Process area (CMMI)


The Capability Maturity Model Integration defines a process area as, "a cluster of related practices in an area that, when implemented collectively, satisfies a set of goals considered important for making improvement in that area." Both CMMI for Development v1.3 and CMMI for Acquisition v1.3 identify 22 process areas, whereas CMMI for Services v1.3 identifies 24 process areas. Many of the process areas are the same in these three models.

Process Area Organization

In CMMI models, the process areas are organized in alphabetical order according to their acronym. However, process areas can be grouped according to maturity levels or process area categories.

Maturity Levels: CMMI for Development

There are Five maturity levels. However, maturity level ratings are awarded for levels 2 through 5. The process areas below and their maturity levels are listed for the CMMI for Development model:
Maturity Level 2 - Managed
Maturity Level 3 - Defined
Maturity Level 4 - Quantitatively Managed
Maturity Level 5 - Optimizing
The process areas below and their maturity levels are listed for the CMMI for Services model:
Maturity Level 2 - Managed
  • CM - Configuration Management
  • MA - Measurement and Analysis
  • PPQA - Process and Product Quality Assurance
  • REQM - Requirements Management
  • SAM - Supplier Agreement Management
  • SD - Service Delivery
  • WMC - Work Monitoring and Control
  • WP - Work Planning
Maturity Level 3 - Defined
  • CAM - Capacity and Availability Management
  • DAR - Decision Analysis and Resolution
  • IRP - Incident Resolution and Prevention
  • IWM - Integrated Work Management
  • OPD - Organizational Process Definition
  • OPF - Organizational Process Focus
  • OT - Organizational Training
  • RSKM - Risk Management
  • SCON - Service Continuity
  • SSD - Service System Development
  • SST - Service System Transition
  • STSM - Strategic Service Management
Maturity Level 4 - Quantitatively Managed
  • OPP - Organizational Process Performance
  • QPM - Quantitative Work Management
Maturity Level 5 - Optimizing
  • CAR - Causal Analysis and Resolution
  • OPM - Organizational Performance Management

    Maturity Levels: CMMI for Acquisition

The process areas below and their maturity levels are listed for the CMMI for Acquisition model:
Maturity Level 2 - Managed
  • AM - Agreement Management
  • ARD - Acquisition Requirements Development
  • CM - Configuration Management
  • MA - Measurement and Analysis
  • PMC - Project Monitoring and Control
  • PP - Project Planning
  • PPQA - Process and Product Quality Assurance
  • REQM - Requirements Management
  • SSAD - Solicitation and Supplier Agreement Development
Maturity Level 3 - Defined
  • ATM - Acquisition Technical Management
  • AVAL - Acquisition Validation
  • AVER - Acquisition Verification
  • DAR - Decision Analysis and Resolution
  • IPM - Integrated Project Management
  • OPD - Organizational Process Definition
  • OPF - Organizational Process Focus
  • OT - Organizational Training
  • RSKM - Risk Management.
Maturity Level 4 - Quantitatively Managed
  • OPP - Organizational Process Performance
  • QPM - Quantitative Project Management
Maturity Level 5 - Optimizing
  • CAR - Casual Analysis and Resolution
  • OPM - Organization Performance Management

    Goals and Practices

There are two categories of goals and practices: generic and specific. Specific goals and practices are specific to a process area. Generic goals and practices are a part of every process area. A process area is satisfied when organizational processes cover all of the generic and specific goals and practices for that process area.

Generic Goals and Practices

Generic goals and practices are a part of every process area.
  • GG 1 Achieve Specific Goals
  • * GP 1.1 Perform Specific Practices
  • GG 2 Institutionalize a Managed Process
  • * GP 2.1 Establish an Organizational Policy
  • * GP 2.2 Plan the Process
  • * GP 2.3 Provide Resources
  • * GP 2.4 Assign Responsibility
  • * GP 2.5 Train People
  • * GP 2.6 Control Work Products
  • * GP 2.7 Identify and Involve Relevant Stakeholders
  • * GP 2.8 Monitor and Control the Process
  • * GP 2.9 Objectively Evaluate Adherence
  • * GP 2.10 Review Status with Higher Level Management
  • GG 3 Institutionalize a Defined Process
  • * GP 3.1 Establish a Defined Process
  • * GP 3.2 Collect Process Related Experiences

    Specific Goals and Practices

Each process area is defined by a set of goals and practices. These goals and practices appear only in that process area.

