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.