When is Broadsword Presenting at SEPG 2012?

Hey, CMMI Appraiser, 

Our engineering executives don't seem to get that the CMMI Appraisal process is more about organizational performance improvement and less about getting a CMMI certificate. Will you be presenting on this topic again at the SEPG conference next month? If so, when?  I'd like them to attend.  Cheers, Sean M.

Hey, Sean,

Yes, for the 7th consecutive year, Broadsword has been selected to speak at the SEPG North America 2012 Conference on March 12-15, 2012 in Albuquerque, NM. But to be clear, it’s not only me. This year, three senior CMMI consultants from Broadsword have been tapped to speak.

Joining me will be Broadsword’s own Julie Calfin and Laura Adkins. Julie and Laura are senior CMMI consultants who share your passion for using the CMMI as a tool to pursue organizational performance improvement.

As you know, some of the best thinkers and speakers in our industry are selected for these presentations. The review process is conducted anonymously, and speakers are chosen based on expertise, not name or company affiliation. That’s why I’m so proud and excited for our team!

I’ll be happy to give you the details about our four presentations (including two trainings). But before I do, I want to touch on your comment about what the CMMI Appraisal process is all about.

In many companies, as you are experiencing, there is a tendency among executives to focus more on “CMMI certification.” You know that this is a misnomer – there’s no official CMMI certificate. But there is a good reason for this. Executives everywhere are hearing clients say things like, “We require you to have a CMMI certification.” They don’t hear them saying, “We want you to be a great company.”

So my advice is to let your executives come to their own conclusions about the CMMI. I think you’ll see them start to turn in the direction you want.

Here is more detail on our presentations:

• On Monday, March 12th, I will be speaking and delivering our famous "CMMI+Scrum Learning Experience" in a half-day format. We've delivered this course to many of our CMMI Consulting clients, and they've all loved it – especially the executives! Come by and see what all the hoopla is about.

• I will also be co-presenting with my good friends (and clients) from ADNET Systems about using the CMMI at NASA. These guys are super-smart and pretty cool! 

• On Tuesday, March 13th, Laura will be speaking about running successful process pilots. Something she knows A LOT about! Laura also helps us out with our CMMI Training classes.

• On Thursday, March 15th, Julie will be speaking about Organizational Change Management: The key differentiator for sustainable process improvement. Julie is a world-class thought-leader on OCM. Her presentation is packed with valuable information, not to be missed!

The SEI has worked hard to put together an outstanding slate of speakers again this year. No matter what sessions your executives attend, they are bound to gain valuable perspective on the CMMI. I’m confident that you’ll be able to go back to your company afterward and start to drive the changes you are seeking.

So we’ll see you and your executives in New Mexico, Sean – and please be sure to introduce yourselves!

THIS JUST IN: Jeff will be delivering the "CMMI+Scrum Learning Experience" at SEPG Europe in Madrid in June!

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec! 

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.

Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

Jeff's Top Ten Picks for SEPG 2012!

Hello Readers!

It's that time again.  Time for "Jeff's Top Ten Picks for SEPG 2012!"

Every year, at SEPG NA, there are dozens of great speakers.  This year in ABQ will be no different.  SEPG NA 2012 promises to be another fantastic, action packed event!

Here are my picks for the best Process Improvement and CMMI presentations at SEPG 2012.  Of course, they're all good, but this is where I'm putting my money.

Drum roll please!



1. Meet the International Improvement League: Fighting for Good Processes Everywhere with Rick Hefner


Are you tired of being terrorized by your process nemeses? Are you aiming the flashlight of process improvement in the night sky, wishing, just wishing a superhero of process would see your sign and rescue you from your process plight? Rest easy good citizens, the International Improvement League is here to fight process problems and save your day. 

Meet Measurement Man, the Contessa of Change, the Services Siren, Dr. SCAMPI and Mr. ATLAS to answer all your process improvement questions and solve all your process improvement problems. 


