Are you interested in starting a process improvement program in your organization? Or just looking to learn more about CMMI? Before you begin applying CMMI to your organization, collect information about it. Once you collect information, you can begin the implementation steps.

CMMI Implementation Steps

The following actions demonstrate the typical steps involved in implementing CMMI-based process improvement (Note: The steps and sequence may vary from organization to organization.):

1. Secure Sponsorship and Funding. Before you begin your process improvement effort, ensure that your process improvement program has a senior management sponsor and funding. Such sponsorship and funding is critical to ensuring the program's success. You can educate senior management about CMMI by presenting the CMMI Version 1.2 Overview or CMMI Executive Overview presentations.

2. Take Core Training. To understand basic concepts of the CMMI Product Suite, attend the appropriate Introduction to CMMI, Version 1.2 course. Introduction to CMMI courses are offered by the SEI and by many members of the SEI Partner Network.

3. Prepare Your Organization for Change. You need to treat process improvement as a project. Establish the business reasons and the business goals for the effort. Create a compelling case for change, including the rationale for the undertaking and the expected benefits and costs for the people affected. Develop a persuasive presentation of the problems and opportunities. Key people involved in your organization's process improvement efforts should also take the Introduction to CMMI, Version 1.2 course.

4. Form a Process Group. This group coordinates process improvement activities across the enterprise and exists for the duration of the process improvement activity. Members of the group can serve as process improvement mentors. If the process group is new to process improvement, members should consider taking the Defining Software Processes or Mastering Process Improvement courses.

5. Know Where You Are. Map CMMI best practices to your organization's processes and do an informal gap analysis (e.g., SCAMPI C) to determine how your processes compare to CMMI model practices using an ARC Class C compliant appraisal method. Do a survey to gather data from managers, project leads, and workers to gauge cultural opportunities and barriers to change. Build a detailed picture of the present.

6. Know Where You Are Going. Using the same format as the picture of where you are, create a picture of where you want to be. Characterize the success you want before you begin. Get a balanced view from management, project leaders, and staff about what they think is most important. Each will have different objectives they want to achieve. Prioritize the process areas to address and build your improvement plan. Track your progress against the plan.

7. Communicate and Coordinate. You must have honest and open communication. Share the plan with everyone who will be affected and listen to their comments.

8. Track Your Progress. Compare the picture of where you are to the one of where you want to be. The difference between the two is the focus of your process improvement program. Create a periodic (e.g., monthly, weekly) report that demonstrates your program's progress in reaching its (and the organization's) goals. You can also have a SEI-authorized lead appraiser conduct an appraisal, which will provide an objective evaluation of your organization using the SCAMPI method and a CMMI model. For more information about SCAMPI, see CMMI Appraisals.