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.

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.