What is CMM level ?

The Capability Maturity Model for Software describes the principles and practices underlying software process maturity and is intended to help software organizations improve the maturity of their software processes in terms of an evolutionary path from ad hoc, chaotic processes to mature, disciplined software processes. The CMM is organized into five maturity levels:

1) Initial. The software process is characterized as ad hoc, and occasionally even chaotic. Few processes are defined, and

success depends on individual effort and heroics.

2) Repeatable. Basic project management processes are established to track cost, schedule, and functionality. The

necessary process discipline is in place to repeat earlier successes on projects with similar applications.

3) Defined. The software process for both management and engineering activities is documented, standardized, and integrated into a standard software process for the organization. All projects use an approved, tailored version of the organization's standard software process for developing and maintaining software.

4) Managed. Detailed measures of the software process and product quality are collected. Both the software process and products are quantitatively understood and controlled.

5) Optimizing. Continuous process improvement is enabled by quantitative feedback from the process and from piloting innovative ideas and technologies.

The Capability Maturity Model for Software describes the principles and practices underlying software process maturity and is intended to help software organizations improve the maturity of their software processes in terms of an evolutionary path from ad hoc, chaotic processes to mature, disciplined software processes. The CMM is organized into five maturity levels:

1) Initial. The software process is characterized as ad hoc, and occasionally even chaotic. Few processes are defined, and

success depends on individual effort and heroics.

2) Repeatable. Basic project management processes are established to track cost, schedule, and functionality. The

necessary process discipline is in place to repeat earlier successes on projects with similar applications.

3) Defined. The software process for both management and engineering activities is documented, standardized, and integrated into a standard software process for the organization. All projects use an approved, tailored version of the organization's standard software process for developing and maintaining software.

4) Managed. Detailed measures of the software process and product quality are collected. Both the software process and products are quantitatively understood and controlled.

5) Optimizing. Continuous process improvement is enabled by quantitative feedback from the process and from piloting innovative ideas and technologies.

CMM(Capability Maturity Model):

is an industry-standerd model for defining and measuring the "maturity" of a software company's development process and for providing direction on what they can do to improve their software quality.it was developed by the software development community along with the software engineering institute(SEI).

CMM software Maturity Levels:

Level1:Initial: The s/w development process at this level are adhoc and often chaotic.The project's success depends on heroes and luck.There are no general practices for planning,monitoring, or Controling the process.It's impossible to predict the time and cost to develop the software.The test process is just as adhoc as the rest of the process.

Level2:Repeatable: This maturity level is best describled as project level thinking.Basic project management processes are in place to track the cost,shedule,functionality, and quality of the product.Lessions learned from previous similar projects are applied.There is a scense of descipline.Basic software testing practices,such as test plans and test cases are used.

Level3:Defined: Organizational,not just project specific,thinking comes in to play at this level.Common management and engineering activities are standerdized and documented.These standerds are adapted and approved for use on different projects.The rules are not thrown out when things get stressfull.Test documents and plans are reviewed and approved before testing begins.The test group is independent form developers.The test results are used to determine when the s/w is ready.

Level4:Managed: At this maturity level,the organizations process is under statistical control.Product quality is specified quantitatively beforehand (for example, this product wont release until it has fewer than 0.5 defects per 1,000 lines of code) and the s/w isn't released untill that goal is met.details of the development process and the s/w quality are collected over the projects development, and adjustments are made to correct deviations and to keep the project on plan.

Level5:Optimizing: This level is called "optimizing"(not "optimized")because it's continually improving from level 4. new technologies and processes are attempted,the results are measured, and both incremental and revolutionary changes are instituted to achieve even better quality levels.Just when everyone thinks the best has been obtained.the crank is turned one more time, and the next level of improvement is obtained.

It is cmmi level

Apart from the earlier answers, i would like to tell you that it is a one-time certification and not a continuous assessment of software quality that is followed by ISO-9000-01. The lowest level that a company could apply for is CMM-3 which is equivalent to ISO standardisation.

