Improving processes for developing better products and services

Do you ask yourself these questions?

• How can I avoid interface problems before product and service delivery?
• Are my requirements documents up to date? Is that really important?
• Do my customers expect something different than what is delivered?
• Is there a better way to find and fix defects early?
• How can I avoid last-minute requirements that delay the schedule for releasing products and services?
• Should I produce the part in-house or buy it externally (from an outside supplier)?

Whether your business is developing high-tech systems, consumer software, or IT services, you want to ensure the highest quality product or service reaches your customer on time. The guidance provided by the free download of the CMMI for Development, Version 1.3 (CMMI-DEV, V1.3) model uses management and engineering concepts to help you achieve on-time delivery and high quality, especially if your product or service relies heavily on software.

CMMI-DEV guidance covers the lifecycles of products and services from conception through delivery and maintenance. CMMI-DEV best practices are flexible enough to apply to a variety of industries, yet stable and consistent enough to provide a benchmark against which your organization can measure and compare itself.

Adopting CMMI-DEV is a solid, high-return investment that your organization can make to ensure long-term enduring results. The business benefits experienced by organizations using CMMI-DEV in their process improvement programs include the following:

• Improved customer satisfaction
• Increased quality
• More accurate schedules
• Lower development costs
• Substantial return on investment
• Improved employee morale and reduced turnover

The book CMMI for Development: Guidelines for Process Integration and Product Improvement, 3rd Edition, is both an introduction to the CMMI-DEV model and an authoritative reference for it. You can purchase it at most book retailers. Look through CMMI-DEV publications for books, quick reference, and other useful publications.

An extensive CMMI-DEV user community is active on the web. We've gathered some of it in Community Discussions. We would like your input on various issues related to CMMI-DEV. Let us know what you think and we will improve our products and services based on your opinions.

If you are interested in a formal evaluation of your organization's processes based on CMMI-DEV model practices, see more about CMMI Appraisals. The SEI and its Partners offer CMMI-related training and appraisal services. You can find an SEI Partner organization near you that employs CMMI instructors, lead appraisers, and consultants. A good starting place for learning about CMMI is the Introduction to CMMI-DEV course. The CMMI course catalog lists this and other courses that are currently available.