How to Start With the CMMI

If a private software company wants to do get a certificate of quality for CMMI Level 2, what must this company do in order to obtain Level 2? And also what are the steps that must be followed from the start (initial) to achieve CMMI Level 2 (Managed)?

First let me state that there is no certification of any type for the CMMI. Individual Lead Appraisers will issue something looks like a certificate to the organization that was appraised indicating the SCAMPI A results. But this is not a certification. The only things that the SEI certifies are the CMMI instructors and Lead Appraisers.

Here are the necessary steps for achieving Maturity Level 2 for the CMMI-DEV. These steps are not necessarily sequential, some can occur concurrently.

1. Hire an SEI-certified Lead Appraiser to conduct a Gap Analysis of the company to determine the current process strengths and weaknesses and help the company construct a Process Improvement Plan (PIP).
2. Obtain executive management sponsorship for the process improvement effort.
3. Train the people responsible for the company’s processes and for addressing the action items in the PIP on the 3-day SEI Introduction to CMMI v1.2 class.
4. Address the issues from the Gap Analysis, document the necessary processes and procedures, and begin conducting the PPQA process and work product audits.
5. Allow time for the new and/or modified processes to get some use on various projects.
6. Conduct a SCAMPI B appraisal as a dress rehearsal for the SCAMPI A. Identify any issues and weaknesses that are potential risks to achieving Maturity Level 2.
7. Create a new PIP to address the SCAMPI B identified weaknesses and risks.
8. Address these issues
9. Conduct the Maturity Level 2 SCAMPI A appraisal.

Does the SEI issue any certificates?

Does the SEI issue any kind of certificate to the organization who achieves a Maturity Level in a SCAMPI A? Please share any information about it.

The SEI does not issue certificates or certifications. The closest they come is certifying the High Maturity Lead Appraisers.

Since most organizations want to receive some sort of certificate documenting the results of a SCAMPI A appraisal, Lead Appraisers will present something that looks like a certificate to the company indicating the organization being appraised, the date the SCAMPI A concluded, and the appraisal team’s results (Maturity or Capability Level), with the caveat that the results are contingent upon the results of the SEI’s Quality Assurance audit. But nowhere on this form will it indicate certificate. This "certificate" is the unofficial document of the resulting Maturity or Capability Level.

The Appraisal Disclosure Statement is the only valid document of the appraisal results, and if approved for posting by the Appraisal Sponsor and if it passes the SEI’s QA audit, then this is the document that is posted on the SEI’s Appraisal Results web site http://sas.sei.cmu.edu/pars/pars.aspx. And keep in mind, these results are only valid for three years from the date the SCAMPI A concluded.