The criteria that a product or product component must satisfy to be accepted by a user, customer, or other authorized entity.

Formal testing conducted to enable a user, customer, or other authorized entity to determine whether to accept a product or product component. (See also "unit testing.")

In the continuous representation, a list of process areas and their corresponding capability levels that represent the organization's progress for each process area while advancing through the capability levels. (See also "capability level profile," "target profile," and "target staging.")

The process of obtaining products (goods and services) through contract.

The specific approach to acquiring products and services that is based on considerations of supply sources, acquisition methods, requirements specification types, contract or agreement types, and the related acquisition risk.

In the CMMI Product Suite, a clearly marked model component that contains information of interest to particular users. In a CMMI model, all additions bearing the same name (e.g., the IPPD addition) may be optionally selected as a group for use.

This word is used so that you can interpret goals and practices in light of your organization's business objectives. When using any CMMI model, you must interpret the practices so that they work for your organization. This term is used in goals and practices where certain activities may not be done all of the time. (See also "appropriate" and "as needed.")

Requirement that levies all or part of the performance and functionality of a higher level requirement on a lower level architectural element or design component.

A practice that is a substitute for one or more generic or specific practices contained in CMMI models that achieves an equivalent effect toward satisfying the generic or specific goal associated with model practices. Alternative practices are not necessarily one-for-one replacements for the generic or specific practices.

Amplifications are informative model components that contain information relevant to a particular discipline. For example, to find an amplification for software engineering, you would look in the model for items labeled "For Software Engineering." The same is true for other disciplines.

application program interface

In the CMMI Product Suite, an examination of one or more processes by a trained team of professionals using an appraisal reference model as the basis for determining, at a minimum, strengths and weaknesses. (See also "assessment" and "capability evaluation.")

The results of an appraisal that identify the most important issues, problems, or opportunities for process improvement within the appraisal scope. Appraisal findings are inferences drawn from corroborated objective evidence.

Members of the organizational unit who participate in providing information during the appraisal.

As used in CMMI appraisal materials, the value assigned by an appraisal team to (a) a CMMI goal or process area, (b) the capability level of a process area, or (c) the maturity level of an organizational unit. The rating is determined by enacting the defined rating process for the appraisal method being employed.

As used in CMMI appraisal materials, the CMMI model to which an appraisal team correlates implemented process activities.

The definition of the boundaries of the appraisal encompassing the organizational limits and the CMMI model limits within which the processes to be investigated operate.

This word is used so that you can interpret goals and practices in light of your organization's business objectives. When using any CMMI model, you must interpret the practices so that they work for your organization. This term is used in goals and practices where certain activities may not be done all of the time. (See also "adequate" and "as needed.")

Appraisal Requirements for CMMI

This phrase is used so that you can interpret goals and practices in light of your organization's business objectives. When using any CMMI model, you must interpret the practices so that they work for your organization. This term is used in goals and practices where certain activities may not be done all the time. (See also "adequate" and "appropriate.")

In the CMMI Product Suite, an appraisal that an organization does internally for the purposes of process improvement. The word assessment is also used in the CMMI Product Suite in an everyday English sense (e.g., risk assessment). (See also "appraisal" and "capability evaluation.")

In CMMI, the term special cause of process variation is used in place of assignable cause of process variation to ensure consistency. The two terms are defined identically. (See "special cause of process variation.")

In CMMI process improvement work, an objective examination of a work product or set of work products against specific criteria (e.g., requirements).