This sessions is co-presented by Rick Hefner, Pat O'Toole, Dave Zubrow, and Margaret Tanner Glover.


2. Organizational Change Management: The Key Differentiator for Sustainable Process Improvement with Julie Calfin


Is your organization struggling to get people to use your new processes? Did the commitment to your process improvement program wane after attaining your desired maturity level? Why do some organizations sustain their process improvements while others do not? The answers lie in the organization’s ability to get people to change their behavior. This presentation reveals the key elements of an organizational change-management strategy that will result in long-term, sustainable process improvement.


Julie is an awesome speaker and a world-class OCM consultant.


3. What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger: My Process Improvement Lessons Learned with Bill Smith


Although several basic principles of successful process improvement are well-documented in textbooks and professional journals, experience often remains—for better or worse—the best teacher. In this talk, the presenter relates a series of brief anecdotes to introduce important process improvement concepts using an engaging “top ten” countdown approach.


There is a reason Bill is known as a "CMMI Entertainer."  Don't miss his hilarious, entertaining and informative presentation


4. SCAMPI B Appraisals: Not Just Dress Rehearsals with Heather Oppenheimer


Is a SCAMPI B appraisal just a “dress rehearsal” or “scaled down” SCAMPI A? Is a SCAMPI B just one of the required preparation activities for a SCAMPI A? If you think the answer is “yes” to either of these, come and learn how several organizations have used SCAMPI B appraisals as an effective means of initiating process improvement programs that resulted in business performance improvement - not additional paperwork and overhead.


Heather is a great Lead Appraiser and an entertaining speaker.


5.  Making CMMI Work in a Customer-Focused Government Service Contract: An Experience Report with James Peachey


Hear the story of how the Process Management Team (PMT) for ADNET Systems, Inc., an award-winning mid-sized government contractor with an excellent track record, was able to help ADNET boost its contract performance still higher. The approach and methods used and results attained by the PMT led to some striking insights into process improvement, the power of teams, and organizational dynamics.


Want to hear from one of NASA's top performers?  James is not only super-smart, but he's a great speaker (and fellow musician!).


6.  Scrum + CMMI Learning Experience with Jeff Dalton (hey, wait a minute!...) and Julie Calfin


Scrum versus CMMI? NO! Scrum+CMMI! 
 
Scrum is gaining in popularity in the software and engineering worlds, yet many companies are not getting the results they had hoped for. Those who are using the CMMI for process improvement struggle with how to integrate these two frameworks. This tutorial teaches attendees to use the CMMI to make Scrum better. 

Using Scrum to teach Scrum, the learning experience has been successful with practitioners as it helps them to imagine how integrating these two frameworks can radically improve performance. Attendees take meaningful tools and experiences with them that they can use right away.


Scrum+CMMI?  Absolutely!


7.  Software Horizons: What's Beyond CMMI? with Mark Paulk and Mike Konrad


What are the issues on the frontier of identifying and formalizing software engineering best practices as captured in frameworks such as CMMI for Development? Why are these topics not addressed in CMMI? Should they be? Or left outside their scope? What about topics that may need a fuller discussion, whether in the model or in other assets? Specific issues include innovation, reuse (including product lines and domain engineering), Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD), agile methods, culture, and practitioner attention management.


You won't find two guys with more history and vision in our industry than Mark Paulk and Mike Konrad!


8. Top Ten Ways to Make Process Improvement Fail with Mark Rabideau and Judah Mogilensky


The presenters have a combined 40 years of process improvement consulting experience, and they have seen many organizations attempt process improvement. Some succeed, but many fail. This presentation, with a slightly humorous tone, describes several of the key mistakes that people commonly make, often in combination, which tend to lead to implementation failure. Watch out—you may discover that some of them are things you are doing right now.


Talk about a powerhouse!  This one is not to be missed (and have you heard Judah sing?).