Process Areas

CMMI for Development, Version 1.2 contains 22 process areas indicating the aspects of product and service development that are to be covered by organizational processes. For a summary of process areas for each model, see these quick reference documents available on the SEI website:
  • CMMI for Acquisition
  • CMMI for Development
  • CMMI for Services

    Agreement Management (AM)

  • A Project Management process area at Maturity Level 2
Purpose
The purpose of Agreement Management is to ensure that the supplier and the acquirer perform according to the terms of the supplier agreement.
Specific Practices by Goal
  • SG 1 Satisfy Supplier Agreements
  • * SP 1.1 Execute the Supplier Agreement
  • * SP 1.2 Monitor Selected Supplier Processes
  • * SP 1.3 Accept the Acquired Product
  • * SP 1.4 Manage Supplier Invoices

    Capacity and Availability Management (CAM)

  • A Support process area at Maturity Level 3
Purpose
The purpose of Capacity and Availability Management is to ensure effective service system performance and
ensure that resources are provided and used effectively to support service requirements.
Specific Practices by Goal
  • SG 1 Prepare for Capacity and Availability Management
  • * SP 1.1 Establish a Capacity and Availability Management Strategy
  • * SP 1.2 Select Measures and Analytic Techniques
  • * SP 1.3 Establish Service System Representations
  • SG 2 Monitor and Analyze Capacity and Availability
  • * SP 2.1 Monitor and Analyze Capacity
  • * SP 2.2 Monitor and Analyze Availability
  • * SP 2.3 Report Capacity and Availability Management Data

    Causal Analysis and Resolution (CAR)

  • A Support process area at Maturity Level 5
Purpose
The purpose of Causal Analysis and Resolution is to identify causes of selected outcomes and take action to improve process performance.
Specific Practices by Goal
  • SG 1 Determine Causes of Selected Outcomes
  • * SP 1.1 Select Outcomes for Analysis
  • * SP 1.2 Analyze Causes
  • SG 2 Address Causes of Selected Outcomes
  • * SP 2.1 Implement Action Proposals
  • * SP 2.2 Evaluate the Effect of Implemented Actions
  • * SP 2.3 Record Causal Analysis Data

    Configuration Management (CM)

  • A Support process area at Maturity Level 2
Purpose
The purpose of Configuration Management is to establish and maintain the integrity of work products using configuration identification, configuration control, configuration status accounting, and configuration audits.
Specific Practices by Goal
  • SG 1 Establish Baselines
  • * SP 1.1 Identify Configuration Items
  • * SP 1.2 Establish a Configuration Management System
  • * SP 1.3 Create or Release Baselines
  • SG 2 Track and Control Changes
  • * SP 2.1 Track Change Requests
  • * SP 2.2 Control Configuration Items
  • SG 3 Establish Integrity
  • * SP 3.1 Establish Configuration Management Records
  • * SP 3.2 Perform Configuration Audits

    Decision Analysis and Resolution (DAR)

  • A Support process area at Maturity Level 3
Purpose
The purpose of Decision Analysis and Resolution is to analyze possible decisions using a formal evaluation process that evaluates identified alternatives against established criteria.
Specific Practices by Goal
  • SG 1 Evaluate Alternatives
  • * SP 1.1 Establish Guidelines for Decision Analysis
  • * SP 1.2 Establish Evaluation Criteria
  • * SP 1.3 Identify Alternative Solutions
  • * SP 1.4 Select Evaluation Methods
  • * SP 1.5 Evaluate Alternative Solutions
  • * SP 1.6 Select Solutions

    Integrated Project Management (IPM)

  • A Project Management process area at Maturity Level 3
Purpose
The purpose of Integrated Project Management is to establish and manage the project and the involvement of relevant stakeholders according to an integrated and defined process that is tailored from the organization's set of standard processes.
Specific Practices by Goal
  • SG 1 Use the Project's Defined Process
  • * SP 1.1 Establish the Project's Defined Process
  • * SP 1.2 Use Organizational Process Assets for Planning Project Activities
  • * SP 1.3 Establish the Project's Work Environment
  • * SP 1.4 Integrate Plans
  • * SP 1.5 Manage the Project Using the Integrated Plans
  • * SP 1.6 Establish Teams
  • * SP 1.7 Contribute to Organizational Process Assets
  • SG 2 Coordinate and Collaborate with Relevant Stakeholders
  • * SP 2.1 Manage Stakeholder Involvement
  • * SP 2.2 Manage Dependencies
  • * SP 2.3 Resolve Coordination Issues