Interpreting the CMMI (R): A Process Improvement Approach, Second Edition

Overview

This appendix consists of checklists for pilots. The checklists presented include:

• Pilot Life-Cycle Phases

• Steps in the Pilot Process

• Checklist for Planning and Conducting Pilots

• Checklist for Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Pilot

These checklists are formatted according to pilot project phases. These checklists can be applied against almost any pilot ” those that are process-improvement based as well as those that are not. An example of a nonprocess improvement pilot may be when an organization switches over from a non-automated system to an automated one. In that case, maybe only a few offices within a department may pilot the system, or only portions of the new system may be tried. Process improvement pilots can work the same way, except that we focus on piloting processes, not developed systems.

These checklists were made for pilots that follow a "quasi-experimental design," not those that follow an "experimental design." Most of you in software or systems engineering will not really care. Those of you who are social scientists conducting blind and double-blind studies might take offense at some of the items left out of these checklists. For example, we do not impale ourselves over the integrity of raw data, and we do not draw intermediate and final conclusions that can be traced back to the raw data. We also do not assign accountability. For more information on quasi versus experimental design, we suggest that you contact Charlie Weber, one of the original authors of the CMM for Software. It is one of his favorite subjects.

These checklists might also be considered to help structure several activities that reside in the CMMI process area Organizational Innovation and Deployment.

As a reminder, the phases of process improvement are:

• Set Up: Set up the EPG and infrastructure. Baseline and plan. Get funding and commitment.

• Design: Write policies, procedures, identify/write standards.

• Pilot: Train participants and try out the procedures in a few areas. Update the procedures as necessary.

• Implement: Follow the procedures on all projects.

The pilot life-cycle phases are somewhat similar to those of process improvement. They are the:

• Set Up Phase

• Design Phase

• Conduct Phase

• Evaluate Phase

• Implement Phase

Steps in the pilot process are to:

• Select pilot projects.

• Document success criteria and measurement techniques.

• Orient and train project members in process improvement concepts.

• Orient pilot participants in the purpose, strategy, and plan for the pilot.

• Orient and train members in procedures that will be piloted.

• Orient and train members in their roles and responsibilities.

• Conduct the pilots.

• Monitor and measure results.

• Provide lessons learned.

• Refine the procedures and processes based on pilot results.

• Plan for roll-out.

• Update the projects' processes and organizational processes, as needed.

• Train/re-train, re-plan, re-pilot, as needed.