SYSTEM/SOFTWARE PROCESS APPRAISALS
The quality of a product is only as good as the process used to develop and maintain it. Whether a
development or maintenance organization is developing or maintaining products to compete in a marketplace
or is developing or maintaining products to satisfy internal requirements, the development and
maintenance processes implemented by the organization are critical success factors. Well-thought-out improvements to the process will
significantly contribute to the organization's performance.
A process appraisal is a catalyst for initiating meaningful process improvement and can help your
organization break through the barriers that constrain quality and productivity. It will allow you to
establish and focus a process improvement program that will result in:
Increased customer satisfaction
Lower development and maintenance costs
Reduced cycle time
WHAT IS A PROCESS APPRAISAL?
A process appraisal is an objective evaluation of
an organization's software or system development or maintenance capability. We utilize the Standard CMMI
Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI) methodology.
It is based on the SEI's widely-accepted models for process improvement: the Capability Maturity Model
Integration (CMMI), which characterizes how a development or maintenance
organization matures, or improves, in its ability to develop software or systems (see figure) and serves
as a framework for becoming a world-class provider of products.
The appraisal is structured to ensure that aspects of systems or software development or maintenance
that are unique to your organization or industry are addressed. For example, an appraisal in a small
commercial development organization that has a relatively small number of projects having a very short
development cycle will have different practices in place than a large development organization, having
large projects with long development cycles. The appraisal methodology takes that into account.
We conduct an appraisal as a collaborative effort, involving your organization's professionals in all
appraisal activities so that all participants gain a common understanding of the current state-of-the-
process and reach consensus on the critical process issues.
After conducting training in the CMMI and the appraisal methodology, we will lead your appraisal team
through an intense period of fact-finding, analysis and review of issues, and presentation of findings to
senior management and participants.
SECI consultants are certified SCAMPI Lead Appraisers and have been providing SEI appraisal services
since 1990. The assessments are performed through an affiliated company,
Process Strategies, Inc., an SEI Partner organization.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM A SYSTEMS/SOFTWARE PROCESS APPRAISAL?
At the completion of an appraisal, you will
have:
Objective findings that identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current development or maintenance process.
A profile of the current process relative to the CMMI.
An SEI maturity level rating.
A sound basis for developing a strategic improvement plan.
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