As in CBA IPI assessments, SCAMPI interviews are held with managers and practitioners responsible for the work being performed. The team uses interviews to understand how the processes are implemented and to probe areas where additional coverage of model practices is needed.
As in a CBA IPI assessment, project and/or program management people are typically interviewed individually, but in SCAMPI, they can also be interviewed as a group according to project.
The configuration of SCAMPI interviews is similar to CBA IPI interviews, except that in theory, SCAMPI teams are seeking not to elicit data but rather to verify data that has already been ascertained during the document review. (In practice, this difference looks less clear-cut. When documentation is not available to confirm whether an organization has implemented a certain practice, SCAMPI interviews are used as a discovery mechanism as in CBA IPI.)
Another difference concerns SEI rules that in certain circumstances allow SCAMPI interviewing to be conducted by less than a full team, allowing parallel interviewing by mini-teams and providing some additional flexibility. (On-call and office hour interviews are also permitted.) When interviews are handled by mini-teams, team-wide review and consensus meetings are still necessary.
There are three basic forms of interviews used in SCAMPI:
Standard Interviews
The most structured approach, these interviews are scheduled in advance and employ a series of scripted questions. Each interview typically involves interviewees with similar responsibilities in the organization (QA, system engineers, etc.). This is identical to CMM assessments. The schedule and location of each interview session is told to the interviewees in advance. The team prepares questions and follows the interview process. The entire team is present for these interviews. Tracking the coverage of individual PAs is assigned to team members. A single questioner may lead the interview, with the rest of the team listening and taking notes, or questioning may be distributed among team members. The number of interviews planned is defined during assessment planning. In a SCAMPI, if the team has collected enough data, the team may decide to cancel one or more interviews (this is rarely if ever done in a CMM assessment).
On-Call Interviews
On-call interviews are a more flexible approach to scheduling interviews. Prospective interviewees are identified and notified in advance, just as described with standard interviews. However, the interviews are only held if team members decide that there is a need and that the time will be well spent. The prospective interviewees are asked to block a period of time for such a contingency and are informed the day before the scheduled time if they will be needed. These interviews need not include the entire assessment team. Parallel interviews may then take place. However, at least two members of the assessment team must participate .
This is a different approach than in a CMM assessment. There, all assessment team members are present for first-time interviews. Only in follow-up interviews can the team separate, and at least two members of the team conduct the follow-up interview.
Office Hours Interviews
Office hours interviews represent an agreement for availability that permits pairs of team members to visit interviewees at their desks, cubicles, or offices. As with the on-call interviews, the prospective interviewees are tentatively scheduled. Most prospective interviewees are able to continue with their daily work and accommodate an interruption if the team needs to speak with them. Here again, only if specific data needs are identified will the interview occur. The interviewees should be informed that they might receive only limited advanced notice for this interviewusually a day in advance .
All SCAMPI interviews, including mini-team interviews, must include at least two members of the assessment team.