Defining Process and Practice Maturity
,The Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) supersedes the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), which was first introduced by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University in 1987. These models have become the de facto standard for measuring the maturity of any process or steps in a process. There are several models in practice, and with the exception of the PMI Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3), they all have the CMM or CMMI as their conceptual foundation. Most models define five levels of maturity, which are described in this section as they pertain to project management processes and practices.
Level 1: Ad Hoc or Informal
Basically everyone is managing projects their own way. They may be using tools, templates, or processes that they developed, discovered, or borrowed and have been in their toolkits for years. There may be some common practices in the organization, but these are not fully documented or supported — just expected. I have often seen organizations provide a collection of templates as suggestions, not requirements. In effect the “what should be done” is stated, but not the “how to do it.” The PMBOK has many of these characteristics and leaves it to the organization to specify the “how.”
Level 2: Documented Processes
At Level 2 maturity, the tools, templates, and processes for managing projects have been defined and documented. Level 2 is an interesting level of maturity, not so much in terms of what the documentation says, but how it was put in place. Obviously, the motivation for doing the documentation is that the organization expects its project teams to implement the documented processes. It is beyond the scope of this book to talk about how the documentation was created, but let me just say that if you expect someone to use your stuff, you had better give them an opportunity to participate in its development. Producing a process that is fully matured at birth is a sure sign of eventual failure. If you intend to develop your project management process in the back room and then spring it on your project managers, don't expect to have a willing audience. This must be a team effort to have a chance at success.
Level 3: Documented Processes That Everyone Uses
The migration from Level 2 to Level 3 maturity is a big step. At Level 3, documented processes are supported and monitored for compliance. Compliance comes in many forms. It could be rigid enforcement of standards, and that would be unfortunate. In the spirit of this book and the Part II models, compliance should be a demonstration of sound judgment and decision making when it comes to the use of the validated tools, templates, and processes that define the project management processes.
Training and a healthy dose of support must be available if you are to succeed in migrating to Level 3. In addition, consulting and advisory services should be delivered through your PSO. The PSO has to be open to suggestions for improvement from the field and have a formal process in place for receiving and acting upon those suggestions.
Level 4: Integrated into Business Processes
This is best described by saying that project management has a seat at the business decision making and planning table. At Level 4, effective project management is recognized as a critical success factor and a strategic asset to the organization. It is considered to be part of every business process or decision and a contributor to business value.
You would be correct if you conclude that to move from Level 3 to Level 4 maturity is a major step for any organization. Very few have successfully made that transition. It takes a top-down commitment and strong leadership from the corporate-level (C-level) managers. The C-level managers must understand their role in successful project management and embrace it as an integral part of the business process. At the operational level, Level 4 requires a project portfolio management process housed in a full-service PSO.
Much can be said about the organization that has reached Level 4 maturity. Project managers will have become very skilled in the business processes, and business analysts will have become skilled in project management. In this environment, project management is fully integrated into the business of the organization.
I can foresee a new professional emerging from the integration of project management and business processes. I call this the Business Analyst/Project Manager (BA/PM) professional. Interested readers can consult the Business Analyst Times (www.batimes.com), where I recently published a seven-article series (beginning with the May 1, 2008 issue) on the BA/PM professional. These articles got the attention of the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), and I am collaborating with them to further define the BA/PM professional. See Chapter 18 for a more detailed discussion of the BA/PM.
Level 5: Continuous Improvement
Maturity Level 5 is the pinnacle of integrating project management into the business. There is a formal and continuous program in place for process and practice improvement. It runs throughout the entire project life cycle. It formally begins during project execution, and continues through to the post-implementation audit and lessons-learned exercises at the end of the project. There will be occasions where an APM or xPM project team will create solutions or processes that are above the maturity level of the tools, templates, and processes in place. At Level 5 maturity, there is a way to capture these “best practices” and integrate them into the recommended tools, templates, and processes. At Level 5, every project team is constantly on the lookout for problems and offers suggestions for improvement. Capturing and archiving these suggestions is part of an organized and managed process for the continual improvement of the project management processes and the practice of those processes.