What is a certified appraisal auditor and how does it differ from a certified auditor? Sorry off-topic but I am curious about this.
Thanks.
Here's my understanding from my work a while ago with the old CMM. I believe it has not changed substantively with regard to the overall concepts.
The SEI's CMMI assessment processes are like process audits but much more detailed. Some are formal and conducted by external assessors according to strict rules for consistently assessing the maturity level of the organization (e.g. as part of supplier evaluation); others are still formal but for internal purposes and include strong processes for facilitating self-assessment and consensus.
They're a lot more time consuming than ISO-style audits, and the internal ones especially can lead to much deeper results that have more credibility with staff. The CMMI models are significantly more detailed and appropriate to real-world engineering and management than the more abstract and generic ISO models. The certification processes and the training for practitioners is controlled by the SEI. There was a time when it was difficult to get such training and qualifications unless one was working for US DoD subcontractors, but that appears to have been relaxed.
Hope this helps,
Pat