each cause. In this case it would be necessary to look at more than just the data. Understanding the culture, the people performing the process, the end result of products delivered to test and eventually the customer, and the earlier process steps all proved important to the final outcome.
Some key points to remember:
- Use statistical and quantitative analysis to understand and improve your business.
- Do not let "making good control charts" be the goal.
- Ensure relationships shown in the control charts actually reflect the work being done and the relationship of the data in the real world.
- Understand that some of the process data you evaluate is based on product characteristics (defect density) that may have causes outside or unrelated to the process being analyzed.
- Look outside the process and product to the people executing the process for help.
- If CMMI Level 4 doesn't help your business, why are you doing it (see No. 1)?
® CMMI is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by Carnegie Mellon University.
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About the author
Ed Weller is an SEI certified High Maturity Appraiser for CMMI® appraisals, with nearly forty years of experience in hardware and software engineering. Ed is the principal of Integrated Productivity Solutions, a consulting firm that is focused on providing solutions to companies seeking to improve their development productivity. Ed is a regular columnist on StickyMinds.com and can be contacted at edwardfwelleriii@msn.com.