Adding to all these comments above ISO is for the process where as CMM is for the product itself.

evel One
Company has no standard process for software development. Nor does it have a project-tracking system that enables developers to predict costs or finish dates with any accuracy.

Level Two
Company has installed basic software management processes and controls. But there is no consistency or coordination among different groups.

Level Three
Company has pulled together a standard set of processes and controls for the entire organization so that developers can move between projects more easily and customers can begin to get consistency from different groups.

Level Four
In addition to implementing standard processes, company has installed systems to measure the quality of those processes across all projects.

Level Five
Company has accomplished all of the above and can now begin to see patterns in performance over time, so it can tweak its processes in order to improve productivity and reduce defects in software development across the entire organization. Level 1 Initial
Level 2 Repeatable
Level 3 Defined
Level 4 Managed
Level 5 Optimizing

CMM is a software model proposed by Carnegie Mellon University. CMM expands to Capability Maturity Model. In short it is a collection of practices to achieve a benchmark in product development.

CMM Capability Maturity model it is a type of quality standard.

CMM level means here, the CMM levels are 5

1) Initial : Here concentrate on the team, team should be very strong.

2) Repeatable : Here concentrate on the repeatability and used well defined
guide lines.

3) Measure : Concentrate on the measures and metrics.

4) Documentation : Concentrate on documentation.

5) Optimisation : Concentrate on the research and development activities.

Other important terms are,

CMMI : Capability Maturity Model for Integration, if the companies are producing
IT and Non-IT products then it is CMMI

CMMP : Capability Maturity Model for People these companies give more benefits
to people so people will work more satisfaction.

The Capability Maturity Model for software (CMM or SW-CMM) is a model for judging the maturity of the software process of an organization and for identifying the key practices that are required to increase the maturity of these process.

CMM level means (CAPABULITY MATURITY MODEL)

Level 1. No define process followed by the company

Level 2. They think on only project level.

Level 3. Some process maintained to track the development

Level 4. For every activity a process is build and managed.

Level 5. Complete acuity of the company is managed and received. New technology
are implemented.

I think CMM is Capability Maturity Module.

I  observed everyone telling it as Capability Maturity Model.

Could you pls chk again??

CMMI has five level to determine the maturity of the company.
Level 1 - The Initial Level

At the Initial Level, the organization typically does not provide a stable

environment for developing and maintaining software. When an

organization lacks sound management practices, the benefits of good

software engineering practices are undermined by ineffective planning and

reaction-driven commitment systems.

Level 2 - The Repeatable Level

At the Repeatable Level, policies for managing a software project and

procedures to implement those policies are established. Planning and

managing new projects is based on experience with similar projects. An

objective in achieving Level 2 is to institutionalize effective management

processes for software projects, which allow organizations to repeat

successful practices developed on earlier projects, although the specific

processes implemented by the projects may differ. An effective process can

be characterized as practiced, documented, enforced, trained, measured, and

able to improve.

Level 3 - The Defined Level

At the Defined Level, the standard process for developing and maintaining

software across the organization is documented, including both software

engineering and management processes, and these processes are integrated

into a coherent whole

Level 4 - The Managed Level

At the Managed Level, the organization sets quantitative quality goals for

both software products and processes. Productivity and quality are

measured for important software process activities across all projects as part

of an organizational measurement program.

Level 5 - The Optimizing Level

At the Optimizing Level, the entire organization is focused on continuous

process improvement. The organization has the means to identify

weaknesses and strengthen the process proactively, with the goal of

preventing the occurrence of defects. Data on the effectiveness of the

software process is used to perform cost benefit analyses of new technologies

and proposed changes to the organization's software process. Innovations

that exploit the best software engineering practices are identified and

transferred throughout the organization.

No it's not module it's Model

•CMM and the ISO 9000 series of standards share common concerns with quality and process management.  
•CMM emphasizes continuous improvement  
•ISO deals with minimum criteria of quality systems  
•An ISO 9001-compliant organization would not necessarily satisfy all of the CMM level 2 key process areas (it would satisfy most of the level 2 goals and many level 3 goals.  
•Some key practices in CMM that are not addressed in ISO 9000, it is possible for a level 1 organization to receive 9001 registration; similarly, there are areas addressed by ISO 9001 that are not addressed in the CMM.
•A level 3 organization would have little difficulty in obtaining ISO 9001

CMM- Capability Maturity Model.
 
It is defined as frame work i.e, used for the smallest task to be accomplished qualitative so as to produce the quality outcome.
 
CMM Level History : -
 
A Group of university students in USA found an organization SEI (Software Engineering Institute) and did some research on the maturity of organization and develop the solution interms of 5 level model know as CMM as a Quality Standard.
 
The 5 Levels of CMM are as follows:-
 
--> Initial and StartUp
--> Repeatable
--> Defined
--> Managed
--> Optimized

The levels are:
Level 1 - Ad hoc (Chaotic)

It is characteristic of processes at this level that they are (typically) undocumented and in a state of dynamic change, tending to be driven in an ad hoc, uncontrolled and reactive manner by users or events. This provides a chaotic or unstable environment for the processes.

Organisational implications:
(a) Because institutional knowledge tends to be scattered (there being limited structured approach to knowledge management) in such environments, not all of the stakeholders or participants in the processes may know or understand all of the components that make up the processes. As a result, process performance in such organizations is likely to be variable (inconsistent) and depend heavily on the institutional knowledge, or the competence, or the heroic efforts of relatively few people or small groups.

(b) Despite the chaos, such organizations manage to produce products and services. However, in doing so, there is significant risk that they will tend to exceed any estimated budgets or schedules for their projects - it being difficult to estimate what a process will do when you do not fully understand the process (what it is that you do) in the first place and cannot therefore control it or manage it effectively.

(c) Due to the lack of structure and formality, organizations at this level, may over-commit, or abandon processes during a crisis, and be unable to repeat past successes. There tends to be limited planning, limited executive commitment or buy-in to projects, and limited acceptance of processes.

 Level 2 - Repeatable

It is characteristic of processes at this level that some processes are repeatable, possibly with consistent results. The processes may not repeat for all the projects in the organization. The organization may use some basic project management to track cost and schedule.

Process discipline is unlikely to be rigorous, but where it exists it may help to ensure that existing practices are retained during times of stress. When these practices are in place, projects are performed and managed according to their documented plans.

Organisational implications:
(a) Project status and the delivery of services are visible to management at defined points - for example, at major milestones and at the completion of major tasks and activities.

(b) Basic project management processes are established to track cost, schedule, and functionality. The minimum process discipline is in place to repeat earlier successes on projects with similar applications and scope. There is still a significant risk of exceeding cost and time estimates.

 Level 3 - Defined

It is characteristic of processes at this level that there are sets of defined and documented standard processes established and subject to some degree of improvement over time. These standard processes are in place (i.e., they are the AS-IS processes) and used to establish consistency of process performance across the organization. Projects establish their defined processes by applying the organization’s set of standard processes, tailored, if necessary, within similarly standardized guidelines.

Organisational implictions:
(a) The organization’s management establishes and mandates process objectives for the organization’s set of standard processes, and ensures that these objectives are appropriately addressed.

 Level 4 - Managed

It is characteristic of processes at this level that, using process metrics, management can effectively control the AS-IS process (e.g., for software development ). In particular, management can identify ways to adjust and adapt the process to particular projects without measurable losses of quality or deviations from specifications. Process Capability is established from this level.

Organisational implications:
(a) Quantitative quality goals tend to be set for process output - e.g., software or software maintenance.
(b) Using quantitative/statistical techniques, process performance is measured and monitored, and process performance is thus generally predictable and controllable.

