A CMMI Consultant is asked many times about the type of tools that can be used during CMMI Consulting Assignment. CMMI Consultants many times have to face the question of recommending tools for CMMI Implementation. What can be the response of the CMMI Consultant for this kind of question or recommendation?

CMMI FAQ 0

22nd September, 2014

While implementing CMMI, the client organization moves through process determination and process stabilizing stages. The next evolutionary step during a CMMI Implementation Program is to take the help of various kind of tools for CMMI Implementation. CMMI Consultants are faced with this question many times. Can you suggest some tools for effective implementation of CMMI? A very common question that is asked of CMMI Consultants during CMMI Consulting Assignments. It is true that in an organization, processes are effectively implemented if processes (majority of them) are implemented through Automated Tools with manual intervention at relevant points. Let us look at this more deeply. The CMMI consists of following process areas at Maturity Level 2 and Maturity Level 3.

CMMI Maturity Level 2 Process Areas:

• Configuration Management
• Measurement and Analysis
• Project Monitoring and Control
• Project Planning
• Process and Product Quality Assurance
• Requirements Management
• Supplier Agreement Management

CMMI Maturity Level 3 Process Areas:

• Causal Analysis and Resolution
• Configuration Management
• Decision Analysis and Resolution
• Integrated Project Management +IPPD
• Measurement and Analysis
• Organizational Innovation and Deployment
• Organizational Process Definition +IPPD
• Organizational Process Focus
• Organizational Process Performance
• Organizational Training
• Product Integration
• Project Monitoring and Control
• Project Planning
• Process and Product Quality Assurance
• Quantitative Project Management
• Requirements Development
• Requirements Management
• Risk Management
• Supplier Agreement Management
• Technical Solution
• Validation
• Verification

As CMMI Consultants, when we facilitate implementation of CMMI Maturity Level 2 and CMMI Maturity Level 3 Process Areas in any organization, we have to translate these Process Areas in to Processes (Work Practices). These Processes or Work-Practices have to be practical, usable and also compliant to CMMI Maturity Level 2 and CMMI Maturity Level 3 Process Areas. If any CMMI Consultant will conduct an analysis of CMMI Maturity Level 2 and CMMI Maturity Level 3 Process Areas, it will be observed that the following category of tools may be required:

1. Project and Document Management
2. Bug Tracker (for Issues/Reviews/Audit)
3. Estimation
4. Requirement and Design Management
5. Decision and Analysis Tool
6. Metrics Tool
7. Integration Application

The above mentioned may not be a comprehensive list but still it would cover most of the areas. CMMI Consultants can recommend open-source tools or customized branded tools after research on what could be suitable for the client organization. The recommendation of tools makes the CMMI Consultant very useful to the client and adds value to the CMMI Consulting Assignment. If you require further information on the subject, please feel free to contact us.