Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
outside the agreed-to scope. Take action to correct it! Don't just measure a
process deficiency. Resolve it!
To o o f t e n , p ro c e s s i m p ro v e m e n t e ff o r t s a re w e a k e s t o n t h i s m o s t i m p o r t a n t f o l -
low-through step. This is another reason why I claim selected CMMI level 4/5
practices should be implemented earlier in an improvement project life cycle.
MYTH
If an organization gets to CMMI level 3, it can consistently perform
by continuing to do the same thing over and over.
While it might appear counter-intuitive, consistent performance results from
continuous small changes. Becoming aware of my three repeating weak-
nesses did not in itself stop them from repeating. I found myself continuing
to fall back into the same pattern. I believe this was caused by an uncon-
scious belief that just focusing on those three repeating weaknesses was too
simple
11
a solution. This resulted in my failure to pay close attention to them.
As a result, they continued to gradually work their way back into my game.
I finally realized, after trying other checkpoints that weren't critical to my
specific weaknesses, that when I had too many things to think about the
checkpoints did not work. The noncritical checkpoints became too intrusive,
negatively affecting the overall rhythm of my swing. I realized that by con-
sciously paying close attention to a
smaller number of key checkpoints
, the
overall
consistency
of my game improved.
9.15 Were the Checkpoints for the Three Repeating
Weaknesses Sufficient?
Let me now share more from my golf notes to help you understand another
aspect of checkpoints. The following notes are from the eighth week of the
golf project:
My swing is off today and I notice something. My weight is shifting to my
back foot and it isn't transferring back at the point of impact. I believe I know
what started this. I read an article in Golf Magazine [36] that I really liked.
It was by Stewart Cink and was entitled “All-Feel, No-Think Shots.”
11. Note the similarity to the observation I have made with how Senior Managers in many organizations
have responded when they hear my gap analysis report.
