At maturity level 5, an organization continually improves its processes based on a quantitative understanding of the common causes of variation inherent in processes. (See the definition of “common cause of process variation” in the glossary.)

Maturity level 5 focuses on continually improving process performance through incremental and innovative process and technology improvements that enhance the acquirer’s and its suppliers’ ability to meet the acquirer’s quality and process-performance objectives.

Quantitative process improvement objectives for the organization are established, continually revised to reflect changing business objectives, and used as criteria in managing process improvement. The effects of deployed process improvements are measured and compared to quantitative process improvement objectives. Both the defined processes and the organization’s set of standard processes are targets of measurable improvement activities.

The acquirer typically achieves its quality and performance objectives through coordination with its suppliers. The acquirer typically focuses on capability differentiation and collaborative supplier management. Achievement of these objectives also depends on being able to effectively evaluate and deploy proposed improvements to processes and technologies. For best results, members of the acquirer-supplier network participate in the acquirer’s process- and technology-improvement activities. Process improvement proposals are systematically gathered and addressed.

A critical distinction between maturity levels 4 and 5 is the type of process variation addressed. At maturity level 4, the organization is concerned with addressing special causes of process variation and providing statistical predictability of results. Although processes may produce predictable results, the results may be insufficient to achieve established objectives. At maturity level 5, the organization is concerned with addressing common causes of process variation and changing the process (to shift the mean of the process performance or reduce the inherent process variation experienced) to improve process performance and to achieve established quantitative process improvement objectives.