What changes do we have to worry about due to the upgrade from CMMI-DEV v1.2 to CMMI-DEV v1.3?

Dear Appraiser,

It's been three years since our last SCAMPI Appraisal, and since then the CMMI has moved from v1.2 to v1.3.  That means a lot of us will be RE-APPRAISED on version v1.3.  We're pretty anxious about getting appraised again.  Can you tell us what the major differences are?  ~Ang in Albany

Dear Ang,

There were numerous changes to the CMMI when they upgraded from CMMI v1.2 to CMMI v1.3, and there were even MORE changes with the SCAMPI Method when it switched from SCAMPI v1.2 to SCAMPI v1.3.

Since you asked, over the next several days I'll be writing about some of those changes, giving you everything you need to know to prepare for your next appraisal.

But the BIGGEST thing that has changed in the last year is the the SEI is no longer the "CMMI Steward."  That's big news, and the new organization is called the "CMMI Institute."  The CMMI Institute is still an operating unit of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), and they still are the authority on all things CMMI.  While they have a new CEO, Kirk Botula, many of the same people who were part of the SEI's CMMI team have moved over to the CMMI Institute.

By the way, Lead Appraisers from all over the world are reporting that the responsiveness of the new CMMI Institute - especially as it pertains to appraisal reviews and acceptance - is excellent!

On my next post I'll jump into which Process Areas have changed, including one brand new one, and a few big things that are gone forever!

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 engineering strategy, performance innovation , software process improvement and running a successful CMMI program.

To download eBooks about CMMI, visit Jeff’s Author Page on Amazon.