Understanding CMMI High Maturity Practices

Apart from the CMMI models themselves, this 4-day course is the definitive source of information about CMMI levels 4 and 5 (i.e., high maturity). If your organization is or plans to be a high-performance organization that consistently uses high maturity practices, this course is a must. This course describes the characteristics of high maturity and provides detailed explanations of the concepts and practices at maturity levels 4-5, including examples of how statistical methods and tools can be applied to assist in the proper implementation of these practices.

Process-performance baselines, process-performance models, control charts and other techniques are explained in detail and their use is demonstrated through examples and exercises.

CMMI levels 4 and 5, Team Software Process (TSP), and Six Sigma are a powerful combination that enables organizations to achieve engineering excellence. This course briefly covers both Six Sigma and TSP concepts that can help organizations to effectively perform, manage, and improve processes.

The course is composed of lectures and exercises with ample opportunity for student questions and discussion. After attending the course, you will understand the concepts and issues related to CMMI levels 4 and 5 from theoretical, empirical, and practical perspectives. This course will not provide criteria for evaluating specific practice implementations.

Who should attend?

• Engineering process group (e.g., SEPG, EPG) members
• Professionals interested in applying high maturity concepts
• Professionals interested in how CMMI and Six Sigma complement each other
• Professionals interested in how CMMI and TSP complement each other
• SCAMPI Lead Appraisers and SCAMPI B&C Team Leaders
• Appraisal team members
• CMMI instructors

Topics

• Introduction
• Context for High Maturity
• Statistical Thinking
• Enablers for High Maturity
• Implementing Organizational Process Performance (OPP)
• Implementing Quantitative Project Management/Quantitative Work Management (QPM/QWM)
• Implementing Causal Analysis and Resolution (CAR)
• Implementing Organizational Performance Management (OPM)
• Tying It All Together

Objectives

• effectively and efficiently address the business objectives
• interpret level 4 and 5 practices with greater understanding and consistency
• understand and apply high maturity concepts, especially process performance baselines and models
• understand how CMMI, TSP, and Six Sigma relate and can work together

Prerequisites

Before registering for this course, participants must successfully complete the Introduction to CMMI for Development v1.3 course (or Introduction to CMMI Version 1.1 or 1.2 with upgrade) or Introduction to CMMI for Services course.

Students of this course must bring their own copy of at least one of the following documents:

• CMMI-ACQ model, either the technical report, CMMI for Acquisition, Version 1.3 (CMU/SEI-2010-TR-032), or the book, CMMI-ACQ: Guidelines for Improving the Acquisition of Products and Services (2nd Edition)
• CMMI-DEV model, either the technical report, CMMI for Development, Version 1.3 (CMU/SEI-2010-TR-033), or the book, CMMI for Development: Guidelines for Process Integration and Product Improvement (3rd Edition)
• CMMI-SVC model, either the technical report, CMMI for Services, Version 1.3 (CMU/SEI-2010-TR-034), or the book, CMMI for Services: Guidelines for Superior Service (2nd Edition)

The technical reports are available for free on the SEI website. The books are available from most book sellers.

While knowledge of statistics is not a prerequisite for this course, some understanding of basic statistical concepts (e.g., mean, standard deviation, correlation, regression) will help the student develop a more complete understanding of how some high maturity concepts can be implemented.

Materials

On the first day of the course, participants receive the following materials:

• Understanding Variation: The Key to Managing Chaos
• Measuring the Software Process
• Pocket Guide to Advanced Six Sigma Tools
• Course notebook

Schedule

This 4-day course meets at the following times:
Days 1-3, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (U.S. locations)
Day 4, 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (U.S. locations)

Days 1-3, 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (non-U.S. locations)
Day 4, 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. (non-U.S. locations)