Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
If no one is going to use the data, then don't waste valuable resources collect-
ing it. Why data is often collected today that is not used in large high-tech
companies often is found on investigation to tie to historical experiences that
are no longer valid in today's world.
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2.6 Aligning Your Process Initiatives with Your Real
Business Objectives
At LACM, the VP of Engineering realized that there were many process
improvement initiatives going on throughout the organization, but they
were not being coordinated or assessed against clear criteria. The result was
redundant efforts without measurable goals. To ensure all process efforts
were aligned with business objectives and coordinated across the organiza-
tion, he identified a single point in the organization for approval and
monitoring of process efforts. Resources to execute the process improve-
ments were distributed across the organization, with cost, schedule, and
performance reporting consolidated under a single source who reported sta-
tus weekly directly to him.
That VP at LACM was not a CMMI expert, and I don't believe he even knew
about SP 1.1 of OPF. He just knew from experience what he had to do to get
his organizational process improvement effort aligned with the business
needs and get the related cost and schedule under control.
Starting at OPF SP 1.1 makes sense if you are a high maturity
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organization
initiating a new improvement effort, or if you are just starting out with your
first process improvement effort as the following lesson indicates.
LESSON 1
By first establishing the process needs within your specific business con-
text, you can provide criteria to help make more cost-effective decisions on
how to focus and drive your process improvement priorities.
4. This subject is discussed in the next chapter where we examine more closely the implementation of
CMMI level 4 and 5 practices and their relationship to agility.
5. In this topic, “high maturity” includes maturity levels 3, 4, and 5. As a point of clarification, today
when the SEI refers to “high maturity” it is now reserved for levels 4 and 5.
