How to implement CMM effectively in software enterprises

Software project management is a project management for software development, it has both the commonness of project management and its particularity. Its particularity mainly manifests in the software project development process and the project final product--the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.

It is not long time to develop software project specification management in China, and the managers of software enterprises at all levels have not enough knowledge of software project management. The success of many software projects is mainly due to the individual efforts of the technical master, or by accident, a competent project manager to manage the project, the contingency factor is very large. With the increasingly fierce market competition, the increasingly mature market environment, especially after China's entry into the WTO, domestic software enterprises and foreign software enterprises, and the need to open up foreign markets, software project management is becoming more and more serious problems, software project management is becoming more and more important.

To this end, many enterprises have introduced the world's better recognized software industry standard CMM (software Capability Maturity Model software Capability maturity models), hope that through the implementation of CMM to improve the company's software project management level.

However, due to the lack of understanding of software project management, people's expectations of CMM are also very large, the implementation of the CMM is generally the following misunderstandings:

1. CMM can quickly improve the quality of software products in enterprises;

2. CMM can solve all the problems in the software development process;

3. Under market pressure to get a CMM evaluation certificate, without considering the real role of the CMM;

4. The technology level is more important than the management level, when the technical standard increases, then considers the implementation CMM

5 .....

When you hold the above ideas to implement the CMM, the effect can be imagined. And when some companies realize that software project management does not immediately solve their problems, their confidence in the implementation of the CMM begins to falter, and it is possible to embark on a formalized cycle of death.

So what is the CMM?

From the content point of view, CMM standard is divided into 5 levels, each level by some key process domain (KPA), that is, the management of the CMM is based on the process of management. Each KPA has a target (GOAL) requirements, to pass the CMM at a certain level of assessment, must meet all kpa at this level all the target requirements, as well as the level of the following levels of all KPA target requirements. If the CMM level three, to meet the requirements of CMM L3, but also to meet the requirements of CMM L2.

For how to achieve the goal requirements, the CMM standard also stipulates the following five aspects:

1. Implementation of the Agreement: the implementation of KPA's policy requirements and senior management commitment and support;

2. Implementation capacity: prerequisites for implementation, including requirements for organizational structure, resources, training, etc.;

3. Activities performed: Roles and procedures necessary to achieve a KPA requirement. Includes planning, working, tracking, and taking corrective action where necessary;

4. Measurement and Analysis: Data collection indicates the state of the process, preventing the occurrence of problems.

5. Implementation validation: Ensure the implementation of established processes. Includes level three validation, i.e. senior managers, supervisors, and project managers, SQA to validate the implementation of process-related activities.

In short, the CMM sets out the goals to be achieved, implements the required conditions (conventions, capabilities), the work that needs to be done (process activity, measurement, and validation). and concrete how to achieve, then must according to the company actual, can eight Immortals crossing, recount. Just as, standardized management does not constrain the creativity of developers, but to make the developer's creativity on the correct and clear track, get more full, more effective play, the real purpose of the implementation of CMM is to make the company's software project management potential, in reference to successful enterprise experience, combined with the actual company, get the full show, So as to ensure the software development process and the quality of software products.

The implementation of CMM, which is equivalent to introducing a new software project management method in the enterprise, is a change of software project management. Its success depends on the endorsement, support and cooperation of most of the members of the organization, especially the managers at all levels. Therefore, before the implementation of CMM, the company should be fully aware of the resistance to change and prepared.

The first and foremost is the correct understanding of CMM. As described earlier, the real role of CMM promotion has not been fully confirmed since it started in China. Therefore, excessive, excessive expectations, or suspicion, resistance to the mood, widespread. Because the CMM implementation is a long-term management work, can not be accomplished in one go, so the former will also hinder the real implementation of CMM. Because, when they realize that the CMM is not omnipotent and cannot meet their high and excessive expectations, they will in turn negate the significance and role of the CMM, turning from the initially enthusiastic proponent to the resolute opponent. Therefore, the correct understanding of CMM is to achieve the consensus before the implementation of CMM.

The solution to the correct understanding of CMM can be achieved through rational and step-by-step promotional and training activities. Why should we emphasize reason? The correct understanding is to have a correct attitude. When a person's emotions are too agitated, they cannot think calmly and rationally. Emotional effects can react faster, but not for long. Conversely, a sensible, dispassionate view of acceptance can be maintained over a longer period of time. CMM implementation is a long-term work, can not rely on a momentary impulse, the need for sustained, stable driving force. So training and advocacy should be considered in a coherent, reasoning way. Training and publicity work is not a step in place, there is a gradual in-depth understanding of the CMM standards process. and gradual publicity and training, like the deepening memory, has played an enhanced role in helping people to understand the CMM in-depth and lasting, will not easily change.

