Glossary | CMMI (c) Guidelines for Process Integration and Product Improvement

The CMMI glossary defines the basic terms used in the CMMI models. Glossary entries are typically multiple-word terms consisting of a noun and one or more restrictive modifiers. (There are some exceptions to this rule that account for one-word terms in the glossary.)

When selecting definitions for terms in the CMMI glossary, we used definitions from recognized sources as much possible. Definitions were selected first from existing sources that have a widespread readership. The order of precedence we used when selecting definitions was as follows:

Webster's OnLine dictionary (www.m-w.com)
ISO/IEC 9000
ISO/IEC 12207
ISO/IEC 15504
ISO/IEC 15288
CMMI Source Models
- EIA/IS 731 (SECM)
- SW-CMM v2, draft C
- IPD-CMM v0.98
CMMI A-Spec
IEEE
SW-CMM v1.1
EIA 632
SA-CMM
FAA-iCMM
P-CMM

We developed the glossary recognizing the importance of using terminology that all model users can understand. We also recognized that words and terms can have different meanings in different contexts and environments. The glossary in CMMI models is designed to document the meanings of words and terms that should have the widest use and understanding by users of CMMI products.

ability to perform: A common feature of CMMI model process areas with a staged representation that groups the generic practices related to ensuring that the project and/or organization has the resources it needs.

acceptance criteria: The criteria that a product or product component must satisfy to be accepted by a user, customer, or other authorized entity.

acceptance testing: Formal testing conducted to enable a user, customer, or other authorized entity to determine whether to accept a product or product component.; See also [unit testing]

achievement profile: In the continuous representation, a list of process areas and their corresponding capability levels that represent the organization's progress for each process area while advancing through the capability levels.; See also [capability level profile]; See also [target profile]; See also [target staging]

acquisition: The process of obtaining, through contract, any discrete action or proposed action by the acquisition entity that would commit to invest (appropriated funds) for obtaining products and services.

acquisition strategy: The specific approach to acquiring products and services that is based on considerations of supply sources, acquisition methods, requirements specification types, contract or agreement types, and the related acquisition risk.

adequate: This word is used so that you can interpret goals and practices in light of your organization's business objectives. When using any CMMI model, you must interpret the practices so that they work for your organization. This term is used in goals and practices where certain activities may not be done all of the time.; See also [appropriate]; See also [as needed]

advanced practices: In the continuous representation, all the specific practices with a capability level of 2 or higher.

agreement/contract requirements: All technical and nontechnical requirements related to an acquisition.

allocated requirement: Requirement that levies all or part of the performance and functionality of a higher level requirement on a lower level architectural element or design component.

alternative practice: A practice that is a substitute for one or more generic or specific practices contained in CMMI models that achieves an equivalent effect toward satisfying the generic or specific goal associated with model practices. Alternative practices are not necessarily one-for-one replacements for the generic or specific practices.

appraisal: In the CMMI Product Suite, an examination of one or more processes by a trained team of professionals using an appraisal reference model as the basis for determining strengths and weaknesses.; See also [assessment]; See also [capability evaluation]

appraisal findings: The conclusions of an appraisal that identify the most important issues, problems, or opportunities within the appraisal scope. Findings include, at a minimum, strengths and weaknesses based on valid observations.

appraisal participants: Members of the organizational unit who participate in providing information during the appraisal.

appraisal rating: As used in CMMI appraisal materials, the value assigned by an appraisal team to (1) a CMMI goal or process area, (2) the capability level of a process area, or (3) the maturity level of an organizational unit. The rating is determined by enacting the defined rating process for the appraisal method being employed.

appraisal reference model: As used in CMMI appraisal materials, the CMMI model to which an appraisal team correlates implemented process activities.

appraisal scope: The definition of the boundaries of the appraisal encompassing the organizational limits and the CMMI model limits.

appraisal tailoring

Selection of options within the appraisal method for use in a specific instance.

