Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes that ultimately improve their performance. CMMI model is a process improvement maturity model for the development of products and services. It consists of best practices that address development and maintenance activities that cover the product lifecycle from conception through delivery and maintenance.

CMMI model can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. It helps integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes. It is also links it all to the organization’s business objectives and also maintains a focus on meeting customer expectations.

CMMI was developed by a group of experts from industry, government, and the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Pittsburgh, USA. CMMI models provide guidance for developing or improving processes that meet the business goals of an organization. A CMMI model may also be used as a framework for appraising the process maturity of the organization.

CMMI V2.0 delivers the best solution to benchmark and elevate organizational performance with demonstrated results. It helps organizations to quickly identify the key capabilities that directly impact business results, return on investment (ROI), quality, and performance while reducing cost and time to market.

Major changes and improvements in CMMI V2.0 over CMMI v1.3:

  • The term practice area will be used in place of process area. The idea probably is that CMMI is a collection of practices and not processes.
  • Estimation will be added as an exclusive and separate practice area. The idea probably is that estimation is the bedrock of successful project management and execution.
  • Generic goals and generic practices that are key to institutionalization will no longer be there in the current form and will get replaced by some new practice areas. The idea probably is that it is better to drive institutionalization through a dedicated set of practices that are logically consolidated under few practice areas.
  • The three constellations of CMMI – Development (DEV), Services (SVC) and Acquisition (ACQ) will be integrated into a single model. There will be a set of core practice areas and special/specific practice areas for the three threads. The idea probably is not only to make CMMI adoption modular but also give a new leash of life to SVC (which is currently being used in a very less number of cases) and ACQ (which is currently being used in an even lesser number of cases),
  • PCMM, cousin of CMMI, will get a new leash of life since it will also be integrated into CMMI V2.0 as part of workforce/people practices thread. The idea probably is to create some market for PCMM. The current usage of PCMM is abysmally low. Of course, there are reasons beyond the model itself.

CMMI V2.0 Maturity Levels
One of the big changes in CMMI V2.0 is that all Practice Areas apply at Maturity Level 3 (ML3) with specific additional required practice levels.

CMMI Maturity Level 1 – Initial
In CMMI ML1 organizations meet the intent of Practice Area(s), but practices are not fully implemented and usually are reactive in addressing issues.

CMMI Maturity Level 2 – Managed
In CMMI Level 2 organizations implement practices to meet the intent of Practice Area(s), proactively address issues and achieve program objectives. ML2 does not require use of organizational assets. The following Practice Areas must be rated at Maturity Level 2:

  • Managing Performance and Management
  • Supplier Agreement Management
  • Process Quality Assurance
  • Configuration Management
  • Monitor and Control
  • Planning
  • Estimating
  • Requirements Development and Maintenance
  • Governance
  • Implementation Infrastructure

CMMI Maturity Level 3 – Defined
In CMMI ML3 there is use of organizational standard practices, assets, and tailoring that address issues, achieve organization objectives, program objectives and focus on overall quality. The following Practice Areas must be rated at Maturity Level 3 (Configuration Management does not have any additional practices at Maturity Level 3)

  • Managing Performance and Management
  • Supplier Agreement Management
  • Process Quality Assurance
  • Configuration Management
  • Monitor and Control
  • Planning
  • Estimating
  • Requirements Development and Maintenance
  • Governance
  • Implementation Infrastructure
  • Causal Analysis and Resolution
  • Decision Analysis and Resolution
  • Organizational Training
  • Risk Management
  • Process Asset Development
  • Peer Reviews
  • Process Management
  • Verification and Validation
  • Technical Solution
  • Product Integration

CMMI Maturity Level 4 – Quantitively Managed
For the upgrade in CMMI ML4 organizations must have controlled processes, measured with the use of statistical and quantitative techniques and prediction tools for achieving quality, performance, and objectives. The following Practice Areas must be rated at Maturity Level 4, in addition to everything above:

  • Managing Performance and Management
  • Planning
  • Governance
  • Causal Analysis and Resolution
  • Process Management

CMMI Maturity Level 5 – Optimizing
Finally, in order to reach CMMI ML5 needs to optimize process improvement through use of statistical and quantitative techniques. The following Practice Areas must be rated at Maturity Level 5, in addition to everything above

  • Managing Performance and Management
  • Causal Analysis and Resolution

Benefits of CMMI

  • Improve Business Performance – Business goals are tied directly to operations in order to drive measurable, improved performance against time, quality, budget, customer satisfaction and other key drivers.
  • Leverage Current Best Practices – The CMMI V2.0 is a trusted source of proven best practices that will be continuously updated on the new online platform to reflect changing business needs.
  • Build Agile Resiliency and Scale – Direct guidance on how to strengthen agile with Scrum project processes across the enterprise with a focus on performance.
  • Benchmark Capability and Performance – New performance-oriented appraisal method improves the reliability and consistency of benchmarking while reducing preparation time and life-cycle costs.
  • Accelerate Adoption – Online platform and adoption guidance make the benefits of CMMI more accessible than ever.