The SEI's approach to process management is based on the process management principle, "The quality of a system is highly influenced by the quality of the process used to acquire, develop, and maintain it." This long-established principle is reflected in ISO standards and other standards such as CMMI.

Superior performance is accomplished, in part, by continuously improving processes. At first, processes may be improvised. As processes become a focus for improvement, they are defined, documented, piloted, and refined. Standard processes characterize the default way of doing things in the organization. Continued focus on their processes enables organizations to track, analyze, and continuously improve performance.

Top-performing organizations use this overall approach to ensure that they achieve and sustain competitive advantage. Different challenges may require different technologies (e.g., models, frameworks, methods, environments); therefore, many organizations use more than one process and performance improvement technology and derive benefits from the unique features of each.

Using multiple improvement technologies can lead to competition for resources or even conflicting goals and solutions unless the improvement technologies are designed to complement each other. The SEI offers technologies that provide greater value when used together. These technologies include CMMI, Team Software Process (TSP), Accelerated Improvement Method (AIM, a combined use of CMMI, TSP, and Six Sigma), Measurement and Analysis, and the People CMM.

All of these technologies, when implemented effectively, help organizations focus on improving performance and therefore result in similar benefits:

• cost savings through economies of scale
  
• reduced cycle-time
  
• quicker achievement of performance objectives
  
• a culture that continually learns and improves
  
• increased quality of work and products
  
• a more effective ability to select and use new technologies and approaches