The intent of appraisal tailoring is to assist an organization in aligning application of the method with its business objectives.

appraisal team leader: A person who leads the activities of an appraisal and has satisfied the qualification criteria for experience, knowledge, and skills defined by the appraisal method.

appropriate: This word is used so that you can interpret goals and practices in light of your organization's business objectives. When using any CMMI model, you must interpret the practices so that they work for your organization. This term is used in goals and practices where certain activities may not be done all of the time.; See also [adequate]; See also [as needed]

as needed: This phrase is used so that you can interpret goals and practices in light of your organization's business objectives. When using any CMMI model, you must interpret the practices so that they work for your organization. This term is used in goals and practices where certain activities may not be done all the time.; See also [adequate]; See also [appropriate]

assessment: In the CMMI Product Suite, an appraisal that an organization does internally for the purposes of process improvement. The word assessment is also used in the CMMI Product Suite in an everyday English sense (e.g., risk assessment).; See also [appraisal]; See also [capability evaluation]

assignable cause of process variation: In CMMI, the term special cause of process variation is used in place of assignable cause of process variation to ensure consistency. The two terms are defined identically.; See also [special cause of process variation]

audit: In CMMI process improvement work, an independent examination of a work product or set of work products to determine whether requirements are being met.

base measure: A distinct property or characteristic of an entity and the method for quantifying it.; See also [derived measures]

base practices: In the continuous representation, all the specific practices with a capability level of 1.

baseline: A set of specifications or work products that has been formally reviewed and agreed on, which thereafter serves as the basis for further development, and which can be changed only through change control procedures; See also [configuration baseline]; See also [product baseline]

business objectives: See [organization's business objectives]

capability evaluation: An appraisal by a trained team of professionals used as a discriminator to select suppliers, for contract monitoring, or for incentives. Evaluations are used to help decision makers make better acquisition decisions, improve subcontractor performance, and provide insight to a purchasing organization.; See also [appraisal]; See also [assessment]

capability level: Achievement of process improvement within an individual process area. A capability level is defined by the appropriate specific and generic practices for a process area.; See also [generic goal]; See also [generic practice]; See also [maturity level]; See also [process area]

capability level profile: In the continuous representation, a list of process areas and their corresponding capability levels. The profile may be an achievement profile when it represents the organization's progress for each process area while advancing through the capability levels. Or, the profile may be a target profile when it represents an objective for process improvement.; See also [achievement profile]; See also [target profile]; See also [target staging]

capability maturity model: A model that contains the essential elements of effective processes for one or more disciplines and describes an evolutionary improvement path from ad hoc, immature processes to disciplined, mature processes with improved quality and effectiveness.

capable process: A process that can satisfy its specified product quality, service quality, and process-performance objectives.; See also [stable process]; See also [standard process]; See also [statistically managed process]

causal analysis: The analysis of defects to determine their cause.

change management: Judicious use of means to effect a change, or proposed change, on a product or service.; See also [configuration management]

CMMI Framework: The basic structure that organizes CMMI components, including common elements of the current CMMI models as well as rules and methods for generating models, their appraisal methods (including associated artifacts), and their training materials. The framework enables new disciplines to be added to CMMI so that the new disciplines will integrate with the existing ones.; See also [CMMI model]; See also [CMMI Product Suite]

CMMI model: One from the entire collection of possible models that can be generated from the CMMI Framework. Since the CMMI Framework can generate different models based on the needs of the organization using it, there are multiple CMMI models.; See also [CMMI Framework]; See also [CMMI Product Suite]

CMMI model component: Any of the main architectural elements that compose a CMMI model. Some of the main elements of a CMMI model include specific practices, generic practices, specific goals, generic goals, process areas, capability levels, and maturity levels.

CMMI model tailoring: The use of a subset of a CMMI model for the purpose of making it suitable for a specific application. The intent of model tailoring is to assist an organization in aligning application of a model with its business objectives.

CMMI Product Suite: The complete set of products developed around the CMMI concept. These products include the framework itself, models, appraisal methods, appraisal materials, and various types of training.; See also [CMMI Framework]; See also [CMMI model]

commitment to perform: A common feature of CMMI model process areas with a staged representation that groups the generic practices related to creating policies and securing sponsorship.

common cause of process variation: The variation of a process that exists because of normal and expected interactions among the components of a process.; See also [special cause of process variation]

concept of operations: See [operational concept]

configuration audit: An audit conducted to verify that a configuration item conforms to a specified standard or requirement.; See also [audit]; See also [configuration item]

configuration baseline: The configuration information formally designated at a specific time during a product's or product component's life. Configuration baselines, plus approved changes from those baselines, constitute the current configuration information.; See also [product life cycle]

configuration control: An element of configuration management consisting of the evaluation, coordination, approval or disapproval, and implementation of changes to configuration items after formal establishment of their configuration identification.; See also [configuration identification]; See also [configuration item]; See also [configuration management]

configuration control board: A group of people responsible for evaluating and approving or disapproving proposed changes to configuration items, and for ensuring implementation of approved changes. Configuration control boards are also known as change control boards.; See also [configuration item]

