Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
er level. (The ascent could take more than six months per level and
cost more than $5,000 per capita.)
The SEI assessment approach was generally successful in lead-
ing to process improvements among those who used it thoughtfully.
Mechanical adherence was less successful. In spite of statistical
evidence that ascending the CMMI ladder is beneficial, there are
still occasional lawsuits against Level 5 organizations. Many small
companies that are Level 1 or don't use the CMMI at all can do a
good job. There are also other proprietary methods used by com-
panies such as Apple, IBM, and Microsoft that achieve results
equal to CMMI Level 5 but don't use the CMMI at all.
As the SEI research programs gathered speed, the SEI assessments expanded
the range of topics considered, and a “people CMM” dealing with personnel
factors was developed by Dr. Bill Curtis and colleagues and published by SEI in
1993.
There are also other research studies carried out by the SEI staff. One recent
study was on estimation. A major study group is that of computer security called
the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).
When SEI was first created, it was uncertain if it would accomplish tangible
results or merely be yet another government think tank that published reports but
had little practical impact on daily activities. Fortunately for the software industry,
the methods developed by SEI had a pragmatic basis, and those corporations who
ascended the CMM and CMMI levels from 1 to above Level 3 also tended to im-
prove quality and productivity.
More than 30,000 people have been trained as SEI assessors, and they work
globally. The SEI research personnel have published more than 50 books through
Addison-Wesley, with many of them containing valuable contributions.
SEI now has international affiliates and has just created a commercial subsi-
diary that will expand the core concepts to a broader range of industries than de-
fense. Other sources of nongovernmental funding will occur as well.
Overall, SEI has benefited the software community and has been a prime ex-
ample of a well-run government-funded research establishment that has achieved
practical results.
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