CMMI

1. What is CMMI ?
Capability Maturity Model® Integration (CMMI) is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. CMMI 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.

The latest version of CMMI(1.2) was released in August 2006. There are 3 areas addressed by this version of CMMI, namely: CMMI Development, CMMI Services and CMMI Acquisition.

The CMMI Product Suite is at the forefront of process improvement because it provides the latest best practices for product and service development and maintenance.

2. Which organizations can implement CMMI ?

The business processes of developing engineered products are the focus of CMMI. This helps understand why it is most widely applied in software and systems engineering organizations But, where it is applied is a significantly distinct matter from being anything even remotely akin to a standard or certification mechanism for the engineering or technology required to develop products. If an organization chose to do so, CMMI could be applied in the construction or even media production industries.

CMMI is meant to help engineering development organizations improve on their capability to consistently and predictably deliver the products their customers want, when they want them and at a price they're willing to pay. From a purely inwardly-facing perspective, CMMI helps companies get from estimates to actual in the black.

3. What are the advantage of CMMI ?

Your organization's activities are explicitly linked to your business objectives.
Your visibility into the organization's activities is increased to help you ensure that your product or service meets the customer's expectations.
You learn from new areas of best practice (e.g., measurement, risk)

CMMI is being adopted worldwide, including North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. This kind of response has substantiated the SEI's commitment to CMMI.

You can use CMMI in three different areas of interest:
Product and service development (CMMI for Development
Service establishment, management, and delivery (CMMI for Services
Product and service acquisition (CMMI for Acquisition)