Do we need CMMI training prior to our CMMI Appraisal?

Hey, CMMI Appraiser – the company I work for is interested improving software and engineering performance as a way to add rigor and discipline to our work in 2014. To that end, management has decided to pursue a CMMI Maturity Level 2 rating, and I’ve been asked to be a team member on a CMMI Appraisal (SCAMPI Appraisal) in May. Do I need CMMI training first? ~ Juno K.

Hey, Juno, congratulations on being asked to join the Appraisal Team! Yes, you are required to participate in a CMMI training course before you can be a team member on a CMMI appraisal. Below are two upcoming CMMI training courses that we are offering in 2014. Additional courses are available through the CMMI Institute.

Before you sign up for anything, however, it will help you to get clear on WHY you’re doing this. The goal of adopting the CMMI – or any other performance innovation initiative – is not to add rigor or discipline, although that is an outcome. The goal is to learn as much as we can about improving and changing the way we behave as a company. Make the change, and rigor and discipline are sure to follow.

In my business, I’m fortunate to work with a team of Performance Improvement and CMMI consultants who are passionate about helping organizations like yours transform their company culture. We start by helping teams learn to approach the rigor and discipline of CMMI in a light and agile way that we call agileCMMI. This approach is based on three core facts about CMMI:

1. CMMI is a tool that can help solve business problems 
2. CMMI is a framework and set of guidelines for changing behaviors and changing culture
3. CMMI is a time-tested, industry-proven model for positive outcomes

As you can imagine, it’s not just Appraisal Team members who need to know this for your CMMI adoption to be successful. I’ve found that CMMI training courses are an ideal experience for any executive, project manager, engineer, software developer, line manager, analyst, tester, or process or quality professional who would benefit from learning how to use the CMMI to make software and engineering performance even better. So you may want to encourage your management to send others from the company to CMMI training, as well.

Here are two of our upcoming courses. Click the links below for more details and to register for CMMI training in 2014:

INTRODUCTION TO CMMI TRAINING: CHANTILLY, VA
January 28-30, 2014
Register for "Introduction to CMMI" in Chantilly

INTRODUCTION TO CMMI TRAINING: TROY, MI
April 8-10, 2014
Register for "Introduction to CMMI" in Troy

See you in 2014!

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

Jeff Dalton is a Certified SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, Certified CMMI Instructor, ScrumMaster, author, and consultant with years of real-world experience with the CMMI in all types of organizations. Jeff pioneered agileCMMI, the leading methodology for incremental and iterative process improvement. He 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.