SEI White Paper:
Process Maturity Model
Present by Hui Huang
November 16, 2000
® CMM is Registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office
Overview of the article
(CMM for Software)
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Overview of CMM
Background discussion: Why CMM is crucial
Developing History
Detailed Summary
Description of Uses for
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Process Improvement
Evaluation of software supplier
Pros and Cons
State of Practices and Future Directions
Clarification of Terms
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Software process
Software process capability
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Software process performance
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Expected results
Actual results
Software process maturity
What is CMM ?
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A SEI Patent
A Five-Level Hierarchical Model
A set of known GMPs and an
improvement strategy for building
consistent and predictable software
products
Why CMM is crucial
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Determine the current process maturity
level
Identify a vital few issues
Focus on limited set of activities
Enable steady, continual and lasting
gains
Maturity Levels in CMM
Maturity
Focus
Level
5 Optimizing Continue Process
4 Managed
3 Defined
2 Repeatable
1 Initial
KPAs (e.g.)
Change Management
Improvement
Product and Process
Quality Management
Quality
Engineering Process & Product Engineering
Organizational Support
Project Management
SCM, QA/QC
Processes
Competent People and heroics
Key Process Areas (KPAs)
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Each KPA identifies a cluster of
related activities that achieve a set of
goals considered important for
process capability
The path of a key process may differ
The IDEAL approach to using
the CMM
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The five phase of the IDEAL approach
I: Initiating (the groundwork)
D: Diagnosing (the distance to the goal)
E: Establishing ( the plan)
A: Acting (doing the work)
L: Learning (from the experience)
CMM is part of the IDEAL approach
Cons:
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CMM is Not comprehensive
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non-software disciplines are not addressed
Counter-argument: CMM is deliberately
focused on software process
CMM is Difficult to Understand
The solution is for Large organization
The maturity levels oversimplifies issues
The KPAs are static
Pros
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Normative components are short: 18
KPAs and 52 Goals organized in
hierarchical model
CMM has been reviewed by many
software developers and has many
successful applications
Training available from SEI and
authorized distribution partners
State of the Practices
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In 1989, 90% of the organization
assessed are at level one and only 1
at level 5
In 1999, >70 of the organization
assessed are at level 4 or 5
Commercial Users: 60%
Government/Military Users: 40%
Suggested Reading
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Paulk Mark et al. 1995 The Capability
Maturity Model: Guidance for Improving
the Software Process
Questions ?