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Q. I have been in Quality Analysis (QA) for about seven years. One of my previous managers continues to tell me to get CMM or CMMI training. I have read different articles on the Web, and I think I need more training so that I can progress to the next level of my career.
In terms of career aspirations, I like the QA field and would like to stay in it, at least in some capacity. But how will getting such certification or training enhance my career? Can you explain the differences between CMM and CMMI, and what does it take to be a CMMI appraiser?
Career advice by Kelly Kimberland, Software Engineering Institute (SEI):
The Capability Maturity Model for Software (SW-CMM) was developed in the late 1980s to provide guidance to organizations on disciplined process improvement. CMM is no longer supported or recognized by the SEI. It was replaced in 2002 with the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) which was developed by a collective group of experts from industry, government and the SEI.
CMMI is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. CMMI helps integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes.
CMMI v1.2, which was launched in August 2006, incorporates lessons learned from use of the SW-CMM, EIA-731 and other standards and models. CMMI for Development provides guidance for managing, monitoring and measuring development processes. CMMI has become the de facto standard for process improvement.
What is a CMMI appraiser and how to I become one? Actually, the appropriate designation is SCAMPI Lead Appraiser. The Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI) methodology is designed to benchmark quality ratings relative to CMMI models. The SEI now offers a certification for SCAMPI Lead Appraisers.
SCAMPI appraisals enable organizations to gain insight into their organization capability by identifying weaknesses and strengths, prioritizing improvement plans, focusing on improvements that are most beneficial to the organization given its current level of organizational maturity or process capabilities, deriving capability-level ratings as well as maturity-level ratings, and identifying development or acquisition risks relative to capability or maturity determinations
The SCAMPI High-Maturity Lead Appraiser (HMLA) certification supports the SCAMPI lead appraiser program in conjunction with CMMI. A lead appraiser is an individual who works with organizations to compare their organizational metrics to CMMI best practices before assigning a rating: Level 1 through Level 5. The adoption and implementation of process improvement requires an appraiser to have a full and complete understanding of the CMMI model and its appraisal methodology
A successful candidate must be an SEI-authorized SCAMPI lead appraiser in good standing; have education, training, and experience in high maturity concepts and practices; and have participated on high-maturity appraisal teams.
Career advice by Ng Koh Wee, executive vice president of IT, Great Eastern Assurance, a Singapore-based insurance company:
I am not an expert on careers for QA professionals, but I will try to share my general understanding. SEI is constantly upgrading their specifications of system development capability. For CMMI assessment, SEI is already moving towards version 1.2 of their CMMI model which was launched in August last year. Consequentially, there will still be a continuous need to keep up with SEI's practices if one chooses to use their model of assessing organizational maturity.
A QA professional could probably choose between two career paths. He or she could choose to work on quality assurance as part of software development, like us at Great Eastern Life. In such a context, the QA professional also helps the organization to reach a level of maturity in its work processes. Understanding CMMI and its latest development would certainly be a benefit because the QA professional will be giving advice to every level of staff in the IT organization on what they should be doing to achieve the required level of maturity.
The other option is to become an assessor. Large software houses might have in-house assessors who usually progress from being a QA professional. Assessors can also join consultants like Quality Assurance Institute and Pink Elephant, which provide assessment services. SEI, unlike ISO or other standards definition organizations, does not certify the maturity of the organization. It only assesses the organization and declares them at a particular level. So an assessor is someone accredited by SEI to perform assessment according to their assessment method, which they call SCAMPI. The career path of an assessor is then not just in knowing CMMI itself but also SCAMPI, and in meeting various requirements SEI imposes on assessors.
Hence the question first has to be which path the person wants to take. If the path is towards a QA role, then understanding the CMMI model and how to run a change management project to transform an IT shop to a targeted level of maturity would be an ideal training goal. However, if the person's wish is to be an assessor, the training as an assessor is entirely different.
Hi,
I am a former QA Manager from a Japanese plastic - injection manufacturing firm. I have 13 solid work experience in handling quality matters such as establishing quality standards and handling customer complaints. I am now working in a IT services company as Process & Systems Officer for half a year now. I am currently doing the documentation of the process & system. I would like to pursue a career in quality assurance in the IT field. What do I need to do to make me a competent manager in the IT field.
Best Regards,
Elson T. Dacanay
Posted by anonymous on Tuesday, October 30 2007 10:08 AM