Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
There should be a way that someone on the project can just say in certain
cases this isn't needed. We need more flexibility in our processes.
Let us start with the CMMI model in addressing these comments. First, the
Ve r i f i c a t i o n P r o c e s s a r e a o f t h e m o d e l d o e s e x p e c t y o u t o c o n d u c t p e e r
reviews, and to verify selected work products. However, the CMMI does not
tell you what you need to peer review and what you need to verify.
SP 1.3 of the Verification Process Area expects you to develop your own verification
procedures and criteria.
11
I want to highlight the word
criteria
.
.
This is the agility-enhancing mechanism.
That word
criteria
is sprinkled throughout the CMMI model. What is the
intent when we see this term in the Verification Process Area? The intent is to
say to the model user, you need to
think
about what products need to be
veri-
fied
and how to best verify them. Ask yourself:
Do all products need to be verified?
If you are reusing a product that has previously been verified, you can reuse
that previous verification, and save cost by
not re-verifying it
.
12
The value of
reuse can extend beyond just the product development itself.
Yo u m u s t b e c a re f u l t o e n s u re y o u
verify
and
validate
your product in the cur-
rent environment. This is part of what you should be
thinking through
when
planning for Verification and Validation. The CMMI model suggests that by
establishing
criteria,
you can make
better decisions
when it comes to Verifica-
tion (and Validation).
The CMMI model does not tell you
when
you need to apply your
Ve r i f i c a t i o n
criteria.
This is left up to each organization to decide. You can have
criteria
to
help you
decide
when testing should be performed, and
criteria
to help you
decide
when a peer review should be held.
Yo u c a n a l l o w t h e c r i t e r i a t o b e a p p l i e d a t t h e
start of the project
, at the
start of
each increment of the project life cycle
, or it could be
delegated
to a technical lead
to apply
just-in-time
at the point when a decision needs to be made in the
middle
of the project.
The degree of flexibility or
agility
on your project is up to each organization
to decide based on its business needs, personnel, and culture.
11. One could also look at SP 1.1 Select Work Products for Verification as covering criteria of what to verify.
12. This assumes the product will be reused in a similar way and in a similar environment.
