CMM Implementation Guide: Choreographing Software Process Improvement (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

As a member of the merged company's Software Engineering Process Group, Caputo's job was to bring these groups's disparate development practices into line with those prescribed by the SEI's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) (see The Capability Maturity Model: Guidelines for Improving the Software Process by the Software Engineering Institute, Addison-Wesley, 1994, ISBN 0-201-54664-7). Unsurprisingly, this turned out to be more difficult than anyone had expected. Caputo has therefore done our profession a service by writing CMM Implementation Guide, a book about how to get programmers--and the organizations they work in--to make the changes that the CMM requires.

The book is relatively light on its description of the CMM itself (although the diagrams on pages 36-40 are the clearest summary of the CMM I've ever encountered). Instead, Caputo's book has chapters on such things as how to lift the spirits of developers who are feeling frustrated or bewildered as their world changes, and how to adapt the general specifications of the CMM to particular company cultures. Throughout, Caputo uses choreography as a metaphor, drawing analogies between (for example) the different ways dancers learn a new step, and the different ways in which programmers can go about adopting a new design methodology...Read more from this review. --Gregory V. Wilson, Dr. Dobb's Journal -- Dr. Dobb's Journal

I found the Guide to be good reading, and expect that it will be very useful to SEPG members. The dance metaphor works nicely and provides a good, contrasting perspective from which to view these issues. Although there's lots about the CMM in the book, the issues are more related to introducing, sponsoring, and managing change for process improvement: the issues and the concepts you've presented are similar whether the change is based on the CMM or on something else. So, I think it will be useful to SEPG'ers who need to understand the issues, and that there are ways to tackle the issues. -- Mac Patrick President and Chief Consultant Process Advantage Technology andVisiting Scientist Software Engineering Institute Carnegie Mellon Univ.

People will see themselves in this book -- whether they admit it or not. Process improvement is a human issue where we all carry our backpack of barriers. This is a guidebook that provides roadmaps for practical change in the real world. -- George Yamamura The Boeing Company "SEI CMM Level 5: For the Right Reasons"

While the CMM focus on goals and generality makes it widely applicable, this leaves the application problems largely in the hands of the users. Kim Caputo's book provides a pragmatic guideline for how to address the CMM in an organizational context. The many examples and frequent war stories make for enjoyable reading and provide practical insight into the problems and challenges ahead. -- Watts S. Humphrey

Product Description

"While the CMM focus on goals and generality makes it widely applicable, this leaves the application problems largely in the hands of the users. Kim Caputo's book provides a pragmatic guideline for how to address the CMM in an organizational context. The many examples and frequent war stories make for enjoyable reading and provide practical insight into the problems and challenges ahead." -Watts S. Humphrey

The Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) has been widely adopted by companies seeking enhanced quality and heightened productivity in software development. The CMM enables managers to measure their organization's capabilities against a recognized standard and to determine their relative level of software process maturity.

This unique book offers step-by-step instruction on how to put the CMM into practice and how to conduct software process improvement within your own organization. Drawing on her first-hand experience leading process improvement groups in a large corporation, the author provides sound advice on how to get started, points out the problems that are likely to be encountered, and offers workable solutions that have been proven effective in CMM implementation. This book is precisely the guide she would have welcomed when first performing this critical task.

The accompanying CD-ROM contains a range of templates, sample documents, and presentation materials that will facilitate the work of both new and experienced software process professionals.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (April 24, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201379384
• ISBN-13: 978-0201379389
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,205,544 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good SEI CMM-styled SEPG strategic and tactical guidance, August 1, 1998

By	David F. Rico ([e-mail]) (the Washington D.C. area) - See all my reviews

This book contains good strategic guidance for Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Capability Maturity Model (CMM)-styled Software Engineering Process Groups (SEPGs), on how to conduct the challenging and ever elusive endeavor of software process improvement (SPI). This book obviously draws from the author's extensive personal background and experience managing and performing SPI. Additionally, this book also contains tactical level guidance for pursuing the fulfillment of the SEI's CMM Level 2 Key Process Areas (KPAs), which is greatly in demand. The author consciously, deliberately, and most thoughtfully targeted the needs of the majority of organizations that undertake SEI CMM-styled SPI. I won't hesitate to recommend this book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat fluffy book with interesting appendices, October 1, 1998

By A Customer

I read this book wanting to learn more about how to implement CMM practices (at all levels) in an organization I was joining. I was disappointed. The book is divided into two parts - 8 chapters of descriptive text, and then a slew of appendices.

The descriptive text was very high-concept pop psychology type of stuff. I really did not need to be reminded that different people learn and adopt things at different rates. Anyone who has dealt with people and change should know this. In addition the constant analogy of a dancer learning new dance steps was at times lame and forced. Right up front, the author demolishes the analogy by stating that dancers get to practice their steps before performing, but software engineers start right out with the performance.

On the positive side, the appendices in the back contain useful worksheets, presentations, and ideas that can be used by practically any organization.

I wish the author had spend less time on the pop psychology aspects, and provided more examples and checklists. Then it would have been a 5 star book for sure.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great CPI/CMM "Jumpstarter"!!!!!, August 5, 1998

By A Customer

This book beats anything by others on adopting the CMM. Others take the "overkill" approach of orienting one with massive technically oriented information (which is sometimes akin to "sinking sampans with nukes versus 500 hundred pounders with fuse extenders"). This book is a breath of fresh air in getting introduced to how to implement/adopt technology such as the CMM. I say this book beats anything by others because there is no "techno-babble" to deal with. Ms. Caputo's use of dance choreography is pertinent as it emphasized to me that the typical technology adoption approach of Level 1 organizations of MBSAUYBII (management by stumbling around until you bump into it) is truly "chaotic". What we are really trying to achieve as we go from level to level is a fluid, organized approach that will truly support a smooth transition to a new corporate software engineering paradigm. An added bonus is the included CD which helps o! ne jumpstart the management briefings which are critical to initiating a continuous process improvement (CPI) program. The low price tag saved me thousands of dollars in establishing and initiating my CPI program.