Gauteng SPIN (Software Process Improvement Network)
CMMI "Constellations": Process Improvement models to support Development, Acquisition and Services
Many people believe that CMMI is only of interest to organisations engaged in software development projects. This is not true! As its name suggests, Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) integrates process improvement concepts across a range of disciplines and business activities. There are, in fact, three "constellations" in the CMMI Product Suite covering (i) development of new products and services (ii) service delivery, and (iii) acquisition of products and services. While "CMMI for Development" (CMMI-DEV) has been around since the early 2000's, "CMMI for Acquisition" (CMMI-ACQ)and "CMMI for Services" (CMMI-SVC) are both recent additions.
Dr Chuck Myers, a Visiting Scientist at the SEI, and a top international expert on CMMI, was visiting South Africa and talked to the Gauteng SPIN about all three CMMI constellations. He highlighted similarities and differences between CMMI-DEV, CMMI-ACQ and CMMI-SVC and lead a discussion on how these 3 process improvement models support different businesses and organisations.