9.  Pilot Testing: A Practical Method for Validating New Processes with Laura Adkins


Would you like to accelerate process institutionalization in your organization? Would you like to be confident that new process assets will meet the needs of process users? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, process validation may be for you. This presentation teaches a practical method for pilot testing new processes. Real-world examples and tips will be shared for planning and conducting process pilots.


Laura has song great "hands-on" stories about process pilots that you'll want to hear about.




and my number 10 pick is.....




10. Achieving High Maturity with CMMI-SVC: A Practical Panel led by Eileen Forrester


The CMMI for Services (CMMI-SVC) has now been in use for improvement and appraisals for more than two years and many organizations are on the path to high maturity with CMMI-SVC. Eileen Forrester, leader of the CMMI-SVC work at the SEI, will moderate three panelists who can give perspectives on CMMI-SVC and high maturity from practical experience. K Subramanian from TCS, Lynn Penn of Lockheed Martin, and Karen Smiley from ABB will describe their experience in achieving high maturity and high quality in large and small settings.


So that's it!  These are my picks, and I'm sticking to 'em!


Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec.

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.

Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

What are the steps to achieving a Maturity Level of CMMI?

Dear CMMI Appraiser:

For years, I have heard that the CMMI was a framework for helping us take action to improve engineering, and through that process, become a great company. We never did become a great company, but now our customers are saying we have to do this. Where do we start? ~ Carla F.

Carla, you could start by thanking your customers. They want you to do the things you’ve known you should do anyway. It reminds me of my relationship with my personal fitness trainer – except your customer is paying you!

In many ways, the journey to adopting the CMMI is similar to the journey to becoming physically fit. Companies that work with Broadsword go through a predefined, fully detailed progression in their quest to achieve CMMI Maturity Level 3, for instance, and put themselves on the path to becoming a great company. Here’s a graphic of the progression we take you through:

Step 1: SCAMPI C – The SCAMPI C (Gap Analysis) is first and foremost a way for your company to find out about itself and how you stack up against the CMMI model.  It’s also an opportunity for your CMMI Appraiser to learn as much about your company as he can, and for your company to learn about the CMMI Appraiser. This is important because you will be spending a lot of time together, generally a year or two, making decisions that will have an serious impact on the behaviors of your people. And so, helping both sides feel more comfortable with each other is one of the most beneficial aspects of the SCAMPI C.

As a result, you will hopefully realize that the CMMI isn't a paper-chase, it's about making your company great!

Step 2: Training – There are a number of training courses that need to take place in your journey to becoming a great company. First is the introduction to CMMI training course, followed by training on how to become expert process engineers.  We teach you how to execute our AgileCMMI methodology, and how to design and develop processes. Your entire appraisal team goes through the training, plus anyone who plays a key leadership role in the company in terms of how they want the work performed, such as project managers, program leaders and line managers.

Step 3: Tune-up – After the SCAMPI C, and often concurrently with the training, we will provide you with a plan that identifies all the tuning up or development of processes that must occur in your company. The plan includes everything you need to do in the context of AgileCMMI, the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to be created, as well as all of the releases and iterations that must take place between now and your SCAMPI B Appraisal.

Step 4: SCAMPI B – After you’ve done the training and the tune up, you are ready for the SCAMPI B Appraisal. The SCAMPI B is an formal appraisal that serves as a tool to give you the information you need to completely understand your current state in relation to the CMMI. It gives you the information you need to determine whether you will succeed in the formal SCAMPI A, as planned.

Step 5: SCAMPI A –After you’ve satisfactorily completed your SCAMPI B, you are ready for a formal SCAMPI A appraisal, and you’ll want do all you can to assure a positive result. If your SCAMPI A is successful, congratulations!

But don’t party too hardy and forget everything you’ve learned. To return to the fitness metaphor, once I’ve achieved my target weight, I don’t want to celebrate by eating a gooey chunk of chocolate cake. Being CMMI Maturity Level 3 doesn’t make you a great company. It just means you are sufficiently equipped with the infrastructure and tools you need to become a great company. Whether or not you make the changes in your company – and make the commitment to long-term health as an organization – is up to you.

