CIMM

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see CIMM (disambiguation).

CIMM is a parody acronym, a semi-serious effort to provide a contrast to CMM, otherwise known as the Capability Maturity Model. CMM is a five point scale of software engineering capability in an organization, ranging from random processes at level 1 to fully defined, managed and optimized processes at level 5. The ability of an organization to carry out its mission on time and within budget is claimed to improve as the CMM level increases.

In contrast, CIMM, or the Capability Im-Maturity Model asserts that organizations can and do occupy levels below CMM level 1. An original article by Capt. Tom Schorsch USAF as part of a graduate project provides the definitions for CIMM. He cites Prof. Anthony Finkelstein's ACM paper[1] as an inspiration. The article is instructive because it describes many situations that actually arise in dysfunctional organizations, and readers are often left wondering if their own organizations deserve even the default CMM level 1. Anecdotes in the industry tell of organizations, against common sense, celebrating certification at level 1. Even CMM level 2 (the organization knows what it does and can repeat it) commonly gets a higher level of exaltation than it deserves.

1 The CIMM levels
2 References
3 External links

[edit] The CIMM levels

[edit] 0 : Negligent

The organization pays lip service, often with excessive fanfare, to implementing software engineering processes, but lacks the will to carry through the necessary effort. Whereas CMM level 1 assumes eventual success in producing software, CIMM level 0 organizations generally fail to produce any product, or do so by abandoning regular procedures in favor of crash programs.

[edit] -1 : Obstructive

Processes, however inappropriate and ineffective, are implemented with rigor and tend to obstruct work. Adherence to process is the measure of success in a Level -1 organization. Any actual creation of viable product is incidental. The quality of any product is not assessed, presumably on the assumption that if the proper process was followed, high quality is guaranteed.

Paradoxically, Level -1 organizations believe fervently in following defined procedures, but lacking the will to measure the effectiveness of the procedures they rarely succeed at their basic task of creating software.

[edit] -2 : Contemptuous

While processes exist, they are routinely ignored by engineering staff and those charged with overseeing the processes are regarded with hostility. Measurements are fudged to make the organization look good.

[edit] -3 : Undermining

Not content with faking their own performance, undermining organizations routinely work to downplay and sabotage the efforts of rival organizations, especially those successfully implementing processes common to CMM level 2 and higher. This is worst where company policy causes departments to compete for scarce resources, which are allocated to the loudest advocates.