CMMI Appendix A Table

3 Requirements for CMMI Appraisal Method Class Structure

Not all CMMI appraisal methods are expected to be fully ARC-compliant (by satisfying each of the ARC requirements). CMMI appraisal methods that are not fully ARC-compliant may be appropriate for a specific set of sponsor needs, and method developers are expected to develop a variety of appraisal methods to meet these needs.

The CMMI appraisal method class structure (specified in Appendix A) identifies the requirements appropriate to appraisal methods designed specifically for three typical applications (see Table 1). There is no requirement for a CMMI appraisal method to fall exactly into one class; however, this structure is intended to provide value and utility to users of the CMMI Product Suite, and its use is encouraged.

Table 1: Characteristics of CMMI Appraisal Method Classes

Key differentiating attributes for appraisal classes include

• the degree of confidence in the appraisal outcomes
• the generation of ratings
• appraisal cost and duration

Class A methods must satisfy all of the ARC requirements, and at the present time are the only methods considered suitable for providing ratings for benchmarking. Developers of Class A methods also have the option of supporting the conduct of 15504-conformant appraisals. An example of a Class A method is the Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI^SM).

Class B appraisal methods are required to comply with a subset of the ARC requirements. As indicated in Appendix A, several requirements of Class A methods are optional for Class B methods. Only two of the three data sources required for Class A methods are required for Class B methods, one of which must be interviews. Class B methods do not produce ratings. These types of appraisals are recommended for initial assessments in organizations that are just beginning to use CMMI models for process improvement activities. They also provide a cost-effective means for performing interim assessments and/or capability evaluations between Class A appraisals.

Class C appraisal methods are required to comply with a subset of the ARC requirements for Class B methods. Only one of the three data sources required for Class A methods is required for Class C methods. Validation and corroboration of observations and the provision of mechanisms for team member consensus on major appraisal decisions are also optional requirements for Class C methods. These types of appraisals would most likely be used when the need for a "quick look" arises or for periodic self-assessments by projects and organizational support groups.

The ARC requirements are based on widely used appraisal methods that have yielded accurate, consistent, and useful results. As other appraisal methods are identified and shown to have similar quality characteristics, the requirements may be modified to reflect their features.