The CMM framework
The CMM framework provides a structured approach for assessing and improving the maturity and capability of an organization’s processes. It was developed in 1986 based on a study of data collected from organizations working with the US Department of Defense.
The term maturity refers to the level of formality and optimization of processes, including ad hoc practices, formally defined steps, managed result metrics, and active optimization of these processes. While the CMM was originally developed to improve and objectively assess the ability of government contractors’ software development processes, it can also be applied to other processes. Later, in 2006, the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University enhanced the CMM and developed the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), which has largely replaced the CMM and addresses its limitations.
The following diagram depicts the five levels of the CMM:
