7. CMMI is based on the best practices and lessons learned reported from usage of the CMM.

4. The continuous representation allows you to select fewer process areas to institutionalize.

Well, sort of. Yes, you can de-select process areas. But it does not really save an organization much in time, effort, and cost because the process areas are so interrelated and interdependent that you will soon discover that you must back up and include more and more process areas (or at least several of the practices contained within the process areas) to be successful. For example, in the continuous representation, how can you attempt Validation, or Verification, or practically any other process area, without also tackling to some extent Project Planning, Project Monitoring and Control, and Product and Process Quality Assurance? Do you not need to plan, track, and ensure the quality of your product or process? And the generic goals and generic practices seem to enforce that you do so. So where do you go for guidance in structuring this effort? To those process areas that directly relate to them. So, those of you thinking of selecting the continuous representation so that you can select only a few process areas for improvement may be disappointed.