Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model
Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement
Systems Engineering Capability Model
Software Engineering Institute
In the CMMI Product Suite, a management role at a high enough level in an organization that the primary focus of the person filling the role is the long-term vitality of the organization rather than short-term project concerns and pressures. A senior manager has authority to direct the allocation or reallocation of resources in support of organizational process improvement effectiveness. (See also "higher level management.")
A senior manager can be any manager who satisfies this description, including the head of the organization. Synonyms for senior manager include executive and top-level manager. However, to ensure consistency and usability, these synonyms are not used in CMMI models.
In the CMMI Product Suite, a service is a product that is intangible and non-storable. (See also "product," "customer," and "work product.")
Current performance related to an agreed-on service level measure. (See also "measure" and "service.")
Written agreement that documents agreed-on performance targets for agreed-on service level measures. (See also "measure" and "service.")
Measure of service performance that can be used as a target for acceptable results or behavior. (See also "measure" and "service.")
A common understanding of guiding principles, including mission, objectives, expected behavior, values, and final outcomes, which are developed and used by a project.
(1) The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software. (2) The study of approaches as in (1). (See also "hardware engineering," and "systems engineering.")
The process of preparing a package to be used in selecting a supplier. (See also "solicitation package.")
A collection of formal documents that includes a description of the desired form of response from a potential supplier, the relevant statement of work for the supplier, and required provisions in the supplier agreement.
A cause of a defect that is specific to some transient circumstance and is not an inherent part of a process. (See also "common cause of process variation.")
A required model component that describes the unique characteristics that must be present to satisfy the process area. (See also "capability level," "generic goal," "organization's business objectives," and "process area.")
An expected model component that is considered important in achieving the associated specific goal. The specific practices describe the activities expected to result in achievement of the specific goals of a process area. (See also "process area" and "specific goal.")
schedule performance index
Solicitation and Supplier Agreement Development (process area)
The state in which all special causes of process variation have been removed and prevented from recurring so that only common causes of process variation of the process remain. (See also "capable process," "common cause of process variation," "special cause of process variation," "standard process," and "statistically managed process.")
A model structure wherein attaining the goals of a set of process areas establishes a maturity level; each level builds a foundation for subsequent levels. (See also "maturity level" and "process area.")
In the CMMI Product Suite, a group or individual that is affected by or is in some way accountable for the outcome of an undertaking. Stakeholders may include project members, suppliers, customers, end users, and others. (See also "customer" and "relevant stakeholder.")
Formal requirements developed and used to prescribe consistent approaches to development (e.g., ISO/IEC standards, IEEE standards, and organizational standards).
Instead of using standard as an adjective in its common everyday sense, we use another term that means the same thing (e.g., typical, traditional, usual, or customary).
An operational definition of the basic process that guides the establishment of a common process in an organization.
A standard process describes the fundamental process elements that are expected to be incorporated into any defined process. It also describes relationships (e.g., ordering and interfaces) among these process elements. (See also "defined process.")
A description of work to be performed.
The performance of a quantitative process that is controlled using statistical and other quantitative techniques.
Statistically based analysis of a process and measures of process performance, which identify common and special causes of variation in process performance and maintain process performance within limits. (See also "common cause of process variation," "special cause of process variation," and "statistically managed process.")
An analytic technique that employs statistical methods (e.g., statistical process control, confidence intervals, and prediction intervals).
A process that is managed by a statistically based technique in which processes are analyzed, special causes of process variation are identified, and performance is contained within well-defined limits. (See also "capable process," "special cause of process variation," "stable process," "standard process," and "statistical process control.")
An informative model component that provides guidance for interpreting and implementing specific or generic practices. Subpractices may be worded as if prescriptive, but they are actually meant only to provide ideas that may be useful for process improvement.
A process that is part of a larger process. A subprocess can be decomposed into subprocesses and/or process elements. (See also "process," "process description," and "process element.")
(1) An entity delivering products or performing services being acquired. (2) An individual, partnership, company, corporation, association, or other service having an agreement with an acquirer for the design, development, manufacture, maintenance, modification, or supply of items under the terms of an agreement. (See also "acquirer.")
A documented agreement between the acquirer and supplier (e.g., contract, license, or memorandum of agreement).
The processes used to ensure that a product or service remains operational.
Capability Maturity Model for Software or Software Capability Maturity Model
A set or arrangement of systems that results when independent and useful systems are integrated into a large system that delivers unique capabilities.
The interdisciplinary approach governing the total technical and managerial effort required to transform a set of customer needs, expectations, and constraints into a solution and to support that solution throughout its life. (See also "hardware engineering" and "software engineering.")
This approach includes the definition of technical performance measures, the integration of engineering specialties toward the establishment of an architecture, and the definition of supporting lifecycle processes that balance cost, performance, and schedule objectives.
CMMI-ACQ 1.2
