A use of the software CMM for multi-disciplinary assessment

In July 1996, Origin undertook a CMM assessment for an organisation developing telecommunications products. The organisation had experience of CMM, having had an external assessment two years previously and wanted an assessment to check on progress and to recommend a way forward. The organisation created products using highly integrated teams that include software, hardware and mechanical engineers. In addition, these project teams worked closely with the marketing, production and support departments to ensure the suitability of their products for the market and to ensure that they would be efficient to manufacture and support. As a result of the integrated nature of the teams, the organisation did not want the assessment to be based solely on software but wanted the other development disciplines to be covered just as thoroughly. Although the proposed Origin assessment team included experienced CMM assessors, this was the first time that an organisation had requested a multi-disciplinary assessment and it was not at all clear whether such as assessment was viable based on the Software CMM. After a considerable degree of discussion with the organisation and internally, it was decided that the assessment could go ahead with a number of provisos and limitations. Developers within the organisation had spent some time previously trying to apply the CMM to other disciplines with mixed success. In practice, it turned out that some KPAs had few differences between software and other disciplines while for others, the goals could be applied but some of the details were less applicable. In any case, the appropriateness of the level of some KPAs for other disciplines was open to question. Key success factors for the multi-disciplinary aspect of the assessment were: An assessment team including assessors with CAD/CAM/CAE experience A pragmatic view of how to apply the KPAs to other disciplines A willingness to listen to the hardware and mechanical engineers Clear and visible views on the Limitations of a multi-disciplinary assessment.