configuration identification: An element of configuration management consisting of selecting the configuration items for a product, assigning unique identifiers to them, and recording their functional and physical characteristics in technical documentation.; See also [configuration item]; See also [configuration management]; See also [product]

configuration item: An aggregation of work products that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.; See also [configuration management]

configuration management: A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to (1) identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a configuration item, (2) control changes to those characteristics, (3) record and report change processing and implementation status, and (4) verify compliance with specified requirements [IEEE Std 610.1990].; See also [configuration audit]; See also [configuration control]; See also [configuration identification]; See also [configuration status accounting]

configuration status accounting: An element of configuration management consisting of the recording and reporting of information needed to manage a configuration effectively. This information includes a listing of the approved configuration identification, the status of proposed changes to the configuration, and the implementation status of approved changes.; See also [configuration identification]; See also [configuration management]

continuous representation: A capability maturity model structure wherein capability levels provide a recommended order for approaching process improvement within each specified process area.; See also [capability level]; See also [process area]; See also [staged representation]

contractor: See [supplier]

corrective action: Acts or deeds used to remedy a situation, remove an error, or adjust a condition.

COTS: Items that can be purchased from a commercial vendor. (COTS stands for "commercial off the shelf.")

customer: The party (individual, project, or organization) responsible for accepting the product or for authorizing payment. The customer is external to the project (except possibly when Integrated Product Teams are used, as in IPPD), but not necessarily external to the organization. The customer may be a higher level project. Customers are a subset of stakeholders.; See also [stakeholder]

data management: Principles, processes, and systems for the sharing and management of data.

defect density: Number of defects per unit of product size (e.g., problem reports per thousand lines of code).

defined process: A managed process that is tailored from the organization's set of standard processes according to the organization's tailoring guidelines; has a maintained process description; and contributes work products, measures, and other process improvement information to the organizational process assets.; See also [managed process]

derived measures: Data resulting from the mathematical function of two or more base measures.; See also [base measure]

derived requirements: Requirements that are not explicitly stated in the customer requirements, but are inferred (1) from contextual requirements (e.g., applicable standards, laws, policies, common practices, and management decisions), or (2) from requirements needed to specify a product component. Derived requirements can also arise during analysis and design of components of the product or system.; See also [product requirements]

design review: A formal, documented, comprehensive, and systematic examination of a design to evaluate the design requirements and the capability of the design to meet these requirements, and to identify problems and propose solutions.

development: In the CMMI Product Suite, not only development activities but also maintenance activities may be included. Projects that benefit from the best practices of CMMI can focus on development, maintenance, or both.

developmental plan: A plan for guiding, implementing, and controlling the design and development of one or more products.; See also [product life cycle]; See also [project plan]

directing implementation: A common feature of CMMI model process areas with a staged representation that groups the generic practices related to managing the performance of the process, managing the integrity of its work products, and involving relevant stakeholders.

discipline: In the CMMI Product Suite, the bodies of knowledge available to you when selecting a CMMI model (e.g., systems engineering). The CMMI Product Team envisions that other bodies of knowledge will be integrated into the CMMI Framework in the future.

discipline amplification: Discipline amplifications are informative model components that contain information relevant to a particular discipline. For example, to find a discipline amplification for software engineering, you would look in the model for items labeled "For Software Engineering." The same is true for other disciplines.

document: A collection of data, regardless of the medium on which it is recorded, that generally has permanence and can be read by humans or machines. So, documents include both paper and electronic documents.

enterprise: The full composition of companies. Companies may consist of many organizations in many locations with different customers.; See also [organization]

entry criteria: States of being that must be present before an effort can begin successfully.

equivalent staging: A target staging, created using the continuous representation, that is defined so that the results of using the target staging can be compared to the maturity levels of the staged representation. Such staging permits benchmarking of progress among organizations, enterprises, and projects, regardless of the CMMI representation used. The organization may implement components of CMMI models beyond those reported as part of equivalent staging. Equivalent staging is only a measure to relate how the organization is compared to other organizations in terms of maturity levels.; See also [capability level profile]; See also [maturity level]; See also [target profile]; See also [target staging]

establish and maintain: In the CMMI Product Suite, you will encounter goals and practices that include the phrase "establish and maintain." This phrase connotes a meaning beyond the component terms; it includes documentation and usage. For example, "Establish and maintain an organizational policy for planning and performing the organizational process focus process" means that not only must a policy be formulated, but it also must be documented and it must be used throughout the organization.

evidence: See [objective evidence]

executive: See [senior manager]

exit criteria: States of being that must be present before an effort can end successfully.

