C M M
Capability Maturity Model

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CMM is issued by (Software Engineering Institute), it is a QMS standard for the software industry.

CMM Background:

CMM was started in November 1986, it was a response to the USA needs to assess the capability of software providers, Carneige Mellon University (SEI) faculty took the lead and financed by Mitre, In September 1987 Capability Maturity Framework, and Maturity Questionnaire.

This standard was first used by the US military to assess its software suppliers' quality assurance ability, that is why it is called Capability Maturity Model, CMM. This standard divided the capability into five levels, the higher the level the more capable the provider.

CMM is focused on process capability and engineering capability assessment.

CMM and ISO 9000 :

CMM is only for software design and development, ISO 9000 has a much boarder scope.

CMM emphasis on process maturity, which is a process of continual improvement, ISO 9000 only describes the minimum QMS requirements.

CMM level scope is already larger than ISO 9000.

The purpose of implementing CMM :

1.  For the software industry:

• Enhance software development ability: CMM provides self assessment approaches and methods.
• Improve software productivity
• Strengthen software product international competitive edge

2.  For the sub-contractors and software users:

• Provides assessment to define the ability of the software developers, enhanced software development risk management.

CMM the FIVE levels:

1.  Initial:
During the development of software, there may have confusing situation, few processes are straightly defined, a success quite often depends on an individual.

2.  Repeatable:
Set up fundamental project management processes. including:
Requirement management, software project plan, software project follow up and monitoring, software sub-contract management, software quality assurance and organization management.

3.  Defined:
Software development engineering activities documented, standardized, developed into a standard development procedure.

1) organization process dedication　
2) organization process definition
3) training process　
4) integrated software management
5) software product mechanism  
6) project team internal co-ordination and non-conformity re-checking.

4.  Managed:
Detail defined of the software development process and product quality testing, product and development process can be quantified and controlled.

1) quantified process management
2) software QMS.

5.  Optimizing:
Established feedback system on development process, new initiativeness, adopting new technology to improve development processes. Pursuing continuous improvement, measurable process improvement. Including

1) defect prevention, technology renewal management
2) process re-engineering management.

Recommended audit body:

• USA, Carneige Mellon Unisveristy Software Engineering Research Institute；
• China Science Academy Software Research Institute.