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec!

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.


Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

How does the CMMI help us stand on the shoulders of giants?

Dear CMMI Appraiser,

I saw an interesting tweet from you just now. What do you mean that “CMMI helps establish an environment for greatness by standing on the shoulders of giants?” ~ Sylvia B.

Sylvia, thank you for following the CMMI Appraiser on Twitter. With that quote, I am paraphrasing Sir Isaac Newton, who once famously said: "If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants."

The same is true about the CMMI -- from CMMI appraisals to CMMI training to CMMI consulting -- and organizations that have adopted it. The CMMI helps us see farther. The CMMI provides a framework for changing behaviors and changing culture that can establish an environment for allowing us to operate like a great company – for the long term. And it does so by allowing us to stand on the shoulders of giants.

Who are these giants? Other great companies! See, the idea is that if you adopt CMMI, you are standing on the shoulders of those who came before you. That means you don’t have to figure out what to do. You don’t have to come up with all things you need to worry about. Others before you have figured out the practices that will help improve the speed of software delivery, reduce defects, eliminate rework and make your projects more predictable and manageable. You receive all of the benefits of their lessons learned. That’s what the CMMI is: a large collection of lessons learned and best practices.

So, by adopting the CMMI and modeling your company’s behavior according to its principles, you are standing on the shoulders of others who have become great companies before you. Those “giants” have handed you the infrastructure and tools you need to be a great company.

And you didn’t even have to climb a beanstalk!

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec.

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.


Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

We're scientist that want to use the CMMI to support space projects. Will the CMMI work for us?

Dear CMMI Appraiser, our company provides scientific support services for government agencies. We don’t write software or work with engineering.  Can the CMMI help us be a great company also? ~ Snil V.

Snil,

The beauty of the CMMI is that it can be used to help any company establish an environment that can make you a great company, not just software or engineering organizations. And yes, it even works for companies that provide science support for government agencies.

For example, Broadsword has experience working with several companies that do exactly that at NASA. And who is more science-focused than NASA?

As a matter of fact, one of our clients does provide scientific services to NASA Goddard.  To help them be successful, we’ve had to evolve the way we apply and interpret  the CMMI.  As a result, the CMMI-DEV has been a perfect fit for the work they do. We are able to bend and strengthen the model for their environment, which is a science-support environment, not an IT environment. Our goal has been to interpret the model for them in a way that helps them be successful, as opposed to forcing them down a path that leads to a certificate.

Another company we work with builds Cryogenic Sytems for NASA.  No, they're not sending Walt Disney into space, they're developing products used to cool components needed for space flight. For them, we adapted the CMMI to fit into a small company environment. Apparently, other CMMI consultants whom they interviewed tried to force them to change the way they behave to meet a model. Ours has been a completely different approach. We’ve taken the CMMI and helped them understand how they can adapt the language and the model to fit into the way that they work. This helps them receive all of the benefits of the CMMI related to predictability, time, and budget, without creating a lot of overhead that results in a "paper-chase."

A third science-based company we’ve worked with does a lot of work for NASA also, designing and supplying sensors that are mounted on space vehicles to provide monitoring during launch. This is a large company with many different divisions performing many different functions. The company is now able to harness the efficiencies of using one single model – the CMMI – across its many different divisions, improving their ability to serve NASA and other scientific and aerospace organizations across the country.

What is the common thread? All of these are all scientific support organizations in highly technical environments.  In order to help solve their problems, we've had to bend, twist, and flex the CMMI so that it fit into the environment in which they operate.  And yes, all of them have had successful appraisals in the past.

You don’t have to be a software or engineering company to get the benefit of the CMMI, Snil. You have access to CMMI consultants who have experience with science-support organizations. Broadsword’s consultants are high tech people, not just generic CMMI consultants.

So, yes, Snil, the CMMI absolutely can work for science support companies, not just software or engineering companies. The key is to work with a CMMI consultant who understands your unique challenges, and can provide expertise specific to your environment.

