For a CBA IPI or SCAMPI, prior to assessment team training, team members need to have received training in the CMM or the CMMI model. These models are central to the assessment process, and it is difficult to understand the assessment methodology without understanding the model upon which it is based.
The SEI requires that team members on a CBA IPI assessment either take the official SEI-licensed Introduction to the CMM course (a three-day course teaching the basics of the CMM model), take an equivalent commercial CMM training course, or be trained by the Lead Assessor using an SEI-provided CD-based CMM course. For a SCAMPI, the SEI requires that team members receive CMMI model training solely via the SEI-licensed Introduction to CMMI course, delivered by an SEI-authorized instructor.
At the discretion of the Lead Assessor, an assessment team member might be waived from taking CMM training prior to serving on an assessment team if the team member can document that they have taken training that is at least equivalent to the three-day SEI Introduction to CMM course and that covers the following topics:
CMM Concepts and Terminology: Understand and be able to explain fundamental concepts such as:
- Process, capability, and maturity
- Process management
- Process change
- Capability versus performance
CMM Structure: Explain how the CMM is structured and be able to use that structure:
- The five maturity levels and the key process areas associated with each level
- The purpose of and terminology associated with each key process area (e.g., requirements management, SQA, organization standard software process, organization process database, process performance baseline)
- The common features of the CMM
Applying the CMM: Be able to apply the CMM with intelligence:
- Interpret the key practices in different contexts
- Identify immature and mature software organizations
- Explain why the organization cannot skip maturity levels
- Identify, locate, and explain some of the common themes that run throughout the CMM
- Locate information in the CMM
Benefits from use of the CMM: Relate the benefits of improvement to the value of the CMM:
- Return of investment for software process improvement
- Impact on quality and productivity
- Impact on cost and schedule
Ownership and plans for the CMM: Explain the SEI’s role in CMM evolution and related work:
- Who owns the CMM
- Related maturity modeling work going on at the SEI
- Related standards work
The Lead Assessor is responsible for ensuring that each team member’s understanding of the CMM or CMMI model is up to date and for requiring team members to take additional instruction if necessary.