do s don ts and pitfalls: planning your first cmmi...

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Do’s Don’ts and Pitfalls:Planning your first CMMI appraisal

Valerie Cole,SEI-Authorized Lead Appraiser, # 0200208-01SEI-Authorized CMMI Instructor, SEI-Authorised Class B-C Observer

[email protected]+44 (0)7813 138848

© Lamri 2006 you make the change | we make the difference

Topics

•A Reminder

•Some Common Misconceptions

•Some Real Examples

•Appendix: How the CMMI Process Area ProjectPlanning, the MDD and the B&C Handbook canhelp


Project Planning : A Reminder

SG1: Establish EstimatesSP 1.1 Scope (WBS)SP 1.2 Attributes (Size)SP 1.3 LifecycleSP 1.4 Effort and Cost

SG3: Obtain CommitmentSP 3.1 Review Other PlansSP 3.2 Reconcile Work/ResourcesSP 3.3 Obtain Commitment

SG2: Establish the PlanSP 2.1 Budget and ScheduleSP 2.2 RisksSP 2.3 Data ManagementSP 2.4 ResourcesSP 2.5 Knowledge & SkillsSP 2.6 StakeholdersSP 2.7 The Plan


Some Common Misconceptions

• It takes no time to plan –we can be ready in aweek!

• I don’t need to do anything –the Lead Appraiserdoes it all!

• I don’t need to do much –the Organisation doesmost of the preparation!

• It’s the same as an audit!


How long does planning take?My “rules of thumb”for elapsed time

•SCAMPI Class C–1 to 4 weeks

•SCAMPI Class B–2 to 3 months

•SCAMPI Class A–3 to 6 months


Some Real ExamplesThe Lights went out!“Minor”changesSchedule not balancedThe wrong chair!No-one to interview“I am a Project Manager”My next interview is where?!The Network strikes back!Not the same sandwiches again!Bad PIID, no PIID


The lights went out!


The lights went out! –Impact and Howto Avoid

• Impact: Team consolidation was disrupted –a latefinish!

•How to avoid:•Do: Find out about all relevant logistics:

–Lighting / Air-conditioning / Heating–Alarms / Door Locks / Security–Permission to work late (if planned)


“Minor”Changes –not notified to theLead Appraiser

•Travel time–Depart earlier on Friday–Arrive later on Monday

•Project Swap–Different language–Different time zone


“Minor”Changes –impact and how toavoid

•Impact:–appraisal team lost 7 hours of work time–complexity increased (now four languages

involved)

•How to Avoid:–Do: Make it absolutely clear that all changes to

the scope of the appraisal and the schedule haveto be agreed by you


Schedule not balanced –can you spotit?

Day 3 Day 4 Sat Sun Day 5 Day 6Check-in Check-in Check-in

Prepare i/v room Prepare i/v room Check-in Prepare i/v roomInterview Prepare i/v room

Proj Mgt 1 Interview Interview InterviewEng 1 Org Process Support 1

(REQM, PPPMC, IPM) (REQM, RD) (OPF, OPD, OT) (MA, PPQA)

Interview Interview Interview InterviewProj Mgt 2 Eng 2 Proj Mgt 3 Support 2

(SAM, RSKM) (TS, PI, VER, VAL) (PP, PMC (CM, DAR)IPM, RSKM)

LunchLunch Lunch

Lunch


Day 3 Day 4 Sat Sun Day 5 Day 6Check-in Check-in Check-in

Prepare i/v room Prepare i/v room Check-in Prepare i/v roomInterview Prepare i/v room

PM 1 Interview Interview InterviewREQM Eng 1 Org Process Support 1

PPPMC REQM OPF MAIPM RD OPD PPQA

OT

InterviewInterview Eng 2 Interview Interview

PM 2 TS PM 3 Support 2PI PP

SAM VER PMC CMRSKM VAL IPM DAR

RSKM LunchLunch Lunch

Lunch

Schedule not balancedMini-team B

Mini-team E


Schedule not balanced –Impact andHow to Avoid

•Impact:–Nothing to do v too much to do (stress and

conflict)

•How to avoid:–Do: Dry-run the schedule against the mini-

team Process Area allocation


The wrong chair!


