Broadsword Expands Automotive Supplier Capability with the Addition of Ross Timmerman as Senior Consultant

Hey, CMMI Appraiser – I work for a major automotive manufacturer (you’ve heard of us) and those of us in engineering who are agile have come to loggerheads with our management team. It’s pretty clear that their perception of us is completely wrong. They think we don’t have the capacity to share information. We think their decision-making is questionable, as well as their strategy and tactics. In short, we don’t get each other. How can we bridge this gap? ~ Nick S.

Nick, I hear this a lot from agile teams in the automotive industry. So often, I sometimes just want to lock you guys and your management teams into a room with a case of beer and get you talking to each other. Really talking! You would have good business conversations about how you are going to run your business, without getting all caught up in ego, agile purity or the blame-game.

It’s really not too difficult to have these frank conversations, Nick. All it takes is a strong desire to improve on what you’re already doing. From that point, you simply decide to take the best of both models. You adopt a flexible, agile approach to the CMMI, that fits within your company’s particular situation.

Easier said than done? Perhaps. Because we are so passionate about seeing this transformation happen for our clients, we’ve recently expanded our automotive supplier capability by adding Ross Timmerman to our team, as Senior Consultant.  Ross possesses an extremely useful gift for facilitating these conversations.

Please join me in welcoming Ross Timmerman to the company, and wishing him great success!

With more than 18 years in the automotive industry as an electronics engineering design and management professional, Ross has experience with embedded hardware and software design, project management, process improvement and electronics manufacturing. His broad range of familiarity in the automotive supplier sector, in particular, adds additional capability to the Broadsword team. Prior to joining Broadsword, Ross worked at Johnson Controls and Visteon.

As a Senior Consultant with Broadsword, Ross will focus on assisting clients in the automotive, aerospace, defense, and federal government sectors using Broadsword’s AgileCMMI methodology, which is based on the industry leading Capability Maturity Model Integration, or CMMI.

“One of the things I am most excited about is that I will be able to take the engineering and process improvement knowledge I have learned and help Broadsword clients to improve,” Ross said.

As we continue to expand our presence with automotive suppliers and in the government, manufacturing, and IT sectors, we welcome Ross’ depth and breadth of experience. His passion and focus on business transformation and process improvement will have a significant impact on helping our clients achieve their goals.

Read the full press release here: Broadsword Expands Automotive Supplier Capability with the Addition of Ross Timmerman as Senior Consultant

If you would like more information about using CMMI to strengthen agile and help you communicate agile values to the management team, Nick, you are invited to participate in our upcoming Webinar: “Agile Resiliency – Scaling Agile so that It Thrives and Survives,” February 12, 2015 @ noon EST.

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.

Broadsword Appoints Tim Zeller to Director of Strategic Solutions

Dear CMMI Appraiser,

Our mechanical engineering firm has attained a CMMI Level 3 to help us operate more efficiently in a Waterfall environment. The Model allowed us get a system in place for getting deliverables to the customer, making it routine and repeatable, which helped us deliver services faster and better in the long run. Now we find ourselves needing to transition to an agile enviornment at the request of customers. Can we expect the same results from CMMI in terms of making deliveries out of our new agile methodology repeatable and scalable? ~ Dan K.

Dan, it is great to hear that you have had such a positive experience with CMMI. When CMMI users like you share their stories, everyone in the industry gets the benefit, so thank you!

Short answer: Yes, you absolutely can (and SHOULD!) use CMMI to help you transform to an agile environment.  CMMI works just as well with Waterfall as it does with agile, and any other approach.  The cool thing about CMMI is it takes what you are ALREADY doing and makes it better.  That's why lots of organizations like yours are using the CMMI as one of the tools that can help them establish the type of environment that can make them a great company. As a result, they have been able to improve all areas of the business, and reach their goals faster. 

To respond to this fast-growing trend, our firm recently appointed Tim Zeller Director of Strategic Solutions. Tim helps identify and implement new opportunities to improve performance, and leads our clients through the transformation from where they are today to where they want to be. He guides them on the path to becoming a great company, using our agileCMMI methodology.

Please read on and join me in welcoming Tim in his new role and wishing him great success!

Tim is a former chief executive of government and non-profit organizations and has served as General Council and Director of Risk Management and Legal Affairs in higher education and the health care industry. He is a Certified ISO 9000 lead auditor and SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resource) and an attorney who received his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.

Tim also has responsibility for growing Broadsword’s solution offerings, including further expansion of training programs, agile transformation, performance management and organizational change management.

“I am excited about the impact we can have for our clients, not only with CMMI and Agile, but with all aspects of performance improvement,” Tim said.

Tim is well-known to Broadsword's clients, and has been working with us as a partner for more than three years. In his new role, Tim works with our existing clients to ensure they are getting all they need from our talented team. We're looking forward to introducing Tim to more engineering and software professionals who can benefit from the ideas and solutions Tim brings.

Read the full press release here: Broadsword Appoints Tim Zeller to Director of Strategic Solutions

And if you would like more information about using CMMI in your transition to agile, Dan, you are invited to participate in our upcoming Webinar: “Agile Resiliency – Scaling Agile so that It Thrives and Survives,” February 12, 2015 @ noon EST.

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.

What reading material do you recommend for our new Appraisal Team member?

Dear CMMI Appraiser, wishing you and yours a happy 2015! I am writing on behalf of a colleague who is new to the Appraisal Team. He completed the necessary CMMI Training, but still has some gaps in his understanding of the basics, as I see it. I’m wondering if you could recommend some introductory-level reading to get him more comfortable in his role? ~ Carmen R.

Dear Carmen,

How thoughtful of you to look for information that can help your Appraisal Team member! I’m sure he will be successful in his new role with great people like you looking out for him. To help him, and as a last-minute gift idea for any other engineering or software professional on your list, I’d recommend the following high quality reading material for beginners to the CMMI:

CMMI eBooks Make the Perfect Holiday Gift!

Our CMMI and agile eBooks are the fastest way to get up to speed on the basics of CMMI, agile, and software process improvement. To download one of our free eBooks, check out our CMMI Resources Page, or purchase one of our latest books on Amazon.

It is our hope during the holidays, and all year round, to help passionate, proactive people like you increase performance and improve quality at your company.

Happy 2015!

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.