Home > Store

CMMI Survival Guide: Just Enough Process Improvement

Register your product to gain access to bonus material or receive a coupon.

CMMI Survival Guide: Just Enough Process Improvement

EPUB (Watermarked)

Not for Sale

Description

  • Copyright 2007
  • Dimensions: 7-3/8" x 9-1/4"
  • Pages: 336
  • Edition: 1st
  • EPUB (Watermarked)
  • ISBN-10: 0-7686-8514-1
  • ISBN-13: 978-0-7686-8514-5

The CMMI provides a framework for process improvement spanning the life cycle of a product or service, from conception through delivery and maintenance. Widely and beneficially adopted around the world, the size and apparent complexity of the framework have nonetheless been daunting to some organizations. That need not be so. With a proper guide to help navigate around unknown dangers, potential pitfalls, and false paths, you too, can realize substantial business value from a successful CMMI implementation. This book is such a guide, full of the real-life examples to ease your way, and written in a lighter style to ease your reading.

The CMMI® Survival Guide is an effective resource for multiple readerships. If you are just now considering a process improvement program, with the CMMI among your options, the authors' discussion of relevant issues will enhance your business case right from the start. If you have already decided to implement the CMMI, the authors' practical knowledge will help you make the most of your efforts. Even if you are well into a CMMI implementation, but are lost, stuck, or going around in circles, the authors' valuable advice will help you regain your direction.

If you work in a smaller or resource-strapped organization, you will particularly benefit from the authors' description of alternative paths to process improvement–approaches that are more incremental or agile, and less intensive, than you might imagine for a CMMI implementation. The authors draw on their extensive experience working with diverse organizations, and on the CMMI tools, techniques, and templates developed for those organizations.

Whatever your background or need, the CMMI® Survival Guide will help you survey the CMMI territory, consult possible road maps, learn from other CMMI explorers, weigh the benefits of hiring a living guide, and even consider whether the trip is right for you.

Sample Content

Table of Contents

List of Figures xiii List of Tables xv Foreword xvii Preface xix Acknowledgments xxiii Part I Scouting the Territory 1 Chapter 1: Why We Think Process Is Important 3

1.1 A short history of process improvement 3

1.2 The role of processes in business 5

Chapter 2: Why Process Improvement Helps 9

2.1 Process improvement is about learning 10

2.2 Process improvement should be driven by business value 11

2.3 Process improvement can be valuable for organizations of all sizes 12

2.4 You have choices in your improvement approach 13

2.5 You have choices in the reference model 20

Chapter 3: Why Process Improvement Isn't Trivial 29

3.1 Building and sustaining sponsorship 30

3.2 Managing an appraisal life cycle 30

3.3 Developing and sustaining process improvement infrastructure 31

3.4 Deploying new and improved processes 32

3.5 Developing and measuring realistic goals 34

3.6 Advantages and disadvantages of different-size improvement efforts 35

3.7 Project management issues 38

3.8 Common pitfalls for PI initiatives 39

3.9 Summary of Part I 40

Part II Mapping the Route 43 Chapter 4: CMMI As Your Guide 45

4.1 Why CMMI? 45

4.2 CMMI primer 47

4.3 Some choices to think about in using CMMI 53

4.4 Using CMMI to guide your improvement 61

Chapter 5: A Decision-based Life Cycle for Improvement 65

5.1 Decide 71

5.2 Try initial (additional) model elements 80

5.3 Analyze 82

5.4 Commit 84

5.5 Reflect 86

5.6 Summary of Part II 88

Part III Surviving the Passage 91 Chapter 6: A PI Case Study 93

6.1 Decide (Cycle 1: To do or not to do) 93

6.2 Decide (Cycle 2: What to do, where, and when) 95

6.3 Try (Cycle 2: The first pilot) 96

6.4 Analyze (Cycle 2: The first pilot) 97

6.5 Commit (Cycle 2: The first pilot) 98

6.6 Reflect (Cycle 2: The first pilot) 99

6.7 Decide (Cycle 3: What's next) 100

Chapter 7: Survival and PI 103

7.1 Size up the situation 104

7.2 Undue haste makes waste 105

7.3 Remember where you are 106

7.4 Vanquish fear and panic 107

7.5 Improvise 109

7.6 Value living 110

7.7 Act like the natives 111

7.8 Live by your wits, learn basic skills 112

7.9 Summary of Part III 113

Part IV Experiencing the Journey 117 Chapter 8: Developing and Sustaining Sponsorship 119

8.1 Communicating with and sustaining sponsorship of organizational leadership 120

8.2 Seeking sponsors: Applying sales concepts to building and sustaining support 122

8.3 Being a sponsor: Welcome to the "foreign element" 127

Chapter 9: Setting and Measuring Against Realistic Goals 131

9.1 Setting goals and success criteria aligned with sponsor objectives 132

9.2 Understanding the current state of the organization:Readiness and Fit Analysis for CMMI 137

9.3 How do you tell if you've succeeded? 144

Chapter 10: Managing an Appraisal Life Cycle 151

10.1 To appraise or not to appraise: Is that really the question? 152

10.2 Different appraisal philosophies 153

10.3 Managing the resources needed to plan and conduct appraisal activities 156

Chapter 11: Developing Process Improvement Infrastructure 161

11.1 Developing and sustaining process improvement team members 162

11.2 Developing a team 164

11.3 Establishing improvement infrastructure to supportand sustain CMMI implementation 167

11.4 Staffing and organization 167

11.5 Creating and evolving a PAL (Process Asset Library) 170

11.6 Measurement system/repository 175

Chapter 12: Defining Processes 179

12.1 CMMI Business Analysis 180

12.2 Developing useful process guidance 181

12.3 Collecting/incorporating lessons learned from improvement activities 188

Chapter 13: Deploying Improved Processes 191

13.1 Finding/selecting pilots for CMMI implementation 191

13.2 Working with consultants 197

13.3 Deploying practices to the targeted organizational scope 199

13.4 Communication 207

Chapter 14: Looking Ahead 217

14.1 What's next for you? 217

14.2 What's next for PI? 219

14.3 Summary of Part IV 221

Part V Outfitting Your Expedition (PI Resources) 225 Chapter 15: Tools and Techniques 227

15.1 An example of setting SMART goals 228

15.2 Performing a CMMI Business Analysis 230

15.3 Performing a Readiness and Fit Analysis 235

15.4 One-Hour Process Description method 238

15.5 Infusion and diffusion measurement 245

15.6 CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) technique + Chaos Cocktail Party 262

15.7 Additional resources 265

Bibliography 273 Index 279

Updates

Submit Errata

More Information

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020