Many organizations use Capability Maturity Models® (CMMs®) to assess development and maintenance processes, implement improvements, and measure progress. Although consistent in purpose, these models differ in terminology and design--enough sometimes to cause conflict and confusion when used within the same organization. Addressing the need for a more coordinated approach, Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI®) provides a single framework for improvement in software engineering, systems engineering, integrated product and process development, and supplier sourcing.

This book is the definitive reference for the most current release of CMMI models. To use a CMMI model available on the SEI Web site, users must choose from among multiple models based on their organization's improvement needs. This book provides a single source for all CMMI model information. Readers can get started without having to select a model first--all of the choices are compiled in one place and explained in detail.

The book begins with background information needed to understand the content and structure of these integrated models and how to use them. A case study illustrates their implementation in a real environment. A variety of practical material, such as glossary and index, is also provided. The bulk of the book comprises the content of all CMMI models, covering the 25 process areas (PAs) that span the product life cycle, including detailed best practices.

All CMMI models have two representations. The continuous representation allows an organization to improve using selected PAs at different rates. The staged representation enables organizations to follow a predefined and proven improvement path using multiple PAs. Both representations are described so that readers will more clearly see the similarities and differences between the two representations and will be able to choose the right approach for their organization.

Whether you are new to CMMI or are already familiar with some version of it, this book is an essential resource for managers, practitioners, and process improvement team members who need to understand, evaluate, and/or implement a CMMI model. The ultimate objective of CMMI is integrating processes to improve products; this book contains everything you need to get that done.

0321154967B01232003

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 24 Ratings

Do not waste your time on CMMI etc. - 2008-07-09
Reviewer Rating:
Had to buy this book for CS course at the university. Zero usefulness. All the info is available online.
By the way, if you are not in the business of CMM or apraisals, curb your curiosity - it is nowhere near Computer Science or software engineering, it's about basic management. Tedious and annoying stuff.

You have to know quite a bit to understand the material - 2009-10-30
Reviewer Rating:
I have been implementing high quality processes that have been made CMM/CMMI compliant to pass the appraisal process. But whenever I had to read the CMMI model as written in any of its forms, it was a challenge. There is a lot of material that causes quite a bit of confusion. The Software Engineering Institute admits that they redefine common words to suit their purposes, supposedly to make the model easier to understand but anytime you change the meaning of common words, it injects confusion. As it stands it is a bloated book with many examples provided but without any real additional explanation given. For example, each process area will list typical work products but there is nothing to explain what they really are, which is not very helpful when you are trying to implement the model. One might start chasing the goose that laid the golden egg to find that the typical example is no longer very typical and would not fit your environment or organizational culture. There are some good tidbits. For example, at the end of a case study it says don't create processes first, just do the work and worry about compliance last. That is very sound advice, but does one need to wade through 700 pages to find it? The book would benefit from making it more approachable to beginners.

Great condition - 2009-05-28
Reviewer Rating:
Received the book on time and in great condition - very satisfied with service and product.

WARNING - 2009-03-10
Reviewer Rating:
The SEI CMM could have evolved in a much more helpful direction. Instead, it has regressed toward the discredited morass of CI, TQM, and ISO gibberish. This book, in particular, is written at an exquisitely refined level of useless abstraction. The goals and aspirations are important, but the level of practical guidance here is nil. Practical guidance is exactly what is needed, and is exactly what is missing. The analysis and empirical evaluation of processes are technically challenging and require sophisticated professional staff -- but these core technical challenges are thrown back to the client organization with an irresponsible "Good luck!" I hope the next generation of CI/TQM/ISO/CMMI will finally get real and get serious.

CMMI V1.2 2nd Edition - 2008-11-11
Reviewer Rating:
The CMMI v1.2 Model Book is excellent! It includes all the practices which the SEI has determined should be in an IT Development Shop. The SEI is a federally funded (DoD) research institute at Carnegie Mellon Univ - therefore they have to share the research with citizens.

Auditing/improving your IT shop against the model is an internationally accepted path to technology process improvement for IT development. Most federal contracts for IT require that the vendor rate Maturity Level 3 against the CMMI v1.2 model in order to bid.

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