CMMI Blog Special Series: 6th Part: This blog series on the cmmiconsultantblog.com is a systematic and structured coverage of CMMI Process Areas starting from Maturity Level 2 to Maturity Level 3: using CMMI –DEV, Version 1.3, as the Reference CMMI Model: As CMMI Consultant, during CMMI Consulting assignment if you are asked about the steps, inputs and outputs of Measurement and Analysis (M&A) Process Area, what would be your response:

CMMI FAQ 0

17th August, 2015

For the above-mentioned question, CMMI consultants may take inputs from the following inputs.

The purpose of Measurement and Analysis (MA) is to develop and sustain a measurement capability used to support management information needs.

The initial focus for measurement activities is at the project level. However, a measurement capability can prove useful for addressing organization and enterprise-wide information needs. To support this capability, measurement activities should support information needs at multiple levels, including the business, organizational unit, and projects to minimize re-work as the organization matures.

Following are the Inputs for the Measurement and Analysis:

• Project Closure Report
• Project Management Plan
• Software Process Database

Following activities are being conducted for Measurement and Analysis:

• Establish Metric Goals: Metric Goals are established at the Org Level and then these goals are used to derive Project level Metric Goals. Org level Metric Goals are derived from the existing processes, available resources, or other measurement considerations by the organization. For e.g. Org Metrics Goals could be Less number of Defects, On Time Deliveries etc.
• Specify Measures: Measurement of project can be traced to one or more measurement information categories which include the following: schedule and progress, effort and cost, size and stability, and quality. Example of measures could include Defects Density, Effort variance, Schedule Variance, Customer Satisfaction Rating etc.
• Metrics Data Collection Method: Specify the collection method which helps to ensure that the right data is collected properly.
• Metric Data Collection: Metrics Data shall be collected at Org as well as Project Level. PMs shall collect the project data in the Project Workbook and Project Metrics sheet and this data is collectively compiled at org level. Data could be collected using automated tools (like mantis, bugzilla for bugs) or excel sheets.
• Identify Causes of Variance: PM shall identify the causes of the deviation of the selected metrics with respect to the goals selected for those metrics. Different techniques could be used to drive the causes of variance including Charts, RCA, Fish Bonn Diagram, Pareto Analysis etc.
• Project Metrics Data Evaluation: Project Metrics Data shall be analysed by the PM on regular basis to find the deviations from the planned metric goals. PM shall also plan corrective and preventive activities to control deviations. At Org level data shall also be analysed in a collective manner.

Outputs

Following outputs are created during the implementation of the Measurement and Analysis:

• Project Metrics Sheet is used to show the data collection and analysis of metrics at project level
• Org Metrics baseline is used to show the metrics comparative analysis of different projects

The above is not an exhaustive coverage of the Configuration Management (CM), CMMI Process Areas but is substantive enough for CMMI Consultants to create a good foundation of the Configuration Management process in an organization.

Source: CMMI for Development