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Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)

CMMI or Capability Maturity Model Integration is the evolution of a number of process frameworks from the software and engineering disciplines into a single process improvement framework. Over time many large enterprises have adopted the CMMI framework to manage product development, systems/software engineering, development support and supplier management. With its focus on improvement, efficiency, process control and quality it is ideal for mission critical software and complex systems development, bringing best practice from many older CMM based framework.

  • Encourage integration of disciplines
  • Standardise models, reducing duplication, errors and conflicts
  • Create an environment/culture of process improvement and review
  • Enable best practice across disciplines and promote model improvement
  • Reduce ineffective activities and align models with business and commercial strategies

With large enterprises involving highly dynamic and disparate workforces it can be difficult to control and implement a framework such as Capability Maturity Model Integration. Using a toolset which can not only assist in managing a Capability Maturity Model Integration programme but also aid in its adoption and attainment can make all the difference to a successful CMMI assessment. Atlantic Global has developed business software tools over the years to help support project and business management frameworks, whether ad-hoc or as part of a standard. Capability Maturity Model Integration has brought new challenges which Atlantic Global Solutions (AGS) are well suited to supporting.

Atlantic Global Solutions are a configurable module solution which working with each individual customer is modelled to fit and aid the business needs. Built around industry standard technologies, an efficient data model is linked through modelled business processes to a web based interface, allowing access via any web enabled pc within an organisation. The development of the solution around key entities delivers functionality across a range of disciplines, from project and programme management to professional services, support and HR functions and IT disciplines.

Business reporting and role based dashboards deliver the relevant information to the right people, reducing administrative tasks across the business. Atlantic Global's strengths lie in people, projects and their related business information. Evolving from planning and time tracking has installed core competencies of understanding business issues and deficiencies enabling the business to improve and evolve.

Corporate Vision is the latest addition to the toolset bringing new functions to the programme office and enterprise project management teams. Now with the ability to plan strategic projects, understand business capability, manage financial entities and control resources across the business, Atlantic Global Solutions is aligned with similar goals and processes that are promoted within the Capability Maturity Model Integration framework.

Looking through the maturity levels you can see some high level functional processes which must be enabled within the business to move forward. Many of these are core competences of the Atlantic Global Solutions toolset, which as a central web based solution delivers the ability to work disparately from a central repository using a standardised framework. The table below lists all the CMMI functions showing in Red the process areas which are functional parts of AGS and those in Blue which can be supported through business information tracking, programme, project and people management functions.

  • Project Management
    • Project Planning
    • Project Monitoring and Control
    • Supplier Agreement Management
    • Integrated Project Management (IPPD)
    • Integrated Supplier Management (SS)
    • Integrated Teaming (IPPD)
    • Risk Management
    • Quantitative Project Management
  • Support
    • Configuration Management
    • Process and Product Quality Assurance
    • Measurement and Analysis
    • Causal Analysis and Resolution
    • Decision Analysis and Resolution
    • Organizational Environment for Integration (IPPD)
  • Systems Engineering
    • Requirements Management
    • Requirements Development
    • Technical Solution
    • Product Integration
    • Integrated Supplier Management (SS)
    • Verification
    • Validation
  • Process Management
    • Organizational Process Focus
    • Organizational Process Definition
    • Organizational Training
    • Organizational Process Performance
    • Organizational Innovation and Deployment

The above process areas are broken down into the maturity model which contains 6 levels (0-5) with 5 being continuous optimisation of stable processes. Project management is seen as a key component of the model all the way up to level 4 where quantitative project management plays a key role in attaining this level within the organisation, a level which many organisations see as the pinnacle of the model without needing excessive change or process control. Realising the higher levels without dynamic information and project management systems is virtually impossible.

Atlantic Global Solutions gives the organisation a toolset which efficiently records business information that can be used to review and improve performance of the business. Tracking and reviewing actuals against forecasts and targets helps understand where errors, problems or poorly implemented process lie, promoting continuous improvement up-to and including level 5. Quite often the success of a Capability Maturity Model Integration programme can depend on a number of key issues,

  • Stakeholder buy-in and involvement
  • Process analysis through information tracking
  • Automating many business processes including time recording, resource management and business planning (project and programme)
  • Gradual change allowing for cultural and knowledge levels to grow

Using the tools configured to help record and report many of the information aspects involved in CMMI enables an organisation to use a single focal toolset for managing the CMMI programme. Rolling AGS out to other programmes slowly promotes these practices across the organisation involving all members of the business (role based dashboards), promoting best practice and improving processes.

Although it is not suggested that the use of AGS will in itself enable a high maturity level within CMMI, it should be stated that the use of AGS goes a long way to enabling an organisation to mature in many aspects of the CMMI Framework. AGS should be used in conjunction with other tools that support CMMI processes, integrating the different solutions into a central portal where possible.

Reviewing the key process improvement benefits proposed in CMMI, it correlates very closely with the documented benefits found by Atlantic Global Customers.

  • improved schedule and budget predictability
  • improved cycle time
  • increased productivity
  • improved quality (as measured by defects)
  • increased customer satisfaction
  • improved employee morale
  • increased return on investment
  • decreased cost of quality

Looking further into the benefits of using AGS from ROI and ROO investigations we can see that additional benefits can be added to a CMMI programme,

  • Ability to map out business goals, record project data across those goals and allow you to measure progress in real time
  • Reduce administrative costs and timescales in data collection and reporting in line with CMMI processes
  • Aid and enhance many of the fundamental functions discussed in the CMMI framework
  • Acceleration of change and process improvement programmes
  • Automation and enforcement of many programme management tasks ensuring audit and process adherence
  • Aid the long term strategic effort of process improvement through tracking and reporting the measured impact and performance data

Understanding the huge demand a CMMI programme can put on the business it becomes clear how important a supporting toolset is in the process. Recording dataset across projects, people, costs, issues, risks, programmes and many other business entities requires a level of automation. In conjunction with this is the need to plan, implement, manage and review within a CMMI programme making AGS an ideal toolset to support this. Plus the added value in achieving different CMMI maturity levels that AGS promotes makes Atlantic Global Solutions and CMMI ideal partners in business performance and process improvement.