DataSource

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DataSource SEIs Capability Maturity
Model (CMM)

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OverviewWhat is CMM?Why I Chose To Pursue
CMM Benefits/DrawbacksDataSource Experience
w/ CMM Conclusion
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What is CMM?

• BACKGROUND/DEFINITIONS
• Developed by Carnegie Mellons Software
  Engineering Institute (SEI)
• Somewhat Based on the Work of Deming, Juran and
  Others
• Underlying Premise The Quality of a Product is
  Largely Determined by the Quality of the Process
  That is Used to Develop and Maintain It.
• SEI A Reference Model of Mature Practices in a
  Specified Discipline, Used to Assess a Groups
  Capability To Perform That Discipline. CMM is
  used by the SEI to denote a particular class of
  maturity models (e.g., software development)
• My Perspective A Set of Policies Practices
  That Govern the Way We Perform Custom Software
  Development Projects, Such That Certain Processes
  Goals Are Systematically Addressed/Executed.

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• Types of CMM
• Software CMM
• System Engineering CMM
• System Engineering Capability Model
• Software Acquisition CMM
• System Security Engineering CMM
• System Security Engineering CMM
• Personal Software Process
• FAA-iCMM
• IPD-CMM
• People CMM
• SPICE Model
• CMMI

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CMM Levels

• Level 1 Competent People and Heroics (Hope for
  the Best)
• Level 2 The Repeatable Process
• Level 3 The Defined Process
• Level 4 The Managed Process
• Level 5 The Optimized Process

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Key Process Areas (KPAs)Software Development

• Level 2 (Repeatable)
• Requirements Management
• Software Project Planning
• Software Project Tracking Oversight
• Software Subcontract Management
• Software Quality Assurance
• Software Configuration Management
• Level 3 (Defined)
• Level 2 KPAs
• Organization Process Focus
• Organization Process Definition
• Training Program
• Integrated Software Management
• Software Product Engineering
• Intergroup Coordination
• Peer Reviews

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Key Process Areas (KPAs)Software Development

• Level 4 (Managed)
• Level 3 KPAs
• Quantitative Process Management
• Software Quality Management
• Level 5 (Optimized)
• Level 4 KPAs
• Defect Prevention
• Technology Change Management
• Process Change Management

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My Perspective
Policies
Plans
Procedures
Deliverables Artifacts
Validation
Measurement
Improvements
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What CMM Is Not

• A Guarantee
• Any Software Process is Dependent on The Quality
  of the People Who Implement It.

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Why I Chose To Pursue CMM

• Corporate Way of Doing Business, Not Based on the
  Individual
• Need to Alleviate Problems Experienced On Past
  Projects
• Ensure/Optimize Quality of Delivered Systems
• Mutual Understanding of Project with Customer,
  Including Roles and Responsibilities
• Manage Scope Creep
• Industry Standard Methods
• Adequate Documentation Supporting All Activities,
  Including Communication With The Customer
• Maintain a Solid Reputation
• Make Money, Not Lose It
• So I Could Sleep Better at Night
• CMM Established Defined Method of Achieving
  Results
• Perks More Contract Opportunities???

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• Benefits
• Drawbacks

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Benefits (Realized)

• Management of Scope Creep
• Customers Who Require and/or Appreciate CMM Are
  Excellent Customers
• Common Understanding of Corporate Software
  Development Processes and Goals
• Structures in Place for Documenting Customer
  Interaction That Are Mutually Beneficial
• Some Contract Advantage, But Not Substantial
• Substantially Less Yucky Problems
• The Mere Act of Measuring Human Processes
• Changes Them. (Watts Humphrey in Managing the
  Software Process)

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Drawbacks

• Huge Investment of Time Money
• (Initial Ongoing)
• Projects Have More Overhead and Are Therefore
  More Expensive
• Perception of Many Excellent Software Developers
  is Negative
• (Yet can be overcome)
• Return On Investment??
• (Not yet evident for DataSource)

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Benefits for Data Management Personnel Project
Managers

• Interaction with Better-Trained Staff Less
  Frustration, Less Last-Minute Heroics Required
• Overall Improvement in Documentation of
  Application Requirements (including Data
  Requirements) Many Benefits Including Less Pull
  on Senior Resources to Maintain Old Systems
• Reduction/Elimination of Unmanaged Scope Creep
  Benefits Everyone
• Project Managers Defined Project Management
  Processes, Templates, etc. Tremendous Job
  Security!

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DataSource Experience With CMM

• Common-Sense Approach
• Process Improvement Should Be Done To Help The
  Business Not For Its Own Sake.
• Pitfalls To Avoid
• Overkill/Use of Templates Available Over the Web,
  etc. That Are Not Necessarily Relevant To Your
  Organization
• Too Many People Involved in SEPG
• Working on Too Many Processes At Once
• Too Much Superfluous Jargon
• Things We Did That Were Helpful
• Senior Management Support/Push
• Getting All Involved
• Communicate (Approach, Benefits)
• Map Out Chart of Policies/Procedures/Templates/Pro
  ject Deliverables
• Hire Consultant

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Conclusion

• CMM Assessment/Evaluation Process
• A Few Process Proverbs
• QA
• References
• SEI Website http//www.sei.cmu.edu
• Managing the Software Process by Watts S.
  Humphrey

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