CAPABILITY MATURITY MODEL INTEGRATION

    CMMI, or the Capability Maturity Model Integration is an approach used by different organizations for evaluating processes improvements. It was first developed in 2002(with the release of its Version 1.1), where in different models are integrated into one framework in order to improve the usability of maturity models. It is the successor of the CMM([Software] Capability Maturity Model).

    The CMMI has different maturity levels which are used in evaluating/comparing the different processes improvements. Each of the five maturity levels describe a certain characteristic of processes. Of the five maturity level, the Optimizing level(topmost, level 5) focus on process improvement, while the Initial level characterizes that the process at this level are unpredictable and poorly controlled and reactive. The other maturity levels in CMMI include Managed level(level 2), Defined (level 3), Quantitatively Managed(level 4). As the level goes up, process become better and more improved.

CMMI, as a ‘tool’ used to compare processes, deals with three areas of interest namely:

• CMMI-DEV for product and service development
• CMMI-SVC for service establishment and management
• CMMI-ACQ for product and service acquisition

    The CMMI is significantly important to organizations from different fields and industry(not just on software development field) because it helps in achieving the organization’s goals and objective and also measure their progress for a certain project.

1. Are those maturity levels found in the CMMI-Core Process Areas table fixed/constant? 2. What do those maturity level in the said Core Process Area determine? Is it the minimum level a certain process must achieve?

3. If the application of CMMI do not have much positive impact on the performance of an organization, then, what area does benefit the organization?

4. When do we use CMMI? As a student, in what phase of our project(like website development) should we apply CMMI?

5. How do we say that a certain process’s maturity level is at level 3, and not of level 2? Are there more specific details/mechanics on how to determine the maturity level of processes?

Sources:

(n.d.). Capability Maturity Model Integration. Wikipedia. Retrived from wikipedia.com on December 9, 2012.

What is Quality?

         The man behind the Fishbone Diagram and Quality Circles, Kaoru Ishikawa is known for being the Japanese leading contributor to quality management. Ishikawa is an applied chemistry graduate of Tokyo University. His career relating to quality management and standardization started in 1950’s where he became a member of the editorial board of Quality Control Foreman and became the chief executive director of Quality Control Circle Headquarters at the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers(JUSE). He also became an editor of two books about quality circles while in JUSE.

     The Fishbone Diagram is simply a diagram which shows the causes of a certain event/outcome(with the drawing forming a fishbone). Ishikawa believed that quality is achieved when the root cause/s of the problem/s encountered are identified. It is only through this way when the appropriate solution like quality improvement will be applied to address the real problem.

      On the other hand, Ishikawa also introduced to the Japanese community an approach to quality improvement which involves participation of members of an organization who will meet up to discuss workplace observations and improvements. Ishikawa believed that although this kind of approach, known as quality circle, is not the ‘main’ factor in improving quality in work, but with right top end management commitment, continuous quality improvement is still achieved. Through quality circles, the lives of people/employees will also be enriched and be improved. Lastly, Ishikawa also believed that the formulation and constant evaluation and revision of standards contribute to quality management.

     In general, quality for Ishikawa refers to accomplishing improvement through continually seeking the causes of an event or a problem. Through this, appropriate solutions involving quality management and improvement, formulation and evaluation of standards will be suitable to address the main problem.

Sources:

(n.d.) Quality Circles. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from http://www.vectorstudy.com/management_theories/quality_circles.htm

(n.d.).Kaoru Ishikawa: One Step Further. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from http://www.skymark.com/resources/leaders/ishikawa.asp

(n.d). Kaoru Ishikawa . Retrieved November 19, 2012 from http://www.qualitygurus.com/gurus/list-of-gurus/kaoru-ishikawa/

(n.d). Kaoru Ishikaw. Management Gurus. Retrieved November 19,2012 from .http://www.vectorstudy.com/management_gurus/kaoru_ishikawa.htm