Software Engineering Institute – Capability Maturity Model (SEI CMM):
1.The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a structured framework designed to help organizations develop and improve their software development processes.
2.It outlines five progressive maturity levels, each representing a stage of growth toward more organized, consistent, and effective practices.
3.CMM was created and is maintained by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
4.Widely recognized as an industry benchmark, the Capability Maturity Model is used to assess and compare the maturity of an organization’s software processes, enabling continuous improvement and higher quality outcomes.
Methods of SEI CMM:
The Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model (SEI CMM) uses two primary methods:
1.Capability Evaluation:
Capability evaluation is a method for assessing an organization’s software process capability. The evaluation results indicate the organization’s potential performance if awarded a contract. This makes it a valuable tool for selecting contractors based on their ability to deliver quality software.
2.Software Process Assessment
Software process assessment is conducted within an organization to enhance its own process capability. Unlike capability evaluation, it is intended solely for internal improvement rather than contractor selection.
The SEI CMM classifies software development organizations into five distinct maturity levels. These levels are designed to help an organization gradually build and refine its quality systems, starting from the most basic stage and progressing toward optimized processes.
Levels Of SEI CMM:
Level 1: Initial
At this stage, software development is largely unstructured and ad hoc. Few, if any, processes are formally defined or followed. Each engineer may adopt their own way of working, leading to inconsistent practices and unpredictable results. Development often becomes disorganized and chaotic, which is why this stage is also referred to as the Chaotic Level.
Level 2: Repeatable
Here, basic project management practices are introduced. Cost and schedule tracking become standard, and estimation methods—such as Function Point Analysis and COCOMO—are applied. These measures enable organizations to repeat earlier successes by relying on established planning and tracking methods.
Level 3: Defined
At this stage, both management and development processes are formally documented and standardized across the organization. Roles, responsibilities, and operational procedures are clearly defined and uniformly understood. However, while processes are consistent, there is no direct measurement of process or product quality. The ISO 9000 standard is designed to align with this level.
Level 4: Managed
The focus shifts to measurement and quantitative control. Two main categories of metrics are tracked:
- Product Metrics – Assess product characteristics such as size, reliability, time complexity, and maintainability.
- Process Metrics – Monitor process efficiency through measures such as average defect correction time, productivity rates, defect density, and failure rates per line of code.
Tools like Pareto charts and fishbone diagrams help analyze quality data. Process metrics are primarily used to evaluate project performance, not necessarily to improve processes. Quantitative quality goals are set and consistently met.
Level 5: Optimizing
This level emphasizes continuous process improvement. Both product and process metrics are collected and thoroughly analyzed to identify improvement opportunities. Lessons learned from previous projects are systematically applied, ensuring the organization evolves toward higher efficiency, quality, and adaptability.
Key Process Areas (KPA) in a Software Organization:
Except for SEI CMM Level 1, each maturity level is defined by several Key Process Areas (KPAs). These KPAs identify the specific aspects an organization must improve to progress to the next maturity level. The focus areas for each level, along with their corresponding KPAs, are illustrated in the figure.
Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model (SEI CMM)
The SEI CMM outlines a series of key process areas that guide an organization’s journey from one maturity level to the next. It offers a structured approach for gradual and consistent quality improvement. Each maturity step is strategically designed so that the progress made at one stage strengthens and builds upon the capabilities developed in the previous stages.
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