Secondly, it is the antithesis and unification of management and technology. CMM is a standard of software project management, whether the software project is successful or not, the technical factor is the key. Technology has a direct impact on the way of software project management, which plays a restrictive role in management. In turn, successful software project management can guarantee the progress of technology, consolidate the achievements of technology improvement, and make the accumulation and promotion of technology develop effectively along the normal track. Technological advances without management are also unsustainable.

At present, the vast majority of enterprise project managers are technical origins, the so-called "technical and gifted". The phenomenon of heavy technology and light management is widespread. And the effect of technology on the quality of the project, but also to the project manager of the software project management of the slow and lasting protection of the quality of the project is skeptical, or to focus on immediate interests, regardless of long-term interests of the mentality.

Here, I would like to add that, why the CMM standard 2 level only management content, and to level 3 only to introduce the concept of software engineering, technology management. CMM Standard Level 5, is like a step, each rise level, the representative software process ability Mature, the software project management level enhancement. The steps below are the basis for walking up. CMM2 is mainly concerned with the management of requirements (note: Management, not requirements analysis), Project planning, project tracking and supervision, software configuration management and software quality assurance. Here, there is no technical content in it. Why, then? Because only the establishment of the management mechanism, technological progress can be guaranteed, only the basis of management, can realize the accumulation and promotion of technology.

Project manager is the backbone of CMM implementation, and the improvement of Project manager's management consciousness is the key to the success of CMM. Therefore, enterprises should establish effective guidance and incentive mechanism, strengthen the management knowledge of project managers and the training of their application, and gradually set up effective project manager selection and training system.

Since it is a change, there must be new ideas and new concepts introduced. The importance of the correct understanding of CMM to eliminate the resistance to change and to effectively implement the CMM is discussed earlier. This is at a higher level of the CMM after the realization of the abstract, it played a role of unity. In the specific implementation process, the CMM standards will encounter a variety of new nouns (in fact, new concepts, the introduction of new management ideas), including the composition of the CMM structure. The understanding of concept is an important part of CMM standard understanding, and the concept cannot understand the standard requirement well. How to embody and implement these ideas in operation is to be overcome in the process of our implementation. If this problem is not handled well, it can be frustrating and may lead to a gradual loss of confidence in the implementation of the CMM.

It is believed that as long as the SEPG members (SEPG: The software engineering process group software Engineering process groups, the team responsible for CMM implementation, the main work of the organization process development, Maintain and improve organizational work) understand the CMM standard requirements (including understanding the various concepts in the CMM standard). Other people, including managers at all levels, project managers, and developers do not need to understand these requirements and concepts, just tell them how to do it. I have a negative attitude towards this statement. If you do not understand the requirements of CMM standards, do not understand the true meaning of various concepts, only know it, but do not know why, the implementation of the CMM standards in the specific work of the real implementation. Just like telling you how to go without telling you where to go, how would you handle the unexpected? What if what is said is not workable? How do you reach your destination effectively according to the actual situation?

In some industries, this "only tells you how to do it, doesn't tell you why you do it," is effective, but it's definitely not a good way to use software companies. Why? Because of human differences. We have to take different incentives according to different people. Because the CMM implementation itself is to guide and motivate the enterprise all developers of the sustained support and participation, so in accordance with the value of the developers themselves and their pursuit of the corresponding CMM implementation measures. The overall quality of the developers is relatively high, engaged in a strong creative software development work, relatively strong autonomy. It is very helpful for them to understand the standard requirements and to understand the concepts and to motivate them to implement the CMM effectively.

On the other hand, the core management idea and process improvement of CMM standard can only be realized in the process of active participation on the basis of understanding the standard requirement by all the implementing people. SEPG the initial process file may be the best, the ideal, but it is absolutely impossible to be the most applicable, most feasible, most operable. This requires that all levels of the implementation of the process based on the use of the file definition, combined with standard requirements for process improvement, so as to find compliance with the standard requirements of the company's software management methods.

Therefore, it is very important to train people at all levels to understand the CMM standards. Training can be divided into different levels, a layer by step from abstract to concrete. Training methods can also be lectures, seminars, case studies, discussion groups, the actual operation of the guidance in different ways.

In a word, the key to effectively implement CMM lies in fully understanding the requirements of CMM standards, combining with the actual development of enterprise software project, find out the software project management method suitable for this enterprise. The implementation of CMM standards is to solve the problems existing in the process of enterprise software project development, and to realize the continuous improvement of software development process. Enterprises should be fully aware of the implementation and implementation of the process may encounter difficulties and resistance, and in accordance with the actual enterprise, take effective measures. Only in this way can the implementation of CMM truly become an effective means for enterprises to improve the level of software project management, ensure the quality of software products, and improve the competitiveness of enterprises ' market.

Introduction: Sun Yun, for a software enterprise EPG leader (EPG Leader), responsible for the company process improvement work, including the CMM evaluation of the whole process of work, as a member of the Assessment Team (ATM) to participate in CMM evaluation.