The wrong chair! –Impact and How toAvoid

•Impact:–team member(s) off sick with back

problems

•How to avoid:–Do: Find out in advance what chairs will be

provided. If not fully adjustable (height andback support), request suitable chairs


No-one to interview!


No-one to interview! –Impact and Howto Avoid

•Impact:–Choice of interviewees limited (follow-up

interview with a team member)

•How to avoid:–Do: Start the dialogue early –make sure

the organisation understands how youchoose team members and interviewees


“I am a Project Manager”!

• But don’t expect me to knowabout things like estimatingor identifying and managingcritical dependencies…

…and don’t ask me anytechnical questions either –I don’t do that


“I am a Project Manager”!–Impact andHow to Avoid

•Impact:–Data collection sessions wasted–Interviews had to be rearranged–Team worked longer hours

•How to avoid:–Do: Spend much more time than you think

is necessary to identify the interviewees


My next interview is where?!


My next interview is where?! –Impactand How to Avoid

•Impact:–Team exhausted!–Sub-standard appraisal results–Organisation lost out (by trying to save a few

pounds)

•How to avoid:–Do: Apply the golden rule

“The TEAM DOES NOT TRAVEL”. If they have totravel –build the travel time into the working day


The Network Strikes Back!

•Networks get moreintelligent everyday

•They can detect whenyou add a hub withoutpermission


The Network Strikes Back!–Impact andHow to Avoid

•Impact:–Access refused–Single user access–S L O W

•How to avoid:–Don’t: Believe everything you are told–Do: Check with the networking people


Not the same sandwiches again!


Not the same sandwiches again!–Impact and How to Avoid

•Impact:–Very unhappy and hungry team!

•How to avoid:–Do: Find out the options early –provide

variety–Do: Ensure food is suitable


Bad PIID, no PIID!


Bad PIID, no PIID! –Impact and How toAvoid

•Impact:–Schedule disrupted–Discovery instead of Verification

•How to avoid:–Do: Workshops and Pre-review–Don’t: Leave it to chance


Some other Do’s and Don’ts

Do:• Start early• Ask (don’t guess)• Use all available supporting

documentation (CMMI,MDD, B&C Handbook,checklists, templates, etc)

• Use proactive riskmanagement

• Be assertive (notaggressive)

• Stay calm

Don’t• Leave anything to the last

minute• Assume (puts an “ass”

before “you and me”)• Believe everything you are

told –check/validate wherepossible

• Give in to pressure


Questions?


How PP and the MDD can help*

*Please also refer to:Handbook for Conducting Standard CMMI Appraisal Method forProcess Improvement (SCAMPI) B and C Appraisals Version 1.1CMU/SEI-2005-HB-005


SP 1.1 Establish the Scope… (Top levelWBS) [MDD 1.1]

•My tasks and deliverables

•The organisation’s tasks and deliverables

•The support aspects (quality, configurationmanagement, measurement)


SP 1.2 Estimates and task Attributes…[MDD 1.1.2, 1.1.3]

• How big is the appraisal?– How many Process Areas?– How many people?– How many locations?

• How complex is the appraisal?– How many methods?– How many languages? Do I need an interpreter?– How many locations?– What mix of work? (S/W Dev, S/W Maintenance, non-software? Etc)

• How many people are available to be in the team?


SP 1.3 Define the lifecycle…[MDD 1.2.1]

•Class A Verification– Documentation review first –input to the Go/No-Go decision,

then interviews

•Class B or Class C Verification and Discovery– Documentation review and interview

•Class C Discovery– No documentation review, interview/workshop style


SP 1.4 Estimates of Effort and Cost…[MDD 1.2.2, 1.2.3]

•Don’t forget to include travel and hotel costs asappropriate (if flights are involved, are the rulesclear i.e. business v economy)

•Who is going to pay for the appraisal team food?e.g. lunch

•What is the booking code?


