CMMI is a model that consists of best practices for system and software development and maintenance. It was developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie-Mellon University.
The CMMI model provides guidance to use when developing system and software processes. The model may also be used as a framework for appraising the process maturity of the organization. The roots of the CMMI is a scheme for software engineering, but CMMI is highly generalized to embrace other kinds of product, such as the mass manufacture of electronic components. The word software does not appear in definitions of CMMI. This unification of hardware and software engineering makes CMMI extremely abstract. It is not as specific to software engineering as its predecessor. Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) in software engineering and organizational development is a process improvement approach, that wants to provide organizations with the essential elements of effective process improvement. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. CMMI 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.Overview
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.
The benefits you can expect from using CMMI include the following:
- Your organization's activities are explicitly linked to your business objectives.
- Your visibility into the organization's activities is increased to help you ensure that your product or service meets the customer's expectations.
- You learn from new areas of best practice (e.g., measurement, risk)
CMMI is being adopted worldwide, including North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa.
You can use CMMI in three different areas of interest:
- Product and service development - CMMI for Development model
- Service establishment, management, and delivery - CMMI for Services model
- Product and service acquisition - CMMI for Acquisition model