CMMI Implementation at Korestone Technologies, LLC

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CMMI Implementation at Korestone Technologies, LLC

• 2121Applied 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
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Outline

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

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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

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Employee profile
? SESG? SEPG
Name Job
Joe CEO
John PM
Chiming PM
Suri Bus. Dev.
Ting SW Dev.
Lan-Fan SW Dev.
Jenny SW Dev.
Steve SW Dev.
Thara SW Dev.
Eugene SW Dev.
Jeremy Analyst
Bina Test
Process Project Eng Support Other
? ? ? ? 3 SCAMPIs
? ? ? 3 SCAMPIs
? ? ? 3 SCAMPIs
? ? ? ? 2 SCAMPIs
? 3 SCAMPIs
? 3 SCAMPIs
? 3 SCAMPIs
? ?
? 1 SCAMPI
?
? ? ? 3 SCAMPIs
? ? 1 SCAMPI
CMMI Role
? PM, Sponsor
? ? PM, Eng
? ? PM, Eng, CM
? ? SCAMPI team, QA
Eng
? Eng
Eng
Eng
Eng
? SCAMPI team, Eng, OT
? Req., Docs, MA
? Test, CM, QA
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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 duration17 months
SEPG and SESG
Project plans
Project functional groups
Establish repository structure
Training
Train SCAMPI team
SCAMPI preparation
PIID
October 2010
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Implementation

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

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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

• PMCPPIPM
• REQMRD

• TSPI
• VALVER

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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

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Implementation

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

Tool Source Description
Tortoise SVN Open source Version control tool, document and code repository
Trac Open source Defect and CR reporting and tracking
Project Office Project scheduling
PowerPoint Office Training materials, presentations, reports
Visio Office Diagrams
Word Office Templates Project plans, minutes, SDLC documents, reports
Excel Office Templates MA spreadsheet, measurements, peer review form, DAR
Eclipse Open source Development
Line Counter Purchase CM reporting
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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

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Implementation on projects
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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

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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

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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 developmentExcel, open source,
  templatesto improve the process
• Good writing skills
• Implement processes early and start slowly
• Consistent training

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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 products and useable artifacts.
• If you write a plan according to the process, you
  should be planning the work and creating a record.

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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...
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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
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PIID sample
Implementation rating
Link to SEIs process information and list of
acceptable evidence
Link to open the artifact
Link to description of your implementation
www.Korestone.com
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PIID features

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

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PIID reports
www.Korestone.com

• Ratings report shows compliance by practice and
  by project

• Evidence report uses color to indicate number of
  artifacts collected

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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

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Lessons learned

• Commitment to CMMI has to start at the top
• Dont stop between projects or assessments
• Measurement biasDont do things just so you have
  something to measure.
• Customer involvement can be great customer
  indifference is OK too
• Consolidate artifacts

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FAQ

1. Where do I find the funds to support
   implementation of the CMMI?
2. Where do I find the personnel?
3. What is the minimum required for successfuland
   compliantperformance?
4. How do I implement and ensure objective quality
   assurance activities?

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FAQ

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

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Contact information

• Richard Bechtold
• President,Abridge Technology
• SEI CLA0600749-02
• 703.729.6085
• rbechtold_at_abridge-tech.com
• rbechtold_at_rbechtold.com
• www.abridge-tech.com

• Joseph E. Chow
• President and CEO,Korestone Technologies
• 240.429.0533
• joe.chow_at_korestone.com
• www.korestone.com