We are a Software Development ISO 9001 Certified organization, can we adopt CMMI-DEV version 1.3?

CMMI FAQ 0

16th May, 2013

Most of the IT Organizations, especially start-ups, go for ISO 9001 Certification as it involves less cost and lesser time frame as compared to CMMI for Development Version 1.3. ISO 9001 being a generic standard allows you the freedom to be flexible in many areas. CMMI for Development being a software-engineering (including systems engineering) specific process model is more elaborate and requires detailed compliance to various specific practices under the relevant CMMI Process Areas.

Moving from ISO 9001 to CMMI for Development Version 1.3 is relatively “easy” or “painful” depends on the way the initial system framework (or the quality management system framework – as it is called in ISO 9001) has been implemented. If the existing quality management system for ISO 9001 extends itself to building upon CMMI Process Model framework, then you are in good situation. Otherwise, you are in for some organizational pain and rework.  Hence much depends on the very initial approach (and the consulting advice) that you have received in the early stages of ISO 9001. That is, whether you have taken a long-term strategic approach with CMMI in mind while doing your ISO 9001 or a short-term tactical approach to have an ISO 9001 Certification in shortest possible time.

Having said this, assuming ISO 9001 Certification has been performed systematically, then it means that various activities required for CMMI Implementation have been done (or partially done) and hence the organization will require less effort to make it-self fully compliant to CMMI-DEV version 1.3. Some of the benefits of having ISO 9001 Certification before you launch the CMMI journey are:

• QMS or Process Asset Library (PAL) is available in the organization.
• Senior Management Reviews are being conducted through Management Review.
• Focus on Functions like Training, Audits, etc.
• Improved Customer Deliveries.
• Awareness in Project Team Members for Quality Framework Implementation.

How DQS India can help you in migrating from ISO 9001 to CMMI-DEV version 1.3?

Experienced CMMI Consultants can do the mapping between existing ISO 9001 and CMMI Model and identify the required activities to be conducted for migration from ISO 9001 to CMMI-DEV version 1.3. DQS India has a team of expert CMMI Consultants and ISO 9001 Auditors, who can help you in the painless migration from ISO 9001 to CMMI-DEV Version 1.3 Model.