SP 2.1 Establish Budget and Schedule…1[MDD 1.2.3]

• What schedule constraints exist? (corporatetargets/funding cycles, holidays, major sporting events…)

• Make your schedule balanced –don’t overload or under-load the mini-teams (see Examples)

• Work to “normal office hours”where possible. Find outwhat this means for the location of your appraisal –don’ttry and impose your own.– Allow for religious commitments (e.g. prayer times)– Don’t schedule an interview to start before the company transport

arrives (or extend beyond the departure time)


•Make sure you keep control of the schedule –don’t let anyone else create it or change it withoutyour say-so!– Impact of changing start and end times– Impact of swapping one project for another–“But we’ve already agreed the schedule with x”

SP 2.1 Establish Budget and Schedule…2[MDD 1.2.3]


SP 2.2 Identify the Risks…[MDD 1.2.5]

•What can turn this into the appraisal from hell?– Travel problems –the team turns up halfway through on day 1,

and leaves at lunchtime on Friday– Hotel problems –too far away, no facilities– Illness –always have reserves– The data isn’t provided (chase, chase and chase some more)– The tool doesn’t work, or keeps breaking down– The network goes down– The heating/air-conditioning/lighting goes off at a set time– Terrorist attacks–…


SP 2.3 Data Management…[MDD 1.2.4, 1.4,]

•Hard copy, electronic –CD, electronic –network,electronic –hard drive, mix

•Sensitive information (commercial, financial,personal, security)

•Clearing up afterwards (destroying the interviewnotes, removing data from hard drives, returningitems)


SP 2.4 Project Resources… 1[MDD 1.2.2, 1.2.4]

•People– Appraisal team (don’t choose key people from the projects in

scope)– Interviewees (I’m a Project Manager!)– Support staff (“it’s a boring job, anyone will do”!)

•Facilities:– The team room (size, location, chairs!)– The interview room(s) (size, location…)– The tools– Connectivity– Access (permissions, protection)


SP 2.4 Project Resources… 2[MDD 1.2.2, 1.2.4]

•Processes– Appraisal method– Travel policy and procedures– Contracting / Billing– Governance / Reporting


SP 2.5 Needed Knowledge and Skills…[MDD 1.3]

•Pre-requisites for the team*– CMMI Training– Process Area knowledge– Method/Domain knowledge– Experience

•Working together– Not getting on– Getting on too well!

*Minimum requirements for SCAMPI-A


SP 2.6 Stakeholders…[MDD 1.1.1]

•Who: The sponsor, the “projects”, the appraisalteam members, the site co-ordinator, …

•What: Agree scope, review plan, provide data, …

•How to monitor: Use targets, milestones,meetings, teleconferences, …


SP 2.7 The Plan…[MDD 1.2]

•The Appraisal Input– Can be part of the Appraisal Plan

•The Appraisal Plan

•The schedule


SP 3.1 Review other Plans…[MDD 1.1.2]

•What else is happening in the organisation that isgoing to affect your appraisal?

– Key project milestones/deliveries– Standard reporting cycles (everyone is busy preparing

reports)– Customer visits– The ISO surveillance visit


SP 3.2 Reconcile Work and Resources…[MDD 1.1.2, 1.2.3]

•Do you need more/less/different team members?

•Do you need to reduce the scope?

•Have you allowed enough time for translation –review of documents, during interviews andduring presentations?


SP 3.3 Commitment for/to the Plan…[MDD 1.2.6]

•The Appraisal or the day-job?– Team members have to choose, they cannot do both

•The results will be used?– Don’t go ahead if you are not convinced

•The results will not be abused?– Don’t go ahead if you think they will be abused


Acronyms used

•CMMI® Capability Maturity Model Integration•CMU Carnegie Mellon University•MDD Method Description Document (for SCAMPI A

Appraisals)•PIID Practice Implementation Indicator Document•PP Project Planning•SCAMPI Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for

Process Improvement•SEI Software Engineering Institute


Contact Details

Valerie Cole,SEI-Authorized Lead Appraiser, # 0200208-01SEI-Authorized CMMI Instructor, SEI-Authorised Class B-C Observer

[email protected]+44 (0)7813 138848

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