If we make the leap to agile, what role does CMMI play?

Hey CMMI Appraiser, We’re a traditional, waterfall-based organization focused in aerospace that is CMMI Level 3. I get why everyone is so excited about agile, but if we make the leap, what role does CMMI play? ~ Paul R.

Hey, Paul,

CMMI can play a huge role in the success of a waterfall-based organization transitioning to agile. When you use agile and CMMI together, it gives you the structure you need to manage the complexity of culture change. After all, change is hard. This approach helps you cut through the clutter, set organizational goals, solve problems, communicate and transform in a positive way. CMMI helps you make the leap safely.

But here's the cool part. That’s just where you START to take off! Once you embrace agile values, you’ll find agile does a very good job organizing specified behaviors. Contrast this with the phases, work products and artifacts of the waterfall world, where there are no specified behaviors identified. Work gets done and there are plans – but waterfall really doesn’t guide us to focus on the behavioral aspect of our work.

Scrum, on the other hand, is completely focused on the behavioral aspects. To strengthen those agile behaviors and help guide Scrum Teams, we use the CMMI. The way CMMI meshes seamlessly with Scrum demonstrates that CMMI is a behavioral model more than anything else.

You can find out more about making the leap to agile – and fortifying and scaling agile with the architectural strengths of the CMMI – by signing up for the next two webinars in our ongoing “Everything You Need to Know” series. Check ‘em out!

Part I - Agile Transformation!

Sign up: Everything You Need to Know: Agile Transformation!

September 15th @ noon EST

This webinar helps you learn to become the company you want to be by transforming the values and behaviors in your organization to take advantage of agile methods for a lighter, leaner approach to solving business problems incrementally and iteratively.

Part II - Agile Resiliency!

Sign up: Everything You Need to Know: Agile Resiliency!

September 17th @ noon EST

“Agile Resiliency” is a proven strategy for scaling agile by strengthening and reinforcing agile values, methods, and techniques. In this practical, fast-paced webinar, we’ll show you how integrating the architectural strengths of the CMMI with your agile approach can help you make agile resilient enough to scale and thrive.

Hope to see you on the webinars!

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.