Level 1 - Uncertainty. Success depends on individual effort.
Level 2 - Awakening. Basic project management practices are established.
Level 3 - Enlightenment. Standard process throughout organization.
Level 4 - Wisdom. Detailed metrics are collected and evaluated.
Level 5 - Certainty. Continuous process improvement via metrics feedback.
"Possibly by coincidence, both the Crosby and Humphrey maturity models resemble a maturity model developed circa 500 BC by Buddhist scholars as a kind of map for showing the stages on the path to religious enlightenment." Capers Jones, 1997
The 12th annual European Systems and Software Engineering Process Group Conference
EUROPEAN SEPG 2007 11-14th June, Amsterdam
Scrum and CMMI Level 5: The Magic Potion for Code Warriors
(See latest version of this paper published at HICSS 2008)
Keywords
High Maturity, CMMI Level 5, Agile, Scrum
Target audience
High maturity
Résumé
This presentation shows how one organization working at CMMI Level 5 used lean product development as a driver for optimizing software processes as part of their continuous improvement effort. Valuable experience has been gained by combining Agile Practices from Scrum and XP with CMMI Level 5. Results show that projects combining Agile Methods with CMMI 5 are more successful in producing higher quality software that more effectively meets customer needs at a faster pace. Initial pilots show productivity on Scrum teams almost twice that of traditional teams. Other projects demonstrated that a story-based test driven approach to software development reduced defects found during final test by 38%. These results led to an ROI based decision to more widely introduce Scrum and consider other Agile practices.
In order to maintain CMMI Level 5 certification, a careful assessment of practices required in addition to Scrum was necessary. Because Scrum reduced by almost 50% every category of work (defects, rework, total work required, and process overhead), it substantially cut the ongoing cost of maintaining CMMI Level 5 certification. We assert that Scrum and CMMI together bring a more powerful combination of adaptability and predictability to the marketplace than either one alone and suggest how other companies can combine them.
This presentation contains practical information and quantitative data obtained from introducing Agile practices like Scrum and story-based test driven software development into a high maturity organization. In addition, we present the benefit of adding CMMI Institutionalization to an existing organization’s Agile Methods.
Summary
This CMMI level 5 organization used lean product development as a driver for optimizing software processes as part of their continuous improvement effort. Initial pilots show productivity on Scrum teams almost twice that of traditional teams. Other projects demonstrated a story based test driven approach to software development reduced defects found during final test by 38%. This presentation contains practical information and quantitative data obtained from introducing Agile practices into an high maturity organization. In addition, we present the benefit of integrating CMMI Institutionalization Practices into existing organization’s Agile Methods.
Benefit
Experience and quantitative data from integrating Agile Methods with a world class CMMI Level 5 organization is shared with the delegates during this presentation. Delegates are shown how CMMI and Agile Methods have worked together to provide a powerful combination in one case showing a reduction of defects of 38%.
Presenter 1 profile
Kent Johnson is Chief Technical Officer for AgileDigm, Inc. a process focused consulting and training company. He is a proven leader and skilled troubleshooter with solid business and technical acumen. He has successfully worked with executives, managers, and engineering staff to improve their organizations in industries including aviation, naval, telecommunications, utilities, automotive, defense, government, software product development, and medical devices. He is co-author of Interpreting the CMMI: A Process Improvement Approach (Auerbach April 2003) and Ada 95 Quality and Style (Springer 1997). Kent is an SEI-authorized SCAMPI Lead Appraiser, an SEI-authorized CMMI® instructor, and an experienced process improvement consultant. He has helped clients move from Maturity Level 1 to level 5 using both the CMM and CMMI. Internationally, Kent has helped clients in over 20 countries to improve their systems and software processes. He is past Chairman, International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Systems Architecture Working Group.
Presenting experience
The presenters have significant experience in client training and have conducted tutorials at many conferences. These conferences include European SEPG, SESAM Conference (Stockholm, Sweden), JAOO (Denmark and France), USA SEPG, and Software Technology Conference (USA).
Presenter 1
Mr Kent Johnson
Chief Technical Officer
AgileDigm, Inc.
11 Twelve Oaks Trail
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
USA
Email: kent.johnson@agiledigm.com
Presenter 2
Mr Carsten Ruseng Ruseng Jakobsen
Lean Improvement Responsible, Project Manager, PMP
Systematic Software Engineering A/S
Søren Frichs Vej 39
DK-8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
Email: crj@systematic.dk
Presenter 3
Dr Jeff Sutherland
Chief Technology Officer
PatientKeeper, Inc.
One Newton Place
275 Washington Street – 2nd Floor
Newton, MA 02458
USA
Direct telephone: +1 508 644 8298
Email: jeff.sutherland@computer.org
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