CMMI

What is CMMI?

CMMI, Capability Maturity Model Integration, is a process level improvement training and appraisal program. CMMI process areas focuses upon identification, implementation, management, and continual improvement of business processes with the use of identified specific and generic practices in each process area. It is administered by the CMMI Institute, a subsidiary of ISACA, and was developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), USA. The DoD (Department of Defense) and the U.S. Government helped develop the CMMI, which is a common requirement for the DoD and U.S. Government software development contracts.

Who can benefit from CMMI?

CMMI is widely used in the project based software industry and in product and service development. The current CMMI version can be applied to hardware, software and service development across every industry. CMMI can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization.

CMMI defines the following maturity levels for business processes:

• Level 1- Initial:

Processes unpredictable, poorly controlled and reactive

• Level 2 -Managed:

Processes characterized for projects and is often reactive

• Level 3 -Defined:

Processed characterized for the organization and is proactive

• Level 4 -Quantitatively Managed:

Processes measured and controlled

• Level 5 -Optimizing:

Focus on process improvement

Organizations applying for a particular level will have to implement the required process areas in their organizations which are covered in the respective level.

Following are key models for CMMI:

1) CMMI for Development (DEV)
2) CMMI for Services (SVC)
3) CMMI for Acquisition (ACQ)

What are the key benefits of CMMI certification?

The benefits associated with CMMI models are:

• Improvement in productivity, quality and increase in cycle time leading to greater customer satisfaction
• Meeting business objectives
• Improvement in business and growth
• A well-established CMMI program acts as a catalytic business model for an organization
• Improved success with landing and retaining new clients
• Greater efficiency leading to more profits
• Decreased risk