The Continuous Representation

There are two different representations of the CMMI : the staged representation and the continuous representation.

The following discussion contains a lot of "CMMI-ese." There is just no way around it. When using the CMMI, you must use the terminology associated with it. However, the words are sometimes confusing. A trick we use is to look at the words as separate entities and then just " turn them around." For example, the next paragraph contains the words process capability . Well, what is that? Look at the words. Process capability is how capable is a process of actually providing the results we are looking for. And so on. Good luck.

The Staged Representation

The staged representation focuses improvement on the process capability an organization can expect to attain; however, this expected capability (or ability to function in a mature manner) is contained within maturity levels or stages. There are five maturity levels, with each level providing the foundation for further improvements. This structure mirrors that of the previous CMM for Software.

Maturity Level 1: Initial

Organizations have no structured process in place. Development is chaotic and ad hoc. Budgets and schedules are often exceeded. Product quality cannot be predicted . Maturity Level 1 is considered ad hoc ” meaning you make it up as you go along, which is something we want to avoid ” so this level has no real structure associated with it. That is, this level represents a chaotic approach toward developing products. If chaos were structured, it would not be chaotic. So, there is nothing structured in Maturity Level 1, and being Level 1 is a bad thing.

Maturity Level 2: Managed

Basic project management processes are in place and are followed. Institutionalization is achieved by:

• Adhering to organizational policies

• Following a documented plan and process description

• Applying adequate funding and resources

• Maintaining appropriate assignment of responsibility and authority

• Training people in their appropriate processes

• Placing work products under appropriate configuration management

• Monitoring and controlling process performance, and taking corrective action

• Objectively reviewing the process, work products, and services, and addressing noncompliance

• Reviewing the activities, status, and results of the process with appropriate levels of management, and taking corrective action

• Identifying and interacting with relevant stakeholders

Maturity Level 2 begins with basic management practices and continues with increasingly sophisticated focus areas that belong within a specific level.

Maturity Level 3: Defined

The organization has achieved all of the goals of Maturity Level 2. There is an organizational way of doing business, with tailoring of this organizational method allowed under predefined conditions. The organization has an organization's set of standard processes. The following characteristics of the process are clearly stated:

• Purpose

• Inputs

• Entry criteria

• Activities

• Roles

• Measures

• Verification steps

• Outputs

• Exit criteria

Institutionalization is achieved by:

• Satisfying the institutionalization factors for Maturity Level 2

• Establishing the description of the defined process

• Establishing a plan based on the description of the defined process

• Performing the process according to the planned defined process

• Collecting work products, measures, and improvement information derived from performing the process

• Performing the process to support future use and improvement of the organization's process assets

Maturity Level 3 continues with defining a strong, meaningful, organizationwide approach to developing products. An important distinction between Maturity Levels 2 and 3 is that at Level 3, processes are described in more detail and more rigorously than at Level 2. Processes are managed more proactively, based on a more sophisticated understanding of the interrelationships and measurements of the processes and parts of the processes. Level 3 is more sophisticated, more organized, and has developed an organizational identity ” a way of doing business particular to this organization.

Maturity Level 4: Quantitatively Managed

The organization has achieved all of the goals of Maturity Levels 2 and 3. The organization controls its processes by statistical and other quantitative techniques. Product quality, process performance, and service quality are understood in statistical terms and are managed throughout the life of the processes. Institutionalization occurs via:

• Satisfying the factors for institutionalization at Levels 2 and 3

• Establishing and maintaining quantitative objectives for product quality, service quality, and process performance

• Establishing and maintaining a statistically stable and predictable process performance

• Establishing and maintaining a statistical understanding to determine whether the process is capable of achieving these goals

Maturity Level 4 focuses on using metrics to make decisions and to truly measure whether progress is occurring and the product is improving. Distinctions between Levels 3 and 4 are that at Level 3, processes are qualitatively predictable. At Level 4, processes are quantitatively predictable. Level 4 addresses special causes of process variation and takes corrective action.

Maturity Level 5: Optimizing

The organization has achieved all of the goals of Maturity Levels 2, 3, and 4. Processes are continually improved, based on an understanding of common causes of variation within the processes. Institutionalization is accomplished by:

• Satisfying the items for institutionalization for Levels 2, 3, and 4

• Establishing and maintaining quantitative process improvement objectives

• Identifying and preventing common causes of defects

• Identifying and deploying both incremental and innovative technological improvements that continually improve process performance

Maturity Level 5 is Nirvana. Everyone is a productive member of the team, defects are reduced, and the product is delivered on time and within the estimated budget.

In the staged model, the Maturity Levels serve as process boundaries ” meaning that the efforts documented in that Maturity Level relate only to that Maturity Level. For example, Requirements Management is a Level 2 Process Area. The next Process Area in Level 2 is Project Planning. Then there is Project Monitoring and Control, Supplier Agreement Management, Measurement and Analysis, Process and Product Quality Assurance, and Configuration Management. So, to be considered a Maturity Level 2 organization, the projects undergoing process improvement need to satisfy the goals for all of the process areas for Maturity Level 2.

In Maturity Level 3, there are the following process areas:

• Requirements Development

• Technical Solution

• Product Integration

• Verification

• Validation

• Organizational Process Focus

• Organizational Process Definition

• Organizational Training

• Integrated Project Management (for Integrated Product and Process Development ” IPPD)

• Risk Management

• Integrated Teaming

• Integrated Supplier Management

• Decision Analysis and Resolution

• Organizational Environment for Integration

Thus, an organization seeking to be Maturity Level 3 would need to structure its process improvement program to satisfy the goals for both Levels 2 and 3. The point to note is that the process areas listed in Level 2 are not listed in Level 3, and vice versa. The same holds true for Maturity Levels 4 and 5. You must satisfy all of the goals in the previous levels, plus the goals for the current level, to attain that Maturity Level rating. Each Maturity Level consists of process areas. Each process area contains goals that must be satisfied. Each goal has certain practices or actions associated with it.