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec!

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.


Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

Is there a tool I can use to determine what we need for CMMI?

Dear Jeff:

I have a question.  Is there a matrix which lists the what are the criteria for meeting each CMMI level?  I’m on the SEI website and looking at a lot of their resources.  There’s one presentation that touts being ready for level 2 in 30 minutes or less and then cranks out a fluff schedule which is 468 lines!  I’d really like something direct and concise – and I’m having a difficult time wading through all the resources.

I think my organization has a LOT of what CMMI looks for already in place.  Either through good engineering practices and/or a little dumb luck.   I need a resource which will allow me to quickly evaluate what I have and what I need for compliance.  Does such a thing exist? ~Chris

Chris,

30 minutes or less?  Wow!  No wonder I have trouble telling clients it takes weeks!  I should call that CMMI Consultant that wrote that presentation.  Think of all the time I will save!  Actually, it DOES take weeks, but that's another story.....

The CMMI is open to interpretation based on the context of your organization, so there is no real "tool" for determining exactly what you need.  The best tool is the one between your ears.

The CMMI book is the best reference for such information, as each practice has "example work products" that give you a clue as to what the authors intended.  Also, the "tips" on the side of each page are very handy for this type of information.  Just remember that these are very generic - and often suggested by people who are in a different business than you are.

There really is no such thing as "being ready for CMMI in 30 minutes" or "CMMI in 60 days or less."  Anyone telling you that is full of something, and it isn't CMMI knowledge!

You may be able to find some examples on the web of a "PIIDs" (Process Implementation Indicator Document) that someone used as a checklist for their CMMI appraisal, but it's highly unlikely that it will map to your engineering organization's practices.

Your best bet is to engage with a certified lead appraiser to do a lightweight and quick "mini appraisal" or SCAMPI "C" that will give you the information you seek in a couple of days.  Then go get yourself some CMMI Training.

Good luck!

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec.

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.

Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

My boss said we need to choose between Agile and CMMI. Which should we choose?

Hey Jeff,


My boss is a software guy, and he seems to know a lot of life-cycles and software development processes.  The other day he was having an all-hands meeting and he said to us "look, you guys gotta choose.  It's either Agile or CMMI - but not both.  So let's cut the crap and get our act together." 


We need to do SOMETHING.  What should it be - Agile or CMMI? ~Ross

To CMMI or to Agile - that is the question.... to paraphrase Billy Shakespeare.

Well Ross, your boss is right, you've gotta choose.  But the question is, choose what?   We COULD spend some time choosing between two completely different concepts, or we could make the right choice.

Choosing between CMMI and Agile is like choosing between a hamburger and a tractor.  One is good if you're hungry, the other is good if you need to plow some dirt.  Huh?

Agile is a philosophy that stems from a set of guiding principles known as the "Agile Manifesto."  It is purposely vague so as to allow people to make the right decisions based on their individual projects.  CMMI is a model that suggests a set of best-practices you might use to improve what you are doing.  It's a "what to" not a "how to" set of suggestions.  So if "what you are doing" is using an Agile method like "Scrum" you could use the CMMI to make it better.  If you are approaching life in a waterfall fashion, then CMMI could make that better.  And don't let any CMMI Consultant tell you otherwise!

CMMI is not a collection of methods, and Agile is not a best-practices model.  See?  A hamburger and a tractor.

So instead of choosing between CMMI and Agile, choose between being a good company or being a great company.  If that were my choice, I would not be choosing between CMMI and Agile, I would be embracing both CMMI and Agile even more!  Except be sure you understand what they both mean.

As Mr. Shakespeare liked to say "Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course"

Agile methods are an excellent way to manage software project using iterative and incremental techniques such as Scrum, Spiral, and XP.  CMMI is an excellent tool to both improve upon HOW you adopt those methods, and to fill in any gaps you (or your management) might have.

CMMI is also an excellent tool to help you understand how well Agile methods are working for you, and to communicate important information to other stakeholders like Management, Customers, and Accounting. And if you want to test it - go ahead and have a CMMI Appraisal.

