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| CMM Capability Maturity Model AND its levels |
There are five levels of the CMM:
Level 1
- Initial
Processes are usually ad hoc and the organization usually does not provide a stable environment. Success in these
organizations depend on the competence and heroics of the people in the
organization and not on the use of proven processes. In spite of this ad hoc,
chaotic environment, maturity level 1 organization often produce products and
services that work; however, they frequently exceed the budget and schedule of
their projects.
Organizations are characterized by a tendency
to over commit, abandon processes in the time of crisis, and not be able to
repeat their past successes again.
Software project success depends on having
quality people.
Level 2
- Repeatable
Software development successes are repeatable.
The processes may not repeat for all the projects in the organization. The the organization may use some basic project management to track cost and schedule.
Process discipline helps ensure that existing
practices are retained during times of stress. When these practices are in
place, projects are performed and managed according to their documented plans.
Project status and the delivery of services are
visible to management at defined points (for example, at major milestones and
at the completion of major tasks).
Basic project management processes are
established to track cost, schedule, and functionality. The minimum process
discipline is in place to repeat earlier successes on projects with similar
applications and scope. There is still a significant risk of exceeding cost and
time estimate.
Level 3
- Defined
The organization’s set of standard processes,
which is the basis for level 3, is established and improved over time. These
standard processes are used to establish consistency across the organization.
Projects establish their defined processes by the organization’s set of
standard processes according to tailoring guidelines.
The organization’s management establishes
process objectives based on the organization’s set of standard processes and
ensures that these objectives are appropriately addressed.
A critical distinction between level 2 and
level 3 is the scope of standards, process descriptions, and procedures. At
level 2, the standards, process descriptions, and procedures may be quite
different in each specific instance of the process (for example, on a
particular project). At level 3, the standards, process descriptions, and
procedures for a project are tailored from the organization’s set of standard
processes to suit a particular project or organizational unit.
Level 4
- Managed
Using precise measurements, management can
effectively control the software development effort. In particular, management
can identify ways to adjust and adapt the process to particular projects
without measurable losses of quality or deviations from specifications. At this
level organization set a quantitative quality goal for both software process
and software maintenance.
Subprocesses are selected that significantly
contribute to overall process performance. These selected sub-processes are
controlled using statistical and other quantitative techniques.
A critical distinction between maturity level 3
and maturity level 4 is the predictability of process performance. At maturity
level 4, the performance of processes is controlled using statistical and other
quantitative techniques and is quantitatively predictable. At maturity level
3, processes are only qualitatively predictable.
Level 5
- Optimizing
Focusing on continually improving process
performance through both incremental and innovative technological improvements.
Quantitative process-improvement objectives for the organization are
established, continually revised to reflect changing business objectives, and
used as criteria in managing process improvement. The effects of deployed
process improvements are measured and evaluated against the quantitative
process-improvement objectives. Both the defined processes and the organization’s
set of standard processes are targets of measurable improvement activities.
Process improvements to address common causes
of process variation and measurably improve the organization’s processes are
identified, evaluated, and deployed.
Optimizing processes that are nimble, adaptable
and innovative depends on the participation of an empowered workforce aligned
with the business values and objectives of the organization. The organization’s
ability to rapidly respond to changes and opportunities is enhanced by finding
ways to accelerate and share learning.
A critical distinction between maturity level 4
and maturity level 5 is the type of process variation addressed. At maturity
level 4, processes are concerned with addressing special causes of process
variation and providing statistical predictability of the results. Though
processes may produce predictable results, the results may be insufficient to
achieve the established objectives. At maturity level 5, processes are
concerned with addressing common causes of process variation and changing the
process (that is, shifting the mean of the process performance) to improve
process performance (while maintaining statistical probability) to achieve the
established quantitative process-improvement objectives.