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because potential new business is riding on the assessment's results, this sit-
uation often creates a strong inhibitor to the identification of the most
valuable potential opportunities for real improvement. Potential real value-
added opportunities for improvement under these conditions tend to get lost
in the pressures to ensure all the necessary supporting evidence is attained to
achieve the desired rating.
By conducting a less formal appraisal early (referred to as a SCAMPI B, C, or
gap analysis), often clarifying focus and priorities can be brought to a chal-
lenging improvement effort. 10
2.12 An Alternative Approach to Agility
RAVE Case Study
The approach taken by LACM is not the only route for large process mature
organizations looking to increase their agility. RAVE is a large CMMI level 5
organization that also focuses primarily on the U.S. defense market similar to
LACM. In 2005, RAVE recognized a number of their projects were attempt-
ing to move in the Agile direction through an informal grassroots movement
(referred to in some organizations as “stealth” Agile), 11 despite the fact that
the company formal processes did not recognize the validity of an Agile
approach. To address this need, RAVE initiated a Six Sigma team to tackle the
problem. I was asked to participate on the team to provide an independent
Agile and CMMI perspective.
The outcome resulted in the development of an Agile Developer's Guide,
which was viewed as one of many options within the company's available
toolkits. The strategy taken at RAVE was different from LACM in that
RAVE decided not to modify its existing CMMI level 5 processes to accom-
modate potential Agile approaches, but rather handle Agile through its
normal tailoring and standard project planning processes. The fundamen-
tal idea of implementing agility through the normal tailoring and project
planning processes makes sense, but I have a number of cautions to share
based on my experiences observing this kind of approach to increasing an
organization's agility.
10. Conducting a gap analysis using the CMMI model in an Agile organization is discussed in Chapter 4,
in the BOND case study.
11. When I use the phrase “stealth Agile” in this topic I mean an informal Agile initiative that isn't part of
a documented and approved plan.
 
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