What Processes to "CMMI Companies" use?

What Process to "CMMI Companies" use?

Dear Readers – We've been having a lot of fun on Quora.com recently. For those who are new to the social media platform, I've found it to be a place for high-level discourse about (among other interesting topics) engineering strategy and software process improvement. Below is today's response. Enjoy! ~ the CMMI Appraiser

Great question!

The CMMI contains a set of Practices that our categorized by Process Areas (note: V2.0 calls them Practice Areas now, but both v1.3 and V2.0 are active).

These are not “processes,” they’re an academic breakout of the things great companies do, but think of them more like an inventory of behaviors.

Companies that adopt CMMI are using the model as a checklist of things to examine and, potentially add to, or improve, their processes based on the practices.

ALL companies that adopt CMMI have processes for:

• Managing Projects (including plans, estimates, risks, data management and management suppliers, and measuring performance).
• Defining, Designing, building, delivering, and testing solutions to requirements
• Controlling work products (versioning), ensuring all the relevant work products are in sync.
• Ensuring quality of performance and work products
• Managing the continuous improvement of the organization

It helps to think of the CMMI this way, as opposed to focusing on the list or practices.

I like to use the CMMI as a check on what we are ALREADY doing, and to improve on our performance in all of the various areas.

And finally, if you want someone to verify that you’re examining all of these things, you can get appraised by a lead appraiser, and get a rating (Maturity Level).

You can find our more about this at www.broadswordsolutions.com.

Good luck!

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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.

Visit www.broadswordsolutions.com for more information about engineering strategy, performance innovation, software process improvement and running a successful CMMI program.