Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)

The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is a process and behavioral model that helps organizations streamline process improvement and encourage productive, efficient behaviors that decrease risks in software, product and service development.

CMMI V2.0 includes the following changes from V1.3:

1. Focus on Performance: New performance practices have been built into the model at all Maturity levels to emphasize and focus on improving organizational performance to recognize a more visible ROI.

• This reflects the modern business climate where performance is key to the success of every organization—no matter their maturity level. With performance now built in at every level, organizations can plan a more methodical and step-by-step path to achieve better performance and high maturity.
• Level 1 starts by addressing basic performance. This performance is built on as the practices go up in levels, with Level 2 practices including/subsuming Level 1, and practices from levels 3 to 5 building on lower levels to further evolve.
• The performance report tied to each benchmark appraisal enables more effective awareness of organizational performance improvements.

2. Improved Usability & Integrated Guidance:

• CMMI V2.0 is built on a scalable architecture that enables seamless integration of new content to provide guidance for specific business needs.
• Currently, CMMI Development V2.0 includes specific guidance to help organizations that use agile methods for development to strengthen their processes and scale their agile practices with a focus on performance. Additional content, like Safety, Security, and more is still to come.
• Inclusion of Level 1 practices to enable new organizations to take incremental steps to improve and gain early success
• Optional online format available to make content easily selectable and accessible
• Multiple model appraisals will be easier to manage, with only additional model- or domain-specific content to be added once core CMMI practices have been implemented.

3. Easier to Understand and Access:

• CMMI V2.0 has been written in non- technical business language; this will make CMMI V2.0 more accessible for non-native English speakers and easier to translate into different languages
• Each Practice Area has an evolutionary improvement path where practices at one level build on the practices at the previous levels.
• Generic Goals and Generic Practices have been replaced by building and sustaining practices.
• Licensed users will be able to view as much or as little of the model as is useful to them. Rather than scrolling through a PDF or flipping through a book, users can click and search to quickly find the content you need. Licensed users will have access to all CMMI V2.0 model content currently available, as well as any new context, for the duration of their licensed period.

4. Improved Value and Reliability of Appraisals:

• SCAMPI A appraisal vs. Benchmark appraisal
• Benchmark appraisals (replacing SCAMPI A appraisals) can result in a maturity level rating which is valid for 3 years.
• New appraisal methods include a statistically-validated random sampling approach that provides broader coverage for data analysis in the Work Unit (WU) and significant reduction in any bias of results.
• Appraisal approach and planning is emphasized, in order to reduce overall preparation time involved.

• Sustainment appraisals
• Sustainment appraisals (new appraisal class) entail a substantially reduced scope to check on process sustainment to ensure maturity is maintained over time.
• Conducting a Sustainment appraisal can extend a Benchmark maturity level rating for an additional 2 years.
• After the initial Benchmark appraisal, you may conduct 3 consecutive Sustainment appraisals before you are required to re-baseline with another Benchmark appraisal.

• SCAMPI B and C appraisals vs. Evaluation appraisals
• Evaluation appraisals (replacing SCAMPI B & C appraisals) can be used by organizations at any scope and against any section of the CMMI V2.0 model content, providing flexibility to meet business objectives.

5. Maturity Levels: Maturity Levels are very similar to Maturity Levels in CMMI V1.3:

6. Adoption Guidance: Specific guidance will lead organizations step-by-step through getting started with CMMI or transitioning from CMMI V1.3.

• A clear set of proven and simple steps to get started on (or transitioning) your CMMI performance improvement journey
• List of commonly needed available resources to ensure a successful improvement effort
• Identifies critical lessons learned and best practices designed to avoid “false starts” and ensure the improvement efforts are tied directly to business results

7. Redesigned Systems: Updated and completely integrated systems (Appraisal system, Published Appraisal Results System, etc.) that will be easier to access CMMI V2.0 model content, appraisal systems and appraisal team member resources. A single sign-on interface will reduce redundancy and make it simple to begin or continue your CMMI journey.