CMMI - Level 5 - Optimizing

Level 5 – The Optimizing Level, focuses on continually improving process performance through both incremental and innovative improvements. The effects of deployed process improvements are measured and evaluated.

A critical distinction between Level 4 and 5, is the type of process variation that is addressed. At maturity Level 4, we look at Special cause of variation (Through Statistical Process Control or other statistical techniques)

At Level 5, we are concerned with addressing common causes of variation and changing the process (Ex – Defect & Problem Prevention)

There are 2 PAs at Level 5

1. Organizational Innovation and Deployment (OID)
2. Causal Analysis and Resolution (CAR)

Organizational Innovation and Deployment

The purpose of OID is to select and deploy incremental and innovative improvements that measurably improve the organization’s processes and technologies

Examples:
- Deploying a new tool
- Deploying a new technology across the organization (ex – Windows xp)
- Introducing a new process (Ex. Decision Analysis and resolution or an Account management process)

Goal:

1. Select Improvements – Necessary process and technology improvements are selected
2. Deploy improvements – Improvements to organization’s processes and technologies are continually and systematically deployed

The essence of this PA is how effectively can an organization make continuous change to its processes and technology that results in incremental and innovative improvements.


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