How to map FDD activities with CMMI goals and features

Hi to everyone, Do you think is possible to obtain a CMM level 2 or level 3 using the FDD methodologies?

I really want to know if it's possible or not, because a lot of people says that the agile methodologies are against CMM but I disagree because CMM sais WHAT DO YO HAVE TO DO, but doesn't sais HOW YOU MUST DO IT. Do you think that is possible to obtain CMM with FDD?, if it's possible how can I do it, where can I find information about this? or do you think that's better to forget the idea of CMM?

thank's a lot

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Jeff De Luca's picture

No - but it really depends

I've made no linkage from FDD across to CMM and I have no intention to do so. I believe DSDM is the only Agile method that has made this linkage.

Jeff

Mapping to KPAs

I think your question is a little bit off base. The CMM/CMMI is a model for measuring process maturity. I believe that many KPAs (Key Process Areas) are addressed by FDD. The question could be, if your organization is to undergo CMM assessment, which elements of your use of FDD could be used to demonstrate process maturity in the various KPAs?

It is important to remember that the CMM assesses the organization's use of a methodology, not a methodology itself. Here is my basic assessment of which areas of the CMM are addressed by FDD.

Level 2 KPAs:
Software CM- addressed by FDD
Software QA- addressed
Software subcontract managemnent- not addressed
Software project management and oversight- addressed
Software project planning- addressed
Requirements management- addressed

Level 3 KPAs:
Peer reviews- addressed
Intergroup coordination- partially addressed
Software product engineering- addressed
Integrated software management- addressed
Training program- not addressed
Software process definition- addressed
Software process focus- addressed

Level 4 KPAs:
Software quality management- partially addressed
Quantitative process management- addressed

Level 5 KPAs:
Process change management- not addressed
Technology change management- not addressed
Defect prevention- partially addressed

In summary, it can be used to meet many of the KPAs, but some of the higher level KPAs are focused on building self-optimizing processes and organziations where the method and the organization itself are optimized. This would require being able to modify and adapt FDD based on the process improvement model that CMM specifies. If you are merely following diagrams from a book, this will not meet the assessment criteria. However, using a method such as FDD would give one a huge head start towards certification over an organization that attempts to synthesize or create a method from its collective experience.

We are about to go for CMMI certification

Hi Kardu,

I have signed my company up for CMMI certification, so I am about to go through this process shortly.

I will post the results of mapping our use of FDD within CMMI here.

Regards,

Grant

What about the outcomes from the FDD & CMMI project???

Do you have any more details about FDD and CMMI?
I am writing and article about this and I think I could include your experience.
thanks in advance,

Daniel Teleginski Camargo

heptaman's picture

FDD and CMMI 1.2

The following is a list of CMMI 1.2 PA's where FDD helps the most:

Level 2: REQM, PP, PMC, MA, PPQA, CM
Level 3: RD, TS, PI, VER, VAL, IPM, RSKM
Level 4: QPM

In my experience, using FDD at advanced levels and complementing it with other techniques (like TOC-Theory of Constraints in general, and CCPM-Critical Chain Project Management in particular), I'm sure an organization can cover at least 20 out of the 22 PA's of CMMI 1.2, specially at Level 5, and without having to wait some 3-4 years to do that! :)

Of course, to understand the individual contributions to each PA, one has to go through the CMMI goals and practices for each one, which is way beyond the scope of this post... ;)

Cheers,

Adail Muniz Retamal
www.heptagon.com.br