
4.5 Process Assessment Models 93
tured measurements, the feedback from prior activities becomes visible,
which allows future improvements to both the processes and the product.
The highest level of CMM is Level 5 (the optimizing level). The emphasis
here is on continuous improvement. In order to facilitate such improve-
ment, three key processes must be included:
■
Defect prevention
■
Technology change management
■
Process change management
All the key processes at this ultimate level contribute to an organization
poised for changes and improvements.
SEI’s original CMM has been used by thousands of software organizations
across multiple countries. Today,