Real Process Improvement Using the CMMI

Here s a summary list of things you should do and things you should not do when first starting out on your organization s process improvement journey using CMMI:

Do

• Assume that the organization in which you want to make improvement has already evolved some good management and engineering practices that can be incrementally improved using CMMI as a guide.

• Identify, acknowledge , and recognize the existing good management and engineering practices or process strengths.

• Identify any existing organizational standards that you can leverage.

• Look for evolved business practices in areas of the business that aren t specifically identified as process areas in CMMI.

• Find out what the organization s history (if any) for change and process improvement is.

• Base the documented processes and procedures first on what people are already doing and then begin the improvements.

• Have an open mind; learn as much as you can about the organization and its people before you try to make improvements or implement CMMI.

Don t

• Don t assume that the organization already has some good engineering or management practices or standards already in place. (Even if you think this, don t say it publicly .)

• Don t throw away or ignore evolved business practices that can be used as a springboard for CMMI-based improvement.

• Don t assume that just because people in an organization have been doing something or doing something a particular way that it still has business value. Legacy practices and standards can sometimes be a barrier to process improvement efforts.

• Don t take the attitude that the organization is in terrible shape and the only thing that will save it is you and CMMI ” you will absolutely fail every time!