Components Associated with Part Two

The model components associated with Part Two can be summarized to illustrate their relationships, as in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1. CMMI Model Components

The following sections provide detailed descriptions of the process area components.

Process Areas

A process area is a cluster of related practices in an area that, when implemented collectively, satisfies a set of goals considered important for making significant improvement in that area.

There are twenty-five process areas, presented in alphabetical order by acronym:

• Causal Analysis and Resolution (CAR)

• Configuration Management (CM)

• Decision Analysis and Resolution (DAR)

• Integrated Project Management (IPM)

• Integrated Supplier Management (ISM)

• Integrated Teaming (IT)

• Measurement and Analysis (MA)

• Organizational Environment for Integration (OEI)

• Organizational Innovation and Deployment (OID)

• Organizational Process Definition (OPD)

• Organizational Process Focus (OPF)

• Organizational Process Performance (OPP)

• Organizational Training (OT)

• Product Integration (PI)

• Project Monitoring and Control (PMC)

• Project Planning (PP)

• Process and Product Quality Assurance (PPQA)

• Quantitative Project Management (QPM)

• Requirements Development (RD)

• Requirements Management (REQM)

• Risk Management (RSKM)

• Supplier Agreement Management (SAM)

• Technical Solution (TS)

• Validation (VAL)

• Verification (VER)

Purpose Statements

The purpose statement describes the purpose of the process area and is an informative component.

For example, the purpose statement of the Requirements Development process area is "The purpose of Requirements Development is to produce and analyze customer, product, and product-component requirements."

Introductory Notes

The introductory notes section of the process area describes the major concepts covered in the process area and is an informative component.

An example from the introductory notes of the Project Planning process area is "Planning begins with requirements that define the product and project."

Related Process Areas

The related process areas section lists references to related process areas and reflects the high-level relationships among the process areas. The related process area section is an informative component.

An example of a reference found in the related process areas section of the Project Planning process area is "Refer to the Risk Management process area for more information about identifying and managing risks."

Specific Goals

A specific goal describes the unique characteristics that must be present to satisfy the process area. A specific goal is a required model component and is used in appraisals to help determine whether a process area is satisfied.

For example, a specific goal from the Configuration Management process area is "Integrity of baselines is established and maintained."

Only the statement of the specific goal is a required model component. The title of a specific goal (preceded by the goal number) and any notes associated with the goal are considered informative model components.

Generic Goals

Generic goals appear near the end of a process area and are called "generic" because the same goal statement appears in multiple process areas. A generic goal describes the characteristics that must be present to institutionalize the processes that implement a process area. A generic goal is a required model component and is used in appraisals to determine whether a process area is satisfied. (See chapter 3 for a more detailed description of generic goals.)

An example of a generic goal is "The process is institutionalized as a defined process."

Only the statement of the generic goal is a required model component. The title of a generic goal (preceded by the goal number) and any notes associated with the goal are considered informative model components.

Practice-to-Goal Relationship Tables

The practice-to-goal relationship table illustrates the relationships among the practices that are expected components and the goals that are required components. These relationships are critical during an appraisal to help determine when a goal is satisfied. This table contains a summary of all the goals and practices. The practice-to-goal relationship table is an informative component.

Specific Practices

A specific practice is the description of an activity that is considered important in achieving the associated specific goal. The specific practices describe the activities expected to result in achievement of the specific goals of a process area. A specific practice is an expected model component.

For example, a specific practice from the Integrated Supplier Management process area is "Identify and analyze potential sources of products that may be used to satisfy the project's requirements."

Only the statement of the specific practice is an expected model component. The title of a specific practice (preceded by the practice number) and any notes associated with the specific practice are considered informative model components.

Typical Work Products

The typical work products section lists sample outputs from a specific practice. These examples are called "typical work products" because there are often other work products that are just as effective but are not listed. A typical work product is an informative model component.

For example, a typical work product for the specific practice "Establish and maintain verification procedures and criteria for the selected work products" in the Verification process area is "verification criteria."

Subpractices

A subpractice is a detailed description that provides guidance for interpreting and implementing a specific practice. Subpractices may be worded as if prescriptive, but are actually an informative component meant only to provide ideas that may be useful for process improvement.

For example, a subpractice for the specific practice "Take corrective action on identified issues" in the Project Monitoring and Control process area is "Determine and document the appropriate actions needed to address the identified issues."

Generic Practices

Generic practices appear near the end of a process area and are called "generic" because the same practice appears in multiple process areas. A generic practice is the description of an activity that is considered important in achieving the associated generic goal. A generic practice is an expected model component. (See chapter 3 for a more detailed description of generic practices.)

For example, a generic practice for the generic goal "The process is institutionalized as a managed process" is "Provide adequate resources for performing the process, developing the work products, and providing the services of the process."

Only the statement of the generic practice is an expected model component. The title of a generic practice (preceded by the practice number) and any notes associated with the practice are considered informative model components.

To reduce the repetitiveness of this information and to conserve the number of pages required to present this information, only the generic practice title, statement, and elaborations appear in Part Two, "Process Areas." (See chapter 3, pages 39 through 54, for a complete description of the generic practices.)

Generic Practice Elaborations

A generic practice elaboration appears after a generic practice in a process area to provide guidance on how the generic practice should be applied uniquely to the process area. A generic practice elaboration is an informative model component.

For example, a generic practice elaboration after the generic practice "Establish and maintain an organizational policy for planning and performing the verification process" in the Verification process area is "This policy establishes organizational expectations for establishing and maintaining verification methods, procedures, criteria, verification environment, performing peer reviews, and verifying selected work products."