Experience Report: Using Internal CMMI Appraisals to Institutionalize Software Development Performance Improvement

Critical to any successful performance improvement initiative is to achieve a state of continuous or institutionalized improvement. Some improvement can happen quickly, but long-term improvement is typically a matter of sustaining focus. This requires an infrastructure that keeps activities focused and drives them forward. In ABB, the IDEAL^SM model is used as a guide for setting up improvement activities in development centers. Central to the IDEAL^SM model is the diagnostic activity, i.e. the evaluation of current performance in the unit against a suitable reference model. Over the last eight years, ABB has used diagnostics in the form of internal CMM/CMMI appraisals to lay the foundation for improvement activities. In this experience report, the use of internal appraisals as a means for sustaining improvement focus will be discussed. Experiences and lessons learnt, as well as some of the specifics of ABB ´s internal appraisals will be presented