expected CMMI components: CMMI components that explain what may be done to satisfy a required CMMI component. Model users can implement the expected components explicitly or implement equivalent alternative practices to these components. Specific and generic practices are expected model components.

finding: See [appraisal findings]

formal evaluation process: A structured approach to evaluating alternative solutions against established criteria to determine a recommended solution to address an issue.

framework: See [CMMI Framework]

functional analysis: Examination of a defined function to identify all the subfunctions necessary to the accomplishment of that function; identification of functional relationships and interfaces (internal and external) and capturing these in a functional architecture; and flow down of upper level performance requirements and assignment of these requirements to lower level subfunctions.; See also [functional architecture]

functional architecture: The hierarchical arrangement of functions, their internal and external (external to the aggregation itself) functional interfaces and external physical interfaces, their respective functional and performance requirements, and their design constraints.

generic goal: A required model component that describes the characteristics that must be present to satisfy the institutionalization of the processes that implement a process area.; See also [institutionalization]

generic practice: An expected model component that is considered important in achieving the associated generic goal. The generic practices associated with a generic goal describe the activities that are expected to result in achievement of the generic goal and contribute to the institutionalization of the processes associated with a process area.

generic practice elaboration: An informative model component that appears after a generic practice to provide guidance on how the generic practices should be applied to the process area.

goal: A required CMMI component that can be either a generic goal or a specific goal. When you see the word goal in a CMMI model, it always refers to a model component (e.g., generic goal and specific goal).; See also [generic goal]; See also [objective]; See also [specific goal]

incomplete process: A process that is not performed or is performed only partially (also known as capability level 0). One or more of the specific goals of the process area are not satisfied.

informative CMMI components: CMMI components that help model users understand the required and expected components of a model. These components can contain examples, detailed explanations, or other helpful information. Subpractices, notes, references, goal titles, practice titles, sources, typical work products, discipline amplifications, and generic practice elaborations are informative model components.

institutionalization: The ingrained way of doing business that an organization follows routinely as part of its corporate culture.

integrated product and process development: A systematic approach to product development that achieves a timely collaboration of relevant stakeholders throughout the product life cycle to better satisfy customer needs.

integrated team: A group of people with complementary skills and expertise who are committed to delivering specified work products in timely collaboration. Integrated team members provide skills and advocacy appropriate to all phases of the work products' life and are collectively responsible for delivering the work products as specified. An integrated team should include empowered representatives from organizations, disciplines, and functions that have a stake in the success of the work products.

interface control: In configuration management, the process of (1) identifying all functional and physical characteristics relevant to the interfacing of two or more configuration items provided by one or more organizations, and (2) ensuring that the proposed changes to these characteristics are evaluated and approved prior to implementation [IEEE 828-1983].; See also [configuration item]; See also [configuration management]

lead appraiser: As used in the CMMI Product Suite, a person who has achieved recognition from an authorizing body to perform as an appraisal team leader for a particular appraisal method.

life-cycle model: A partitioning of the life of a product or project into phases.

managed process: A performed process that is planned and executed in accordance with policy; employs skilled people having adequate resources to produce controlled outputs; involves relevant stakeholders; is monitored, controlled, and reviewed; and is evaluated for adherence to its process description.; See also [performed process]

manager: In the CMMI Product Suite, a person who provides technical and administrative direction and control to those performing tasks or activities within the manager's area of responsibility. The traditional functions of a manager include planning, organizing, directing, and controlling work within an area of responsibility.

maturity level: Degree of process improvement across a predefined set of process areas in which all goals in the set are attained.; See also [capability level]; See also [process area]

memorandum of agreement: Binding documents of understanding or agreements between two or more parties. Also known as a "memorandum of understanding."

natural bounds: The inherent process reflected by measures of process performance, sometimes referred to as "voice of the process." Techniques such as control charts, confidence intervals, and prediction intervals are used to determine whether the variation is due to common causes (i.e., the process is predictable or "stable") or is due to some special cause that can and should be identified and removed.

nondevelopmental item (NDI): An item of supply that was developed previous to its current use in an acquisition or development process. Such an item may require minor modifications to meet the requirements of its current intended use.

nontechnical requirements: Contractual provisions, commitments, conditions, and terms that affect how products or services are to be acquired. Examples include products to be delivered, data rights for delivered commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) non-developmental items (NDIs), delivery dates, and milestones with exit criteria. Other nontechnical requirements include training requirements, site requirements, and deployment schedules.

