Challenges With Implementing The Cmmi In Small Settings

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Challenges with Implementing the CMMI in Small Settings or

The Little Organization That Could Henry Schneider SEPG 2009

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Lil’ Org

PPQA

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MA

SAM

PMC

PP

REQM

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PPQA

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MA

SAM

PMC

PP

REQM

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Lil’ Org

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I Think I Can, I Think I Can

Management Commitment 3/25/2009

Planning

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I – Think – I – Can, I – Think – I – Can

PPQA

Documenting Processes 3/25/2009

Training

Measurement & Analysis

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I – – Think – – I – – Can

Failed Attempt 1

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Failed Attempt 2

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I Knew I Could, I Knew I Could!

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Agenda  Observed Trends  Common Challenges with Process Improvement

 Small Settings Perspective  Useful Tips and Techniques

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OBSERVED TRENDS

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Observed Trends  Maturity models have been in use for 20+ years  Initial adopters were large organizations

 As businesses recognize the benefits of applying

maturity models, marketplace demand for appraised organizations increases  Increased emphasis on appraising organizations with 25 or

fewer people

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Trend Data* for Organizations < 25 People % of Appraisals for Small Orgs

Total # of Appraisals

3500 3000

2500 2000 1500 1000 500

The past four years have shown a steady increase in the number of appraisals of small organizations Increasing % and total # of reported appraisals

#of Appraisals for Small Orgs

0

16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%

450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

* Data derived from SEI Maturity Profiles published every March and September 3/25/2009

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Common Challenges with Process Improvement

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What Most Everyone Experiences Difficulty documenting processes and process assets

Limited to no process training provided

Lack of planning

Lack of management commitment

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Measurement and Analysis misunderstood

PPQA misunderstood

CMMI Implementation

Unrealistic expectations for an appraisal

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SMALL SETTINGS PERSPECTIVE  MAKE ICONS CONSISTENT

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Small Settings Perspective  Though organizations, large and small, share the same

obstacles to success, implementing the CMMI in small settings presents unique challenges  Based on recent observations gathered by working with

several small organizations

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Lack of Management Commitment  May be no active involvement  Senior Manager wants it to happen, but doesn’t have time to support  Unrealistic expectations  Process improvement viewed as simply documenting processes  Process improvement is something that can be performed fast and cheap

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Lack of Planning  Limited resources  No internal people available to provide necessary support  Project and business commitments interfere with process improvement  Process improvement is a part-time activity at best  Have to rely heavily on external help  Basically outsourcing process improvement that could result in a lack of buy-in  Limited to no planning for process improvement  Limited funds for training, tools, facilities, etc. 3/25/2009

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Difficulty Documenting Processes  Lots of synergy between teammates  Heavy reliance on tribal knowledge  Lots of single failure points  No perceived value in documenting processes  Everyone knows what to do; the how is second nature  “We don’t need no stinking procedures.”  Can be at odds with management’s goals to grow the

business  New people learn faster by reading the processes than by

osmosis 3/25/2009

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Limited Process Training  Process training may be viewed as an unnecessary

expense  Everyone already knows what to do

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Measurement and Analysis Misunderstood  Little to no data are used  Lack of understanding how data can help

 Only one Project Manager for all projects with a

qualitative understanding  Engineering judgment is considered sufficient

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Process and Product Quality Assurance Misunderstood  No appreciation for an objective evaluation of

processes and work products  Not viewed as an extension of Senior Management, but as an additional, expensive, non-value added cost

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Unrealistic Expectations for an Appraisal  Limited resources  PIIDs may take longer than expected to prepare $• Outsource PIID development  May have evidence of only one focus project and limited non-focus project evidence • Potential risk of not providing enough data to successfully achieve target ML  May not have enough internal people to staff the appraisal team

$• Use external team members  May not have space available to house the appraisal team and conduct interviews $• Lease office space  May require more meetings than usual with the Lead Appraiser to correctly scope and tailor the SCAMPI method $• Additional unplanned Lead Appraiser time

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Useful Tips and Techniques

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Management Commitment  Senior management should  Attend the Intro to the CMMI training with rest of the staff  Be actively involved in all process improvement activities  Either chair the Process Group or provide strong leadership  Meet regularly with the CMMI consultant and Lead Appraiser

 Those small organizations that have been successful

exemplify this behavior

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Planning  Treat process improvement like a project  Write a process improvement plan and use it  Estimate and track the costs  Document the process improvement goals and objectives  Set realistic expectations and dates  Determine which activities and deliverables can be performed internally vs. externally

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Documenting  Use an experienced CMMI consultant to help

document processes and process assets  Using an ISO 9000 consultant can be an additional risk  An ISO 9000 consultant is an additional person to train on the

CMMI  ISO 9000 consultants tend to view implementing the CMMI as a documentation exercise and don’t comprehend the Generic Goals and Practices  Should not be performed solely by the consultant;

someone from the organization has to be actively involved 3/25/2009

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Training  Train on the different roles and responsibilities  Perhaps formal process training is not the answer  Hold meetings with the team to walk through each process to

ensure alignment  Consider OJT or mentored instruction instead of formal training  Could be a source of process improvement suggestions

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Measurement and Analysis  The Project Manager is probably the logical choice for

performing all MA activities  Requires some training and/or mentoring on measurement

and analysis  Document the data collection, analysis, and reporting information so someone else will have an understanding of the data and its use  Avoid overkill or “death-by-data”; use a minimal set of measures and indicators

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Process and Product Quality Assurance  Think outside the box for implementing this Process

Area  Perhaps the Senior Manager could perform PPQA

or  Embed PPQA within the team (objectivity could be a challenge) or  Outsource PPQA (provides independence, but somewhat risky and requires ongoing contractual management)

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SCAMPI Preparation  Use the process improvement plan  Hire a reputable Lead Appraiser with prior experience

working with small organizations  Work with your Lead Appraiser to properly interpret the CMMI and the SCAMPI method for a small organization

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I Knew I Could, I Knew I Could!

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Questions

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PPQC Services Consulting • • • •

CMMI Software Engineering Systems Engineering Process Improvement

Appraising • SCAMPI A, B, C • Gap Analysis

Training • • • • 3/25/2009

CMMI/Process Improvement Action Planning Workshops Measurement and Analysis Process Area Specific Training

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Contact Information Address:

Henry Schneider President/Senior Principal Consultant Process and Product Quality Consulting, LLC 2111 Heather Green Houston, TX USA 77062

Phone:

281-218-6682

E-mail:

[email protected]

Web Site:

www.ppqc.net

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