Many of my Agile purista friends argue that all that matters is what goes on inside a Scrum team. As a matter of fact some insist that no one else is allowed into their daily standup.  This just is not realistic in the real world - and it's not useful.  Customers, management, accounting, and marketing all have a legitimate stake in software projects - no matter how annoying software developers believe them to be.

To paraphrase the Bard again - "me thinks they know not from where they're paid.  Perhaps a bodkin is in order."

So make the right choice Ross.  Choose to be a great company.    Wrap your arms around both and hold on tight!

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec.

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.

Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

Why I'm coming to SEPG (again) this year - Reason #4

The #4 Reason to Attend SEPGNA: To Build Stronger Relationships with Your Customers

Howdy, Partners – by the sun slanting in the Western sky, I see it’s almost time for the SEPG North America rodeo on March 12-15 in Albuquerque.  That means I better put a hitch in my giddy-up and get on with my Top 10 reasons to be there.  (Here’s Reason #10, Reason #9, Reason #8, Reason #7, Reason #6 and Reason #5.)  Ready?

Then let’s get on with my list of Top 10 Reasons to attend SEPG North America 2012.

Drum roll, please!  Reason #4 is …

To build stronger relationships with your customers.

Building relationships with the customer is important in any industry.  But it’s absolutely critical in the context of the CMMI, where we are passionate about organizational process and performance improvement, and helping companies be as great as they can be.

So let me ask you this: will you take the opportunity to build stronger relationships with your customers by bringing them to SEPGNA 2012?

As part of my commitment to the CMMI, I am bringing six of my customers to the conference this year.  Last year I brought five.  Here’s why I think it’s a good thing to do:

SEPGNA allows you to spend quality time with your customers.  So often in our day-to-day work, we are on-site to solve problems.  There are subgroups to be evaluated and artifacts to be collected.  But down in Albuquerque, life moves at a slower pace.  You’ll be able to connect with your customers on a personal level.  You’ll share meals together, attend sessions together, and perhaps take in a round of golf together.

SEPGNA allows you to guide your customers through the learning process.  With you by their side, customers can grasp the real meaning of the CMMI, and the long-term value the model provides.  And when questions come up, you’ll be right there to answer with real-live examples from their current projects.

SEPGNA allows you to introduce your customers to both the SEI and other adopters of the CMMI.  For me, this is one of the most rewarding experiences at the SEPGNA.  I love to see new friendships form when I introduce my customers to the smart folks from the SEI, as well as to the broader community of people with the same problems they’ve been facing.

In my opinion, all of us – both the SEI and its Partners – should strive to be people-integrators.  That means, part of our job is to integrate the customers with each other, so that they can have a support system of their own.

And you know what?  I’ve never met a customer who wasn’t excited about going.

So let’s be generous and share some knowledge.  I urge each of you to invite at least one customer to come.  Have them register – and we’ll see you in Albuquerque!

Need more reasons to go?  Check back soon for Reason #3.

Jeff Dalton is President of Broadsword Solutions Corporation and the incoming Chairman of the SEI’s Partner Advisory Board.  He is a SCAMPI Lead Appraiser whose blog can be read at www.asktheCMMIAppraiser.com.  He can be reached at appraiser@broadswordsolutions.com.

Can Issue Management be it's own Process Area?

Dear Appraiser, I am  currently working in Chrysler LLC as process engineer with 5+  years of experience in Project Management and as a CMMI Consultant.  I've met you in your capacity as a CMMI Appraiser and CMMI Instructor.  It will be great if you can answer the following.

In the CMMI model, why is issue management part of PMC, whereas Risk Management (RSKM) is it's own separate process area?  Can issue management be made it's own separate process area to help it be better managed? ~Sri

Sri,

It COULD be.  Maybe I should add an issue to the issue log on this.  It might read:

Issue #101: People still think process areas are processes.  Resolutions: write a post about how Process Areas are not Processes!