objective: When used as a noun in the CMMI Product Suite, the term objective replaces the word goal as used in its common everyday sense, since the word goal is reserved for use when referring to the CMMI model components called specific goals and generic goals.; See also [goal]

objective evidence: As used in CMMI appraisal materials, qualitative or quantitative information, records, or statements of fact pertaining to the characteristics of an item or service or to the existence and implementation of a process element, which are based on observation, measurement, or test and which are verifiable.

objectively evaluate: To review activities and work products against criteria that minimize subjectivity and bias by the reviewer. An example of an objective evaluation is an audit against requirements, standards, or procedures by an independent quality assurance function.; See also [audit]

observation: As used in CMMI appraisal materials, a written record that represents the appraisal team members' understanding of information either seen or heard during the appraisal data collection activities. The written record may take the form of a statement or may take alternative forms as long as the information content is preserved.

operational concept: A general description of the way in which an entity is used or operates. (Also known as "concept of operations.")

operational scenario: A description of an imagined sequence of events that includes the interaction of the product with its environment and users, as well as interaction among its product components. Operational scenarios are used to evaluate the requirements and design of the system and to verify and validate the system.

optimizing process: A quantitatively managed process that is improved based on an understanding of the common causes of variation inherent in the process. The focus of an optimizing process is on continually improving the range of process performance through both incremental and innovative improvements.; See also [common cause of process variation]; See also [defined process]; See also [quantitatively managed process]

organization: An administrative structure in which people collectively manage one or more projects as a whole, and whose projects share a senior manager and operate under the same policies. However, the word organization as used throughout CMMI models can also apply to one person who performs a function in a small organization that might be performed by a group of people in a large organization.; See also [enterprise]; See also [organizational unit]

organizational maturity: The extent to which an organization has explicitly and consistently deployed processes that are documented, managed, measured, controlled, and continually improved. Organizational maturity may be measured via appraisals.

organizational policy: A guiding principle typically established by senior management that is adopted by an organization to influence and determine decisions.

organizational process assets: Artifacts that relate to describing, implementing, and improving processes (e.g., policies, measurements, process descriptions, and process implementation support tools). The term process assets is used to indicate that these artifacts are developed or acquired to meet the business objectives of the organization, and they represent investments by the organization that are expected to provide current and future business value.; See also [process asset library]

organizational unit

The part of an organization that is the subject of an appraisal; also known as the organizational scope of the appraisal.

An organizational unit deploys one or more processes that have a coherent process context and operates within a coherent set of business objectives. An organizational unit is typically part of a larger organization, although in a small organization, the organizational unit may be the whole organization.

organization's business objectives: Senior management developed strategies designed to ensure an organization's continued existence and enhance its profitability, market share, and other factors influencing the organization's success. Such objectives may include reducing the number of change requests during a system's integration phase, reducing development cycle time, increasing the number of errors found in a product's first or second phase of development, and reducing the number of customer-reported defects, when applied to systems engineering activities.; See also [quality and process-performance objectives]; See also [quantitative objective]

organization's measurement repository: A repository used to collect and make available measurement data on processes and work products, particularly as they relate to the organization's set of standard processes. This repository contains or references actual measurement data and related information needed to understand and analyze the measurement data.

organization's process asset library: A library of information used to store and make available process assets that are useful to those who are defining, implementing, and managing processes in the organization. This library contains process assets that include process-related documentation such as policies, defined processes, checklists, lessons-learned documents, templates, standards, procedures, plans, and training materials.

organization's set of standard processes: A collection of definitions of the processes that guide activities in an organization. These process descriptions cover the fundamental process elements (and their relationships to each other, such as ordering and interfaces) that must be incorporated into the defined processes that are implemented in projects across the organization. A standard process enables consistent development and maintenance activities across the organization and is essential for long-term stability and improvement.; See also [defined process]; See also [process element]

outsourcing: See [acquisition]

peer review: The review of work products performed by peers during development of the work products to identify defects for removal. The term peer review is used in the CMMI Product Suite instead of the term work product inspection. Essentially, these terms mean the same thing.; See also [work product]

performance parameters: The measures of effectiveness and other key measures used to guide and control progressive development.

performed process: A process that accomplishes the needed work to produce work products. The specific goals of the process area are satisfied.

planned process: A process that is documented both by a description and a plan. The description and plan should be coordinated, and the plan should include standards, requirements, objectives, resources, assignments, and so on.

