Are You Prepared for CMMI?

T his article focuses on applying technology adoption concepts in moving toward using the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model ® (CMM ®) Integration SM (CMMI SM) framework. It is assumed that the reader has a basic understanding of the CMMI concepts and the project that formulated it. If not, please see the CMMI area within the SEI's Web site at . For more in-depth information , see CMMI Distilled [1] for basic information on the model and the project written by some of the CMMI project team members. What is technology adoption? Generally, it is the set of practices and factors related to organizations selecting, deploying, and sustaining the use of a technology. Why look at CMMI adoption as " technology " adoption? First, CMMI " is " a technology (a tool or tool system by which we transform parts of our environment , derived from human knowledge , to be used for human purposes [2]) – a " process technology " – and what is more, it is " radical. " " Radical innovation is the process of introducing something that is new to the organization and that requires the development of completely new routines, usually with modifications in the normative beliefs and value systems of organization members [3]. " Treating CMMI as a technology adoption first mobilizes a different mindset than the one we typically apply to process improvement, and second may make us more inclined to use some of the useful tools of technology adoption for our CMMI adoption. Given that the factors involved in technology adoptions are complex, it stands to reason that each adoption is highly sit-uational; its strategy will be unique to that situation and context. Some basic concepts can, however, be applied in generating that unique strategy, including the following: 1. Multiple dimensions have to be addressed simultaneously to achieve success, not just the technology (in this case, CMMI) content. 2. Different audiences with different roles and responsibilities in an organization respond differently as they are introduced to the technology. 3. Acceptance of a new technology does not happen in a linear, predictable fashion no matter how pretty the charts look! 4. There are both different " levels of diffusion " (breadth of technology acceptance) and " levels of use " (degree to which the technology becomes embedded in the organiza-tion's governing and social practices). One does not imply the …