3. Transitioning from the CMM to the CMMI will be a trivial effort.

SCAMPI and CMMI

The SEI has generated a new model the CMMI and a new appraisal methodology SCAMPI. The SCAMPI method now incorporates a number of the principles of the SCE as documented in the SCE Method Description for SCE version 3.0. SCAMPI can be used for assessments on both the staged and continuous representations of the CMMI. SCAMPI is an appraisal method for organizations that want to evaluate their own or another organization's processes using the CMMI as their reference model. SCAMPI consists of a structured set of team activities that include conducting interviews, reviewing documents, receiving and giving presentations, and analyzing surveys and questionnaires. SCAMPI results are ratings and findings of strengths, weaknesses, and improvement activities using the CMMI. What are these results used for? The results are used to award contracts and to baseline processes for process improvement. Results are based on how the organization satisfies the goals for each process area. Several projects, several process areas, and several maturity levels (and possibly several capability levels) are investigated. So, the steps in the SCAMPI are basically:

• Documentation is gathered and reviewed.

• Interviews are conducted .

• Deficiencies are discovered and documented.

• Findings are presented.

And the primary components of a SCAMPI are:

• Planning and preparing for the appraisal

• Collecting and consolidating data, both before and during the appraisal

• Making judgments

• Determining ratings

• Reporting results

There are three types of appraisals : Class A (SCAMPI), B, and C. Each class is distinguished by its degree of rigor. SCAMPI is discussed in greater detail in Chapter 11.