Where do we go when we want to go agile?

Hey, CMMI Appraiser – We adopted Waterfall to help us achieve a CMMI Level 2, but since then we’ve been struggling to meet schedule and budget.  I hear good things about having more rapid delivery using Scrum, but our CMMI consultant said “going agile” is not an option for us, because agile and CMMI are incompatible.  Where do we go from here? ~ Calvin M.

Calvin,

The first place you should go is to the bullpen to call up another CMMI consultant.  They should know that CMMI and Scrum are more alike than they are different. Both CMMI and Scrum are about solving business problem, and they function extremely well together.

To get the real story about using agile and CMMI: Check out “Agile Transformation!” the second webinar in our popular “Everything You Need to Know” series.

“Everything You Need to Know: Agile Transformation!”
Wednesday, May 13 at noon EDT
Register for the FREE webinar 

"Agile Transformation!” is hosted by Broadsword and delivered by Tim Zeller, Director of Strategic Solutions.  Tim will help you learn new ways to do some very useful things:

• Say goodbye to a Waterfall approach that utilizes a top-heavy, document-focused, command and control structure that you THOUGHT you needed to get a CMMI rating
• Say hello to more rapid delivery
• Preserve all the "good" things you did with CMMI, but just be more lean and agile

Not only will this Webinar help you figure out how to solve problems like meeting schedule and budget, Calvin, it will help you understand what needs to be done to become the company you want to be. You'll learn to transform the values and behaviors in your organization and take advantage of agile methods for a lighter, leaner approach to solving business problems incrementally and iteratively.

Get started with Agile Transformation today!  Sign up here.

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.

Why Attend CMMI Institute’s Global Congress 2015? Reason #2

Dear Readers,

The Starbucks coffee is percolating.  Microsoft Office is booting up.  Software and engineering professionals and executives all over North America are Sleepless in Seattle no more, as they wake up to the fact that Global Congress 2015 is just a few days away!

To help you see the value in making the trip to Seattle on May 12-13, I’ve been counting down my Top 10 reasons to be there.  Today we’re all the way down to Reason #2.

So let’s get to it!  The #2 Reason I’m Attending Global Congress 2015 is:

To meet with CMMI Institute leaders.

Whether you’re new to the CMMI Conference, or are a regular attendee of our industry’s premier event on performance improvement and the CMMI, introducing yourself to your hosts is not only the polite thing to do, it is one of the best reasons for going to Global Congress 2015.  Especially this year, when key CMMI Institute leaders will be in attendance.

I think you’ll find their insights and experience will make a difference in the way you think about process and performance improvement and the CMMI:

Kirk Botula, CEO of CMMI Institute.  Kirk is a team-builder, visionary and just an all-around terrific guy.  Meeting with Kirk will give you peace of mind that the CMMI is alive and well and has a strong future.  You’ll get insight into his vision for how the CMMI will grow, evolve, sustain and be successful over time.

Dan Torrens, COO. Dan’s in charge of managing product releases and executing strategy, and can help end-users get a feel for how the CMMI Institute operates, how its future products will be released and what some of the major internal projects might be.

And don't forget to say hello to Darlene, Rusty, Alex, Katie, Geoff, Brian and all of the others who work hard everyday supporting the CMMI!

As key representatives of the CMMI Institute at Global Congress, Kirk, and Dan (and the rest of the team) are a big part of the face of the product lines that we use every day.  If you are a CMMI user – or are considering adopting the Model – you’ll want to get to know them.  Global Congress 2015 is the perfect place to do that.

Pre-conference registration is closed but you can check in at the door.

By the way, if you missed it, here are my "top picks" to help guide you towards the presentations I will be going to.

Need one more reason to go?  I’ll be back soon with Reason #1.

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.

We want to be Agile and need to achieve CMMI Level 3 ASAP! How shouldwe begin?

Dear Appraiser:

We just set up a body of our new SW development company. The design of the processes is currently the task concerning us.

We would like to be agile and also to achieve the maturity CMMI Level 3 ASAP.
What would you recommend? How should we begin?


Let me start by saying that, contrary to popular belief, CMMI and Agile go together like "peas and carrots." Since your writing from outside the USA, that's my own way of saying that they are just meant to go together.

Remember, while "Agile" describes "how" you build software, the CMMI only describes "what" needs to be done. There is no reason to think the two ideas are in conflict.

The good news is that it sounds like you've set up a new organization; so at least some of the baggage that goes along with trying to shift the culture will be minimized.

I would first start by downloading a copy of the CMMI for Development from http://www2.blogger.com/www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi and become familiar with the various process areas associated with Maturity Levels Two and Three. I would also recommend that you complete a CMMI training course conducted by an SEI partner in your area. The biggest problem we face as appraisers is working with an organization that misinterprets the CMMI model because of lack of training and/experience. The course alone won't solve all of that, but it will sure help get you started.

The next step is to take a look at the processes you already have (you have them, even if they're not written down) and conduct an inventory and compare that to the model. Some will be there, some will be missing, and some will just not be "aligned" with the model (e.g.; you may practice an "alternative" that looks and feels different than the practice in the model).

Remember, in the CMMI the Specific and Generic Goals ("SGs" and "GGs") are REQUIRED, and the Specific and Generic Practices ("SPs" and "GPs") are EXPECTED. Everything else is just information and suggestions.

Next, I would recommend you spend some time learning about how Agile and CMMI can work together. One place to start is to download "Agile CMMI" from our website at http://www.broadswordsolutions.com. It's located on our "Resources" page and will give you some insight into interpretation and philosophical issues related to both. There are several other excellent articles on the web available for download. One I recommend you search for is by Steven Baker and is titled "An Agile Organization's Journey to CMMI Level Three."

Getting to Level Three "ASAP" may prove problematic for you. It can be quite a bit of work (depending on your current state) just to reach Level Two and I would recommend you strongly consider taking a measured and deliberate approach that starts with achieving Level 2 and then gradually moving to Level 3. The Agile CMMI download has some sample work plans you can look at for ideas. That said, it's entirely possible you are further along than you think.

Once you believe you are "close" to filling in any process gaps, you might consider having a lead appraiser come in to conduct an "informal" appraisal - just as a check and to identify any gaps that may need to be filled.

He or she will be able to determine how soon a formal SCAMPI Appraisal can be performed.

Best of luck to you!

www.broadswordsolutions.com