CMMI models are an important part of CMMI Solutions for improving your organization's performance and its ability to meet its business objectives. Every CMMI model contains 16 core process areas. These process areas include practices that cover concepts in project management, process management, infrastructure, and support.

These basic concepts are fundamental to process improvement in any area of interest (i.e., acquisition, development, services). The core process areas of each model express these concepts in the context of that area of interest. In addition to the core process areas, each model also includes process areas found only in that model.

CMMI Model Foundation (16 Core Process Areas)

Causal Analysis and Resolution (CAR)

Configuration Management (CM)

Decision Analysis and Resolution (DAR)

Integrated Project Management (IPM)*

Measurement and Analysis (MA)

Organizational Process Definition (OPD)

Organizational Process Focus (OPF)

Organizational Performance Management (OPM)

Organizational Process Performance (OPP)

Organizational Training (OT)

Project Monitoring and Control (PMC)**

Project Planning (PP)***

Process and Product Quality Assurance (PPQA)

Quantitative Project Management (QPM)****

Requirements Management (REQM)

Risk Management (RSKM) 

Process areas found only in CMMI for Acquisition

Acquisition Requirements Development (ARD)

Solicitation and Supplier Agreement Development (SSAD)

Agreement Management (AM)

Acquisition Technical Management (ATM)

Acquisition Verification (AVER)

Acquisition Validation (AVAL)

Process found only in CMMI for Development

Product Integration (PI)

Requirements Development (RD)

Requirements Management (REQM)

Supplier Agreement Management (SAM)*****

Technical Solution (TS)

Validation (VAL)

Verification (VER) 

Process areas found only in CMMI for Services

Capacity and Availability Management (CAM)

Incident Resolution and Prevention (IRP)

Supplier Agreement Management (SAM)*****

Service Continuity (SCON)

Service Delivery (SD)

Service System Development (SSD)

Service System Transition (SST)

Strategic Service Management (STSM) 

The models also contain generic goals and generic practices that apply across multiple process areas. They describe the characteristics that must be present to institutionalize processes that implement a process area. All generic goals and generic practices are internally consistent and apply to every model.

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* Integrated Work Management (IWM) in CMMI-SVC

** Work Monitoring and Control (WMC) in CMMI-SVC

*** Work Planning (WP) in CMMI-SVC

**** Quantitative Work Management (QWM) in CMMI-SVC

***** Supplier Agreement Management (SAM) is shared between CMMI-DEV and CMMI-SVC