Seriously though, if you're going to create Process Areas for your own organization (good idea), they don't have to be the same as the CMMI Process Areas.  For instance, practices from PP, PMC, RSKM, and IPM can all be part of a  home-grown Process Area called "Project Management," or in your example, you could have your own PA named "issue management" if you'd like.  That's the beauty of process - you can make it your own (and you should).

But if you think of this in CMMI terms, risk management exist in BOTH PP/PMC and RSKM.  For companies who have not yet considered ML3, PP and PMC provide an entree' to Risk - with a little less structure.

On the issue of issues (now I'm sounding like the CMMI with it's circular references), practices exist in both ML2 and ML3.  For ML2 we see it in PP/PMC, and in ML3 we see it in Integrated Project Management (IPM) SG2 "Coordinate and Collaborate with Relevant Stakeholders," albeit indirectly.

But after it's all said and done, you need to make the process your own.  If you think having a better focus on issue management will help you, create your own - and use PMC SG2, IPM SG2, and a little dash of PP to create it and *poof!* instance process area!

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec.

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.

Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.

Our CMMI Consultant says CMMI and Scrum are compatible – but how?

Dear CMMI Appraiser,

Our CMMI Consultant recommended that we learn to reconcile the CMMI side of our house and the Scrum side by sending our Scrum Team your upcoming CMMI+Scrum training session at SEPG next month. The problem is, I don’t think they’ll like the idea. It’s not my style to force people to do what they don’t want to do – but I’m intrigued by the potential benefits. How do I talk about your CMMI training in a manner that will be palatable to them? ~ Lucas C.

Lucas,

You have a wise CMMI Consultant! It seems every day, more CMMI Consultants get that CMMI and Agile are compatible, and that CMMI and Scrum really can and do coexist.

And you seem to be a wise leader, as well. There are tremendous benefits to the company if the CMMI and Agile sides of the house can come together.  Otherwise, they grow farther apart and become almost unrecognizable as a single entity.  Of course, there shouldn't be two SIDES, but sadly there often are.

Yes, my CMMI+Scrum class can help. It’s not just for your Scrum team, either – I encourage you, your CMMI Consultant and CMMI Appraisal Team to attend.

But, to your question, how to make it palatable? For starters, I recommend sending them the following links. We had a hot exchange here on Ask the CMMI Appraiser not long ago on this very topic. Someone even called me a stuffed suit!  Your CMMI Consultant may recognize these strong opinions:

Is CMMI+Scrum the Real Deal?
Is CMMI+Scrum for Agile Purists?
Can CMMI+Scrum Break the Vicious Cycle?

Another thing you can do, Lucas, is take the opportunity to talk to them about their career aspirations. Pull back the curtain for the Scrum team and show them some of the projects that are running within the company’s CMMI framework.

If your organization is like too many others, it probably has relegated the smaller, less important projects to Agile and Scrum, believing that it is not scalable for larger, more complex projects. A lot of companies think, “If I have to build a Web site, we can be Agile, but if I’m developing a system to be used for building space vehicles, Agile is not appropriate.”

Be open to changing your mind. Ask them if they aspire to work on projects of that kind of magnitude. You may find that your Scrum teams, like many in the Agile community, are eager to move into the more complex and important projects.

Then clue them into the fact that there is absolutely nothing about Scrum that stops it from being used on any project.  The roadblock is the way people implement the paradigm. If they aren’t doing the things they need to do to make your company great, then how can they work on the larger, more complex projects? In other words, implementation, not Scrum, is the problem.

Once again, we are back on this issue of trust. I have another question, this time from a CMMI Consultant about my CMMI training, that may shed more light for you.  I will respond shortly, so check back.

Hope to meet you and your team in Albuquerque!

Like this blog? Forward to your nearest engineering or software exec.

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff has taught thousands of students in CMMI trainings and has received an aggregate satisfaction score of 4.97 out of 5 from his students.


Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about running a successful CMMI program.