The Capability Maturity Model (CMM)

The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) was first introduced in 1987 by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University.

It was developed under the leadership of Watts Humphrey to help the U.S. Department of Defense evaluate and improve the software development processes of its contractors.

The original CMM provided a structured, five-level framework to assess how mature an organization’s software development processes were:

• Initial (chaotic, ad hoc)
• Repeatable (basic project management)
• Defined (standard, documented processes)
• Managed (measured and controlled)
• Optimizing (continuous improvement)

Key purpose: To help organizations identify weaknesses, improve processes systematically, and ensure predictable software quality and delivery.

First official publication: The CMM for Software was formally described in the SEI report "Capability Maturity Model for Software (Version 1.0)" published in 1987–1988, and further refined into Version 1.1 in 1991.

The Five Maturity Levals

Here are the five maturity levels that represent different stages of process maturity and capability within an organization, in more detail:

• Initial (Level 1) - In the Initial level, processes are often ad hoc, unpredictable, and poorly controlled. Organizations at this level typically lack standard processes and rely heavily on individual efforts and heroics to achieve project success. There is little consistency in process performance, and success depends largely on the capabilities of individual practitioners.
  • Processes - Few stable processes exist or are used "Just do it"!
  • People - Success depends on heroics, "fire fighting" is a way of life.
  • Technology - Introduction of new technology is risky.
  • Measurement - Data collaction and analysis is ad-hoc.
• Managed (Level 2) - In the Managed level, organizations establish basic project management practices to achieve greater control and predictability in their processes. They define and document standard processes for project management, engineering, and support activities. Projects are planned, tracked, and managed using defined processes, and performance metrics are collected to monitor process performance.
  • Processes - Documented and stable estimating, planning and commitment processes are at the project level.
    Problems are recognised and corrected as they occur.
  • People - People are trained commitments are understood and managed.
  • Technology - Technology supports established stable activities.
  • Measurement - Planning and management data is used by individual project.
• Defined (Level 3) - In the Defined level, organizations institutionalize their processes by standardizing and integrating them across the organization. They define and document standard processes for all areas of the organization and ensure that they are consistently followed. Process performance is monitored, and process improvements are systematically implemented based on collected data and feedback.
  • Processes - Integrated management and engineering processes are used across the organisation.
    Problems are anticipated and prevented and their impact minimised.
  • People - Project groups work together perhaps a integrated product teams.
    Training is planned and provided according to roles.
  • Technology - New technologies are evaluated on a qualitative basis.
  • Measurement - Data is collected and used in all defined processes.
    Data is systematically shared across projects.
• Quantitatively Managed (Level 4) - In the Quantitatively Managed level, organizations focus on quantitative management and measurement of their processes. They establish quantitative objectives for process performance and use statistical techniques to monitor and control process variation. Process performance is measured using quantitative metrics, and processes are continuously improved based on data analysis and feedback.
  • Processes - Processes are quantitatively understood and stabelised.
    sources of individual problems are understood and eliminated.
  • People - A strong sense of teamwork exists within each project.
  • Technology - New technologies are evaluated on a QUANTITATIVE basis.
  • Measurement - Data definition and collection are standardised across the organisation.
    Data is used to understand the process quantitatively and stabelise it.
• Optimising (Level 5) - In the Optimising level, organizations continuously focus on process improvement and innovation to achieve higher levels of performance. They proactively identify and address weaknesses and bottlenecks in their processes, implement best practices, and innovate to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. Continuous process improvement is ingrained in the organization's culture, and lessons learned are used to drive organizational learning and innovation.
  • Processes - Processes are continuously and systematically improved.
    Common sources of problems are understood and eliminated.
  • People - A strong sense of teamwork exists across the organisation.
    Everyone is involved in process improvement.
  • Technology - New technologies are proactively pursued and deployed.
  • Measurement - Data is used to evaluate and select process improvements.

Each maturity level represents a progression in an organization's ability to manage and control its processes effectively. Organizations can use the CMMI framework to assess their current maturity level, identify areas for improvement, and define a roadmap for achieving higher levels of maturity and capability.