The Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model( Integration (CMMI) provides best practices that span a product's life cycle, from conception through delivery and maintenance. Employing real-life examples and practical advice, authors Garcia and Turner tap their extensive experience working with diverse organizations to help readers survey the CMMI territory.

CMMI® (Capability Maturity Model® Integration) is an integrated, extensible framework for improving process capability and quality across an organization. It has become a cornerstone in the implementation of continuous improvement for both industry and governments around the world. Rich in both detail and guidance for a wide set of organizational domains, the CMMI Product Suite continues to evolve and expand. Updated for CMMI Version 1.2, this third edition of CMMI® Distilled again provides a concise and readable introduction to the model, as well as straightforward, no-nonsense information on integrated, continuous process improvement. The book now also includes practical advice on how to use CMMI in tandem with other approaches, including Six Sigma and Lean, as well as new and expanded guidance on preparing for, managing, and using appraisals. Written so that readers unfamiliar with model-based process improvement will understand how to get started with CMMI, the book offers insights for those more experienced as well. It can help battle-scarred process improvement veterans, and experienced suppliers and acquirers of both systems and services, perform more effectively. CMMI® Distilled is especially appropriate for executives and managers who need to understand why continuous improvement is valuable, why CMMI is a tool of choice, and how to maximize the return on their efforts and investments. Engineers of all kinds (systems, hardware, software, and quality, as well as acquisition personnel and service providers) will find ideas on how to perform better. The three authors, all involved with CMMI since its inception, bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to this book. They highlight the pitfalls and shortcuts that are all too often learned by costly experience, and they provide a context for understanding why the use of CMMI continues to grow around the world.

In this age of globalization, process improvement practitioners must be able to comprehend and work with the different standards and frameworks used around the world. While many systems and software engineering organizations rely on a single standard as the primary driver of process improvement efforts (CMMI-based process improvement in the U.S. an

CMMI® for Services (CMMI-SVC) is a comprehensive set of guidelines to help organizations establish and improve processes for delivering services. By adapting and extending proven standards and best practices to reflect the unique challenges faced in service industries, CMMI-SVC offers providers a practical and focused framework for achieving higher levels of service quality, controlling costs, improving schedules, and ensuring user satisfaction. This indispensable book comprises both an introduction to the CMMI-SVC model and an authoritative reference for it. The contents include the complete model itself, formatted for quick lookup. In addition, the book’s authors have refined the model’s introductory chapters; provided marginal notes to clarify the nature of particular process areas and show why their practices are valuable; and inserted longer sidebars to explain important concepts. Brief essays by people with experience in different application areas further illustrate how the model works in practice and what benefits it offers. The book is divided into three parts. Part One begins by thoroughly explaining CMMI-SVC, its concepts, and its use. The authors provide robust information about service concepts, including a discussion of lifecyles in service environments; outline how to start using CMMI; explore how to achieve process improvements that last; and offer insights into the relationships among process areas. Part Two describes generic goals and generic practices, then details the complete set of CMMI-SVC process areas, including specific goals, specific practices, and examples. The process areas are organized alphabetically by acronym for easy reference. Part Three contains several useful resources, including CMMI—SVC-related references, acronym definitions, a glossary of terms, and an index. Whether you are new to CMMI models or are already familiar with one or more of them, this book is an essential resource for service providers interested in learning about or implementing process improvement.

"In this book, I have found answers to key questions and misconceptions about the relationship between Six Sigma and the Capability Maturity Model Integration [CMMI]....Among my key takeaways is that the relationship between Six Sigma and CMMI exemplifies one of the principles of S4/IEE: CMMI provides process infrastructure that is needed to support a successful Six Sigma strategy." —Forrest W. Breyfogle III, CEO, Smarter Solutions, Inc. "Finally, a book that bridges the software and hardware process tool set. To date, there have been hardware and software engineers who for one reason or another have not communicated their process methods. And so, myths formed that convinced the hardware community that CMMI was only for software and likewise convinced the software community that Six Sigma was only for hardware. It is both refreshing and thought provoking to dispel these myths." —Jack Ferguson, Manager, SEI Appraisal Program, Software Engineering Institute CMMI and Six Sigma represent two of the best-known process improvement initiatives. Both are designed to enhance work quality and thereby produce business advantages for an organization. It's a misconception that the two are in competition and cannot be implemented simultaneously. Practitioners originally trained in either CMMI or Six Sigma are now finding that the two initiatives work remarkably well together in the pursuit of their common goal. CMMI® and Six Sigma: Partners in Process Improvement focuses on the synergistic, rather than competitive, implementation of CMMI and Six Sigma—with synergy translating to "faster, better, cheaper" achievement of mission success. Topics range from formation of the value proposition to specific implementation tactics. The authors illustrate how not taking advantage of what both initiatives have to offer puts an organization at risk of sinking time, energy, and money into "inventing" a solution that already exists. Along the way they debunk a few myths about Six Sigma applications in software. While the authors concentrate on the interoperability of Six Sigma and CMMI, they also recognize that organizations rarely implement only these two initiatives. Accordingly, the discussion turns to the emerging realm of "multimodel" process improvement and strategies and tactics that transcend models to help organizations effectively knit together a single unified internal process standard. Whether you work in the defense industry, for a commercial organization, or for a government agency—wherever quality and efficiency matter—you'll find this book to be a valuable resource for bridging process issues across domains and building an improvement strategy that succeeds.

The CMMI provides a framework for process improvement spanning the life cycle of a product or service, from conception through delivery and maintenance. Widely and beneficially adopted around the world, the size and apparent complexity of the framework have nonetheless been daunting to some organizations. That need not be so. With a proper guide to help navigate around unknown dangers, potential pitfalls, and false paths, you too, can realize substantial business value from a successful CMMI implementation. This book is such a guide, full of the real-life examples to ease your way, and writte.