturity Levels
There are five levels of organizational maturity, according to the CMMI model. The aim is to raise it up to level 5, known as the “optimizing” maturity level. Once reached, the businesses focus on regular improvements and maintenance. The five maturity levels are:
Initial. At this stage, the processes are viewed as reactive and unpredictable. The inefficiency and risk are high due to the unpredictable environment, which makes it the worst phase of a business.
Managed. At this phase, the projects are planned, conducted, measured, and controlled, so the achievement is attained with a certain level of project management.
Defined. At the third level, organizations are more proactive with a set of organization-wide standards. Business understands the shortcomings as well as ways to address them.
Quantitatively managed. The business is now ahead of risks and is working off quantitative data. They have data-driven insights into process deficiencies, so this level is more controlled and measured.
Optimizing. The final stage where the organization’s processes are flexible and stable, which allows for more innovation and agility in a predictable environment.
CMMI Tools
Third-party developers are authorized by the CMMI Institute to sell CMMI services and tools (you can search by language, product, and location on the (CMMI Institute website.) Businesses often identify the best tools during Maturity Level 2 or 3. The most common tool categories you’ll consider:
Decision and analysis tools
Requirement and design management
Bug tracker
Estimation
Metrics tools
Project and document management
Integration application
The CMMI V2.0 is in its early stages of release. It will bring changes that improve success in acquiring and retaining new clients, increased customer satisfaction, decreased risk, and better efficiency and productivity.
Contact Titanium Cobra Solutions for help with understanding, Training, and implementation of the CMMI model for improving the processes and behavior model in your organization. Project management, organizational design, diagnostics, and change management are the building blocks of our company and what our experts are passionate about.
