Achieving Higher Levels of Cmmi Maturity Using Simulation

Simulation and the Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) are both fundamentally process focused with common objectives. Both are tools used to advance process capabilities and performance. Can organizations apply simulation to their business practices to help them achieve higher levels of CMMI maturity? Which specific Process Areas would simulation add the most value? Simulation projects usually involve development of end-to-end “AsIs” process models. This activity is useful for organizations developing level 3 capabilities where explicit process definitions are necessary. Next, simulation analysts instrument their processes with defined, consistent measurements. These measures usually coincide with the same type of process measures which level 4 organizations use to understand their process and project performance. Finally, the most powerful feature of simulation is testing incremental or transformational changes in “To-Be” models. This feature will add value to level 5 organizations, who continuously analyze the cost/benefits of new technologies and proposed process changes. 1 CAPABILITY MATURITY MODEL BACKGROUND The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is a research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. The SEI developed the Capability Maturity Model® Integrated (CMMI) to help organizations improve development processes and deliverable quality of their products and services through better management and technical practices [CMU SEI. 1994]. CMMI is a framework which shows the evolutionary path from ad-hoc toward mature and capable processes. The CMMI path (staged representation) defines five levels of process maturity. Each maturity level builds upon key elements, called Process Areas, of the previous level (see Table 1). Please refer to the Carnegie Mellon SEI website for a complete description of each Process Area [CMU SEI. 2002]. Table 1: Process Areas by Maturity Level (staged representation) [CMU SEI. 1994]