CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) - Ever heard CMMI?

Hi,
I stumbled with the term CMMI lately. Anyone from here who is familiar with CMMI? Does your organization "use" it?
What is it's added value if you are already ISO certified?


Any comment on this?
From http://www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi/

CMMI is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes that ultimately improve their performance. CMMI can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. It helps integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes.

Click to expand...

Regards,
Reynald

Existing discussion threads: CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration)

It's another 'system', if you will, which claims improvement if you follow it. I'm not sure how popular it is, but the essence is it was (is?) targeted at software developers. The original was CMM (Capability Maturity Model for Software) but it appears they have branched out a bit.

It has some good concepts and tools but like other improvement methodologies when you come down to it there are a lot of tools out there. Chose a few and use them.

Thanks Marc!,
It is amazing that there was already good threads on this, and I learned the important parts:
1. It is patented/trademarked
2. It is costly to deploy, more costly to get certified, "assessed" was the term they use.
3. and unfortunately some customers require thier supliers to get "assessed".

Well, a few years back I did some work for a company that was doing the CMMI 'trip'. I bought a couple books and did some homework and like I say - It's just another 'system'. The books are in the barn. I can't say it is bad any more than I can say six sigma (the 'program', not the 'six sigma shift' theory aspects) or TQM are bad (as 2 examples).

Companies should strive for continual improvement. That's my opinion. I think it is critical for success. I can't say how many people think about it, or even notice it, but I try here to improve 'continuously'. Going back to 1996 when this site went online I think I have 'continuously' improved it. I haven't used a specific 'system', but I think all these 'systems' are essentially tool sets and goal setting, and the tools are essentially the same - They are simply using different words for the same stuff and labeling their 'stages' differently.

The bottom line is you pay for a certification (aka registration, aka assessment), just like with ISO 9001 or any of the other standards. It is now a cost of doing business. A company can be doing all the right things but the customer requires a 'certification' (formerly called 'registration') which costs in time and in money. To me they are not value added (other than to sales people because, in part, of customer requirements) if a company is already using tools and is continually improving.

I agree with Marc. CMMI is just another system. I would suggest not getting assessed unless your customer requires it.
The value CMMI has over some other systems is that it lays out levels of maturity - its not an all or nothing system. I have found the CMMI to be a useful improvement roadmap since its lays out which areas typically need to be solid before moving to the next level. Often times people try to improve higher order operations without having the foundation in place (one reason I think many improvements fail to be sustainable). Following the CMM's maturity model helps you get the foundation in place before moving up the ladder - or at least makes you think about the foundation first.

danpa said:

<snip> The value CMMI has over some other systems is that it lays out levels of maturity - its not an all or nothing system. I have found the CMMI to be a useful improvement roadmap since its lays out which areas typically need to be solid before moving to the next level. Often times people try to improve higher order operations without having the foundation in place (one reason I think many improvements fail to be sustainable). Following the CMM's maturity model helps you get the foundation in place before moving up the ladder - or at least makes you think about the foundation first.

Click to expand...

I agree that is a significant aspect of CMMI that other 'systems' lack.