The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a framework used in software engineering and organizational development to assess and improve an organization's software development and management processes. The CMM was developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University and has evolved into several versions, with the most widely known being the CMM for Software (CMM-SW).
The CMM is designed to help organizations understand and improve their software development practices by providing a structured and staged approach to process improvement. The primary goal of the CMM is to increase the maturity of an organization's processes, ultimately leading to improved software quality, reduced costs, and better project management. The CMM framework consists of five maturity levels:
Initial (Level 1): At this level, an organization's processes are typically ad hoc and chaotic. There is little or no process discipline, and success relies heavily on individual heroics. Organizations at this level may struggle with unpredictable results and high project risk.
Repeatable (Level 2): Organizations at this level start to establish some basic project management and process discipline. They define and document their processes, making them repeatable and consistent across projects. This level emphasizes the importance of process control.
Defined (Level 3): At Level 3, organizations have well-defined and standardized processes in place. These processes are documented, consistently applied, and are subject to ongoing improvement efforts. The emphasis shifts from ad hoc management to process-driven management.
Managed (Level 4): Organizations at this level focus on quantitative process management. They use data and metrics to measure and control their processes, making them predictable and efficient. Continuous process improvement is a key aspect of Level 4.
Optimizing (Level 5): At the highest level, organizations continually improve their processes and leverage best practices to achieve the highest levels of quality, efficiency, and performance. This level emphasizes innovation and adaptability.
Organizations progress through these maturity levels by implementing process improvements and best practices specific to their needs and goals. The SEI developed a set of key process areas (KPAs) associated with each maturity level, and organizations use these KPAs as a roadmap for improvement.
The CMM framework has been widely adopted and adapted in various industries and domains beyond software engineering, including systems engineering, project management, and service delivery. The CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) framework has since evolved to provide a more comprehensive and integrated approach to process improvement, encompassing multiple disciplines and industries.
It's important to note that while the CMM and CMMI frameworks have been influential, they are not the only approaches to process improvement in software engineering. Other methodologies, such as Agile, Lean, and DevOps, offer alternative perspectives and practices for achieving high-quality software development and project management.