policy: See [organizational policy]

process: In the CMMI Product Suite, activities that can be recognized as implementations of practices in a CMMI model. These activities can be mapped to one or more practices in CMMI process areas to allow a model to be useful for process improvement and process appraisal. There is a special use of the phrase the process in the statements and descriptions of the generic goals and generic practices. "The process," as used in chapter 3 and in Part Two (in the section of each process area that contains the generic components), is the process or processes that implement the process area.; See also [process area]

process action plan: A plan, usually resulting from appraisals, that documents how specific improvements targeting the weaknesses uncovered by an appraisal will be implemented.

process action team: A team that has the responsibility to develop and implement process improvement activities for an organization as documented in a process action plan.

process and technology improvements: Incremental and innovative improvements to processes and also to process or product technologies.

process architecture: The ordering, interfaces, interdependencies, and other relationships among the process elements in a standard process. Process architecture also describes the interfaces, interdependencies, and other relationships between process elements and external processes (e.g., contract management).

process area: A cluster of related practices in an area that, when implemented collectively, satisfy a set of goals considered important for making significant improvement in that area. All CMMI process areas are common to both continuous and staged representations.

process asset: Anything that the organization considers useful in attaining the goals of a process area.; See also [organizational process assets]

process asset library: A collection of process asset holdings that can be used by an organization or project.; See also [organization's process asset library]

process attribute: A measurable characteristic of process capability applicable to any process.

process capability: The range of expected results that can be achieved by following a process [EIA/IS 731, v1.0].

process context

The set of factors, documented in the appraisal input, that influences the judgment and comparability of appraisal ratings.

These include, but are not limited to, the size of the organizational unit to be appraised; the demographics of the organizational unit; the application domain of the products or services; the size, criticality, and complexity of the products or services; and the quality characteristics of the products or services.

process definition: The act of defining and describing a process. The result of process definition is a process description.; See also [process description]

process description: A documented expression of a set of activities performed to achieve a given purpose that provides an operational definition of the major components of a process. The documentation specifies, in a complete, precise, and verifiable manner, the requirements, design, behavior, or other characteristics of a process. It also may include procedures for determining whether these provisions have been satisfied. Process descriptions can be found at the activity, project, or organizational level.

process element: The fundamental unit of a process. A process can be de

process element

The fundamental unit of a process. A process can be defined in terms of subprocesses or process elements. A subprocess can be further decomposed; a process element cannot.

Each process element covers a closely related set of activities (e.g., estimating element, peer review element). Process elements can be portrayed using templates to be completed, abstractions to be refined, or descriptions to be modified or used. A process element can be an activity or task.

process group: A collection of specialists who facilitate the definition, maintenance, and improvement of the process(es) used by the organization.

process improvement: A program of activities designed to improve the performance and maturity of the organization's processes, and the results of such a program.

process-improvement objectives: A set of target characteristics established to guide the effort to improve an existing process in a specific, measurable way either in terms of resultant product characteristics (e.g., quality, performance, conformance to standards) or in the way in which the process is executed (e.g., elimination of redundant process steps, combination of process steps, improvement of cycle time).; See also [organization's business objectives]; See also [quantitative objective]

process improvement plan: A plan for achieving organizational process-improvement objectives based on a thorough understanding of the current strengths and weaknesses of the organization's processes and process assets.

process measurement: The set of definitions, methods, and activities used to take measurements of a process and its resulting products for the purpose of characterizing and understanding the process.

process owner: The person (or team) responsible for defining and maintaining a process. At the organizational level, the process owner is the person (or team) responsible for the description of a standard process; at the project level, the process owner is the person (or team) responsible for the description of the defined process. A process may therefore have multiple owners at different levels of responsibility.; See also [defined process]; See also [standard process]

process performance: A measure of actual results achieved by following a process. It is characterized by both process measures (e.g., effort, cycle time, and defect removal efficiency) and product measures (e.g., reliability, defect density, and response time).

process performance baseline: A documented characterization of the actual results achieved by following a process, which is used as a benchmark for comparing actual process performance against expected process performance.; See also [process performance]

process performance model: A description of the relationships among attributes of a process and its work products that are developed from historical process performance data and calibrated using collected process and product measures from the project and that are used to predict results to be achieved by following a process.

process tailoring: Making, altering, or adapting a process description for a particular end. For example, a project tailors its defined process from the organization's set of standard processes to meet the objectives, constraints, and environment of the project.; See also [defined process]; See also [organization's set of standard processes]; See also [process description]

product: In the CMMI Product Suite, any tangible output or service that is a result of a process and that is intended for delivery to a customer or end user. A product is a work product that is delivered to the customer.; See also [customer]; See also [work product]

product baseline: In configuration management, the initial approved technical data package (including, for software, the source code listing) defining a configuration item during the production, operation, maintenance, and logistic support of its life cycle.; See also [configuration item]; See also [configuration management]

product component: In the CMMI Product Suite, lower level components of the product. Product components are integrated to "build" the product. There may be multiple levels of product components. A product component is any work product that must be engineered (requirements defined and designs developed and implemented) to achieve the intended use of the product throughout its life and that is delivered to the customer.; See also [product]; See also [work product]

product-component requirements: A complete specification of a product component, including fit, form, function, performance, and any other requirement.

