The one area that makes upper management uncomfortable is the inability to see progress being made. To that end, we suggest the following measurements as a start to use as tracking mechanisms for PI efforts:
Actual size of deliverables (based on processes to be developed, as well as standards to be devised; all track directly to the requirements in the CMMI)
Actual effort (staff hours) expended for major activities
Start and end dates for major activities
Completion dates for identified milestones (Design-Pilot-Implementation for each PA)
Number and type of changes to the PI strategy
This is one of the ways that the process improvement effort can serve as a model for future projects. By tracking and communicating progress to upper management, the Process Improvement Program can lead through example. More tracking guidance is given in Chapter 15.