 Level 5 - Optimized

It is characteristic of processes at this level that the focus is on continually improving process performance through both incremental and innovative technological changes/improvements.

Organisational implications:
(a) Quantitative process-improvement objectives for the organization are established, continually revised to reflect changing business objectives, and used as criteria in managing process improvement. Thus, process improvements to address common causes of process variation and measurably improve the organization’s processes are identified, evaluated, and deployed.
(b) The effects of deployed process improvements are measured and evaluated against the quantitative process-improvement objectives.
(c) Both the defined processes and the organization’s set of standard processes are targets for measurable improvement activities.
(d) A critical distinction between maturity level 4 and maturity level 5 is the type of process variation addressed.
At maturity level 4, processes are concerned with addressing statistical special causes of process variation and providing statistical predictability of the results, and though processes may produce predictable results, the results may be insufficient to achieve the established objectives.
At maturity level 5, processes are concerned with addressing statistical common causes of process variation and changing the process (for example, shifting the mean of the process performance) to improve process performance. This would be done at the same time as maintaining the likelihood of achieving the established quantitative process-improvement objectives

CMM - Capability Maturity Model.
It is process improvement approach. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization.

It is maturity level for any software process.

It deals with process capability on defect analysis cause identification and defect prevention + technological incorporate.

Its benefits are:
Better control of product and process.
Lower effort and schedule over-run.
Better project risk management.
Reduce cost.
High
customer satisfaction.

Based on my practical knowledge, organizational experience & knowledge gained
through various sources of information, I will try to explain the 5 different
CMM levels.

As we are moving up in the level, we can see effective & efficient software
development processes. The reason being with each level the organization learns
something new. For eg: from an ad-hoc process to a well defined process, from
measuring an individual's performance to setting up metrices for measuring of
management

LEVEL 1 - Ad-Hoc

This level shows inconsistency in performance. The tasks are not performed in
the same way by different people. Individual's knowledge & expertise is of prime
importance in L1 organizations. Here management manages people, they establishes
goals for individuals & the team without concerning about how the goals will be
achieved.

These are mostly schedule driven. There are no standards to measure an
individual's performance, so it is highly dependent on feedbac from various
stakeholders. This normally creates a politically inclined environment.

In order to move from L1 to L2 the work process needs to be defined, get the
people trained & assure compliance to those work processes.

LEVEL 2 - Control

A defined process will be followed, this helps in reducing variability & a
relatively constant output will be achieved.

These processes are defined without considering the minimal skills needed &
impact on other processes.

Management can use theses processes & using various techniques can check the
compliance to defined processes. These results can then be compared to a set of
predefined results to measure people's performance.

In order to move from L2 to L3 the organization will need to build & define
the core competencies.

LEVEL 3 - Core Competency

At this level the organization identifies its core competencies & then
re-engineer the processes defined at level 2 to perform these competencies
efficiently & effectively. It will then identify the skills required to perform
those processes & staff will be recruited with the required skillset.

In order to move from L3 to L4 the organization should be able to measure
quantitatively the performance of an individual.

LEVEL 4 - Predictable

At this level the organization develops the quantitative standards of work
processes defined in L3 & sufficient skills are required in managers to measure
manage quantitatively. This results in a predictable work process. Knowing the
normal performance of the work process, management can easily measure the
problems through quantitative measurements & keep projects on schedule & budget.
This level of predictability uses measurement to manage as against measurement
of individual's performance.

In order to move from L4 to L5 the organization is required to innovate new
processes, based on available technologies.

LEVEL 5 - Innovative

The organization aspires to be a true leader in industry & always try to
measure itself against industry standards & define innovative ways to achieve
higher levels of performance. This level requires constant innovation which
gradually leads to constant learning both in an individual & in an organization.

From a tester's perspective : an organization with lower maturity level will
tend to deliver a lower quality of software & hence bigger challenge.