product life cycle

The period of time, consisting of phases, that begins when a product is conceived and ends when the product is no longer available for use. Since an organization may be producing multiple products for multiple customers, one description of a product life cycle may not be adequate. Therefore, the organization may define a set of approved product life-cycle models. These models are typically found in published literature and are likely to be tailored for use in an organization.

A product life cycle could consist of the following phases: (1) concept/vision, (2) feasibility, (3) design/development, (4) production, and (5) phase out.

product line: A group of products sharing a common, managed set of features that satisfy specific needs of a selected market or mission.

product-related life-cycle processes: Processes associated with a product throughout one or more phases of its life (e.g., from conception through disposal), such as the manufacturing and support processes.

product requirements: A refinement of the customer requirements into the developers' language, making implicit requirements into explicit derived requirements. The developer uses the product requirements to guide the design and building of the product.; See also [derived requirements]; See also [product-component requirements]

product suite: See [CMMI Product Suite]

profile: See also [achievement profile]; See also [target profile]

program: (1) A project. (2) A collection of related projects and the infrastructure that supports them, including objectives, methods, activities, plans, and success measures.; See also [project]

project: In the CMMI Product Suite, a managed set of interrelated resources that delivers one or more products to a customer or end user. A project has a definite beginning and end and typically operates according to a plan. Such a plan is frequently documented and specifies the product to be delivered or implemented, the resources and funds to be used, the work to be done, and a schedule for doing the work. A project can be composed of projects.

project manager: In the CMMI Product Suite, the person responsible for planning, directing, controlling, structuring, and motivating the project. The project manager is responsible for satisfying the customer.

project plan

A plan that provides the basis for performing and controlling the project's activities, which addresses the commitments to the project's customer.

Project planning includes estimating the attributes of the work products and tasks, determining the resources needed, negotiating commitments, producing a schedule, and identifying and analyzing project risks. Iterating through these activities may be necessary to establish the project plan.

project progress and performance: What a project achieves with respect to implementing project plans, including effort, cost, schedule, and technical performance.

project's defined process: The integrated and defined process that is tailored from the organization's set of standard processes.; See also [defined process]

prototype

A preliminary type, form, or instance of a product or product component that serves as a model for later stages or for the final, complete version of the product. This model (e.g., physical, electronic, digital, analytical) can be used for the following (and other) purposes:

assessing the feasibility of a new or unfamiliar technology
assessing or mitigating technical risk
validating requirements
demonstrating critical features
qualifying a product
qualifying a process
characterizing performance or product features
elucidating physical principles

quality: The ability of a set of inherent characteristics of a product, product component, or process to fulfill requirements of customers.

quality and process-performance objectives: Objectives and requirements for product quality, service quality, and process performance. Process-performance objectives include product quality; however, to emphasize the importance of product quality in the CMMI Product Suite, the phrase quality and process-performance objectives is used rather than just process-performance objectives.

quality assurance: A planned and systematic means for assuring management that the defined standards, practices, procedures, and methods of the process are applied.

quality control: The operational techniques and activities that are used to fulfill requirements for quality [ISO 8402-1994].; See also [quality assurance]

quantitative objective: Desired target value expressed as quantitative measures.; See also [process-improvement objectives]; See also [quality and process-performance objectives]

quantitatively managed process: A defined process that is controlled using statistical and other quantitative techniques. The product quality, service quality, and process performance attributes are measurable and controlled throughout the project.; See also [defined process]; See also [optimizing process]; See also [statistically managed process]

rating: See [appraisal rating]

reference: An informative model component that points to additional or more detailed information in related process areas.

reference model: A model that is used as a benchmark for measuring some attribute.

relevant stakeholder: A stakeholder that is identified for involvement in specified activities and is included in a plan.; See also [stakeholder]

representation: The organization, use, and presentation of a CMM's components. Overall, two types of approaches to presenting best practices are evident: the staged representation and the continuous representation.

required CMMI components: CMMI components that are essential to achieving process improvement in a given process area. These components are used in appraisals to determine process capability. Specific goals and generic goals are required model components.

