[Our good friend Shawn Rapjack, CMMI expert and seasoned consultant, is back with a another installation on CMMI based on Sun Tzu's "The Art of War: Energy." We're excited that Shawn has agreed to share segments of his article with you here on "Ask the CMMI Appraiser"]
Continuing our ‘Art of CMMI’ discussion, let’s leap into the Art
of War’s fifth chapter, ‘Energy,' where direct and indirect methods of warfare
are discussed. This ‘warfare’ concept
translates to our CMMI software process improvement and appraisal preparation
discussions.
In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but
indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.
What does this mean for us?
During a CMMI appraisal, appraisers review several kinds of evidence –
‘direct’ and ‘indirect’. even though the new version of SCAMPI (v1.3) not longer specifically tasks us with capturing these two evidence types, in practice they still are important to understand.
Direct evidence
demonstrates adherence to a CMMI practice (its immediate products or
outcomes). Indirect evidence, though
de-emphasized in CMMI v1.3, is no-less important! Indirect evidence supports the direct
artifacts – without it, an organization’s processes are incomplete. For example, the Program Management Plan is a
direct artifact substantiating many practices throughout the CMMI.
Indirect evidence supporting the PMP includes
its review schedule, document history, etc.
Let’s focus on the importance of indirect artifacts - and how they
‘secure victory’.
Experienced, helpful
appraisers look at how an
organization actually produces artifacts, i.e., they focus on the underlying
processes. Creating a PMP is great! –
But how did it come to be? Was it
written overnight? Was its production
anticipated? Is it a logical, helpful
document with stakeholder input? Does
the document evolve to meet organizational needs? Indirect artifacts address these questions;
they are a microcosm of your organization’s process approach and tell a story
of how things get done.
Are indirect artifacts difficult to produce or hard to come
by? Nope!
Indirect
tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending
as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin
anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more.
The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn.
It is like moving in a circle—you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the
possibilities of their combination?
Indirect artifacts are natural
byproducts of your daily processes.
There is a calendar event to review the PMP, right? Include it as evidence! There’s a sign-in sheet for stakeholder
review? Include it as evidence! The PMP has a page documenting its history?
Include it as evidence!
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 and performance improvement program.
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