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

Monitoring the Process Improvement Effort

The one area that makes upper management uncomfortable is the inability to see progress being made. To that end, we suggest the following measurements as a start to use as tracking mechanisms for PI efforts:

• Actual size of deliverables (based on processes to be developed, as well as standards to be devised; all track directly to the requirements in the CMMI)

• Actual effort (staff hours) expended for major activities

• Start and end dates for major activities

• Completion dates for identified milestones (Design-Pilot-Implementation for each PA)

• Number and type of changes to the PI strategy

This is one of the ways that the process improvement effort can serve as a model for future projects. By tracking and communicating progress to upper management, the Process Improvement Program can lead through example. More tracking guidance is given in Chapter 15.