requirement: (1) A condition or capability needed by a user to solve a problem or achieve an objective. (2) A condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a product or product component to satisfy a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed documents. (3) A documented representation of a condition or capability as in (1) or (2) [IEEE 610.12-1990].

requirements analysis: The determination of product-specific performance and functional characteristics based on analyses of customer needs, expectations, and constraints; operational concept; projected utilization environments for people, products, and processes; and measures of effectiveness.

requirements elicitation: Using systematic techniques, such as prototypes and structured surveys, to proactively identify and document customer and end-user needs.

requirements management: The management of all requirements received by or generated by the project, including both technical and nontechnical requirements as well as those requirements levied on the project by the organization.

requirements traceability: The evidence of an association between a requirement and its source requirement, its implementation, and its verification.

return on investment: The ratio of revenue from output (product) to production costs, which determines whether an organization benefits from performing an action to produce something.

risk analysis: The evaluation, classification, and prioritization of risks.

risk identification: An organized, thorough approach to seek out probable or realistic risks in achieving objectives.

risk management: An organized, analytic process to identify what might cause harm or loss (identify risks); to assess and quantify the identified risks; and to develop and, if needed, implement an appropriate approach to prevent or handle causes of risk that could result in significant harm or loss.

risk management strategy: An organized, technical approach to identify what might cause harm or loss (identify risks); to assess and quantify the identified risks; and to develop and, if needed, implement an appropriate approach to prevent or handle causes of risk that could result in significant harm or loss. Typically, risk management is performed for project, organization, or product developing organizational units.

root cause: A source of a defect such that if it is removed, the defect is decreased or removed.

senior manager

In the CMMI Product Suite, a management role at a high enough level in an organization that the primary focus of the person filling the role is the long-term vitality of the organization rather than short-term project and contractual concerns and pressures. A senior manager has authority to direct the allocation or reallocation of resources in support of organizational process improvement effectiveness.

A senior manager can be any manager who satisfies this description, including the head of the organization. Synonyms for "senior manager" include "executive" and "top-level manager." However, to ensure consistency and usability, these synonyms are not used in CMMI models.

shared vision: In the CMMI Product Suite, a common understanding of guiding principles including mission, objectives, expected behavior, values, and final outcomes, which are developed and used by a group such as an organization, project, or team. Creating a shared vision requires that all people in the group have an opportunity to speak and be heard about what really matters to them.

software engineering: (1) The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software. (2) The study of approaches as in (1).

solicitation: The process of preparing a package to be used in selecting a supplier (contractor).; See also [solicitation package]

solicitation package: A formal document delineating technical and nontechnical requirements that is used to request offers on invitations for bid (bids) and requests for proposal (proposals), or to request statements of capabilities and price quotations (quotes). It is otherwise used as a basis for selecting a supply source or sources to provide products or services.

special cause of process variation: A cause of a defect that is specific to some transient circumstance and not an inherent part of a process.; See also [common cause of process variation]

specific goal: A required model component that describes the unique characteristics that must be present to satisfy the process area.; See also [capability level]; See also [generic goal]; See also [organization's business objectives]; See also [process area]

specific practice: An expected model component 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. In the continuous representation, every specific practice is associated with a capability level. The staged representation does not recognize capability levels, so all specific practices are treated equally.; See also [process area]; See also [specific goal]

stable process: The state in which all special causes of process variation have been removed and prevented from recurring so that only the common causes of process variation of the process remain.; See also [capable process]; See also [common cause of variation]; See also [special cause of process variation]; See also [standard process]; See also [statistically managed process]

staged representation: A model structure wherein attaining the goals of a set of process areas establishes a maturity level; each level builds a foundation for subsequent levels.; See also [maturity level]; See also [process area]

stakeholder: In the CMMI Product Suite, a group or individual that is affected by or is in some way accountable for the outcome of an undertaking. Stakeholders may include project members, suppliers, customers, end users, and others.; See also [customer]; See also [relevant stakeholder]

standard: When you see the word standard used as a noun in a CMMI model, it refers to the formal mandatory requirements developed and used to prescribe consistent approaches to development (e.g., ISO/IEC standards, IEEE standards, organizational standards). Instead of using standard in its common everyday sense, we chose another term that means the same thing (e.g., typical, traditional, usual, or customary).

standard process

An operational definition of the basic process that guides the establishment of a common process in an organization [ISO/IEC 15504-9].

A standard process describes the fundamental process elements that are expected to be incorporated into any defined process. It also describes the relationships (e.g., ordering and interfaces) among these process elements.