The CMMI® was written to apply to a variety of project environments -- defense, commercial; development, maintenance, services; small to large project teams.  The authors used words like “adequate”, “appropriate”, “as needed”, and “selected”. When a project or organization adopts the CMMI model for process improvement, they (consciously or unconsciously) make choices about how it will be implemented – scope, scale, documentation, and decision-making to name a few. These choices have a profound effect on the speed and cost of CMMI® adoption.  Rick Heffner describes the strategic implications of the CMMI on planning and implementing project processes. He identifies the decisions to be made, the options available, and the relationships between these options and project contexts and business objectives.  Take away a deeper understanding of the model, and better strategies for its adoption.  By understanding your options and making smart choices, CMMI® adopters can ensure that the promised benefits of CMMI®-based improvement are realized.

1. Making Smart Choices: Strategies for CMMI Adoption CMMI Technology Conference and User Group 16-19 November 2009 Rick Hefner, Ph.D. Northrop Grumman Corporation [email_address]

4. How Decisions Drive Success Scope Infrastructure Deployment Value of the improvements Perceived value of the improvements Success of the improvements Cost of the improvements Speed of the improvement “ Dead-ends” Fit with culture Strengthening of culture Perceived bureaucracy Buy-in Ability to address other improvement goals

7. A Process Paradigm Jeanine Siviy and Eileen Forrester, Accelerating CMMI Adoption Using Six Sigma, CMMI Users Group, 2004

14. Project Use of Organizational Process Assets Project Project Plans, Schedules, & Budgets CMMI Project Results Organizational Training Industry/Government Standards ISO Customer Specific Organizational Policies & Processes Measurement Repository Project Defined Process, Procedures, & Standards Tailoring Organization Project-Specific Training Process Asset Library Historical data Project examples

15. A Top-Level Comparison Instantiation of the process (how often, when, etc.) Plan Low-level “how” to do (details needed to follow a strategy) Procedure High-level “how” to do (organizational standard, tailored by projects) Process High-level “what” to do (organizational guidance) Policy