CMMI Implementation at Korestone Technologies, LLC

1. CMMI Implementation at Korestone Technologies, LLC 2121—Applied CMMI in Small or Extremely Small Organizations: A Case Study of Successful Techniques and Lessons Learned SEPG North America 2011Dr. Richard Bechtold, Abridge TechnologyMr. Joseph E. Chow, Korestone Technologies

2. Outline • About Korestone Technologies • CMMI Implementation • SCAMPI Preparation • Lessons Learned • FAQ/Your Questions

3. Korestone Technologies, LLC • Founded in 2007 • Three founders worked together since 1994 • Many other employees worked together before • 12 employees at SCAMPI (October 2010) • Several projects for the USPS • Most employees matrix across all projects

4. Employee profile  SESG SEPG

5. Implementation timeline June 2009 Assess current processes 1 m. Develop policies, processes, tools, templates 6 months Use, refine processes 12 months PI core committee Complete process duration:17 months SEPG and SESG Project plans Project functional groups Establish repository structure Training Train SCAMPI team SCAMPI preparation PIID October 2010

6. Implementation • Review current processes • Four-member “PI core committee” • Some processes from previous projects, contracts • Research additional resources, review CMMI materials

7. Implementation • Develop policies (GP 2.1) • PI core committee • Boilerplate, one policy per process area • Develop processes • Form SEPG (seven members) and SESG (four) • Draft, review, rewrite and edit • Combine like process areas Hint: Develop documentation style early • PMC+PP+IPM • REQM+RD • TS+PI • VAL+VER

8. Implementation order • OPF has to be in place for management commitment and structure of system • CM/change management structure is crucial • Processes that generate measurements • PP, PMC, REQM, RD, VER, VAL, PPQA, RSKM, DAR • Largest ROI • Peer review (VER) applied to design, RD, code • Change management (CM, REQM) as applied to defects, CRs, requirements

9. Implementation • Develop tools and templates for each process • If tool already in use, write process around tool

10. Apply processes to projects • Use templates to create plans • Use tools and templates to create work products • Follow processes and revise through SEPG • Implement PIR procedures immediately after processes are introduced

11. Implementation on projects

12. Artifacts with the most bang • Project plans • GP 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.7, 3.1 • Meeting minutes • GP 2.7, 2.8, 2.10, 3.2 • MA spreadsheet and memo • GP 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 3.2 • P1 document (project organizing document) • GP 2.3, 2.4, 2.7

13. Costs • SCAMPI costs (A, B, and C) • ~ $40,000 • Overhead/staff costs • ~ 2,000 hours • Tool costs • ~ 200 hours • Training lunch costs (very important) • ~ $ 1,500

14. Keys to success ...not including actual software development skills • Top leadership commitment and staff buy-in • Pair strengths of staff with relevant CMMI tasks • SCAMPI experience/PI directing • Useful tool development—Excel, open source, templates—to improve the process • Good writing skills • Implement processes early and start slowly • Consistent training

15. SCAMPI preparation • Must develop processes with an eye toward artifacts • Develop processes with SPs and GPs in mind. • Write a process that makes sense for your company. • Doing the process should automatically result in quality productsanduseable artifacts. • If you write a plan according to the process, you should be planning the workandcreating a record.

16. Begin artifact collection • Start early to find the holes • Korestone used a Practice Implementation Indicator Description (PIID) derived from an SEI spreadsheet • Available for free download at www.Korestone.com • Spreadsheet: • Defines practices and acceptable evidence per SEI • Insert links to documents in repository See next slides...

17. The Korestone PIID • Use the PIID to: • Collect evidence • Monitor compliance • Make a SCAMPI run smoothly • Room for three projects + organization evidence • Designed for Level 3 efforts • Excel spreadsheet, no VBA or macros www.Korestone.com

18. PIID sample Implementation rating Link to SEI’s process information and list of acceptable evidence Link to open the artifact Link to description of your implementation www.Korestone.com

19. PIID features • Select a project and compare GP evidence across process areas.

20. PIID reports www.Korestone.com • Ratings report shows compliance by practice and by project • Evidence report uses color to indicate number of artifacts collected

21. Training and interview practice • Culture of doing the processes is the best training. • Review process training in shorter sessions • Practice interviews against PIID, practices • Advantages for small organizations: • Fewer people to train • People doing the same job on multiple projects means no disagreement across organization

22. Lessons learned • Commitment to CMMI has to start at the top • Don’t stop between projects or assessments • Measurement bias—Don’t do things just so you have something to measure. • Customer involvement can be great; customer indifference is OK too • Consolidate artifacts

23. FAQ • Where do I find the funds to support implementation of the CMMI? • Where do I find the personnel? • What is the minimum required for successful—and compliant—performance? • How do I implement and ensure objective quality assurance activities?

24. FAQ • Who does the actual work of improving processes? • Which areas are most likely to yield the earliest and best return on investment? • What typically delays the implementation of compliance, and how can I prevent excessive delays?

25. Contact information • Richard Bechtold President,Abridge Technology SEI CLA#0600749-02 703.729.6085 rbechtold@abridge-tech.com rbechtold@rbechtold.com www.abridge-tech.com • Joseph E. Chow President and CEO,Korestone Technologies 240.429.0533 joe.chow@korestone.com www.korestone.com