cmmi® to agile: options and consequences
DESCRIPTION
If you long for greater agility in your process-oriented or CMMI world, this session is for you. Paul McMahon shares how organizations can integrate agile approaches with CMMI and its key process area requirements. He discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches taken by two organizations-one a CMMI Level 3 and the other a Level 5-to embrace agile principles and practices. To ensure your organization doesn't jeopardize its CMMI compliance with agile methods, Paul shares an approach that uses techniques such as asking key questions to focus objectives, pruning your processes, using the CMMI less formally, and keeping your "must dos" packaged separately from guidelines. He describes and discusses examples of each technique. Learn why the two organizations took different approaches, why one achieved its goals, and why the other fell short. If your organization is invested in CMMI, learn what others have discovered about increasing organizational agility and performance while remaining CMMI compliant.TRANSCRIPT
AW11 Concurrent Session 11/7/2012 3:45 PM
"CMMI® to Agile: Options and Consequences"
Presented by:
Paul McMahon PEM Systems
Brought to you by:
340 Corporate Way, Suite 300, Orange Park, FL 32073 888‐268‐8770 ∙ 904‐278‐0524 ∙ [email protected] ∙ www.sqe.com
Paul McMahon PEM Systems
Paul E. McMahon, principal at PEM Systems (pemsystems.com), has twenty-three years of industry experience as a software developer, team leader, and coach. For the past fifteen years, he has assisted his clients in achieving advanced CMMI certification levels as he coaches project managers, leaders, and software practitioners in industry best practices. Paul is a Certified ScrumMaster and a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt; instructor of Software Engineering at Binghamton University; and author of more than forty articles and two books including Integrating CMMI and Agile Development: Case Studies and Proven Techniques for Faster Performance Improvement. You can reach Paul at [email protected].
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CMMI To Agile:CMMI To Agile:CMMI To Agile: CMMI To Agile: Options and Consequences Options and Consequences
Paul E. McMahonPaul E. [email protected]@[email protected] [email protected]
CMMI & Agile at Odds?
CMMI AgileCMMI Agile
CMMI – Capability Maturity Model
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Not theory, based on actual client case studies…
p y yIntegration
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What You Will Learn
CMMI/Agile integration theory and why it should be easy, but why in practice often more difficult
Case Study 1 (LACM)• 4 techniques increase agility CMMI Level 3
organization
Case Study 2 (RAVE)• Different technique increase agility Level 5
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• Different technique increase agility Level 5 organization
Practical guidance to help you move your own Agile CMMI integration forward
Case Studies discussed
described in greater detail in
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greater detail in book.
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Fundamental Guidance (the theory)
CMMI is improvement reference model intended to help you ask the right questions
Not dictated practices
leading to best decisions for your organization
Examplequestions
Lean = eliminatewaste
Agile providespotential “how-to”
ti
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CMMI is about “What” must do Agile techniques provide potential “How-to” options
options
Case Study 1 Background: LACM
LACM successful high tech organization
Focus on U.S. defense market
2007- Over 50 active projects; Only 2 any difficulty
CMM Level 3 many years ago; 2008 CMMI Level 3
2008 CMMI motivation:•Vice-President (VP) understood could use CMMI to address changing customer needs
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CMMI to address changing customer needs
•He knew his organization needed to change improving performance and increasing agilityin key areas
Where do we start?
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Where Start To Improve Performance and Increase Agility
When Using CMMI?
LACM one of best approaches observed…
“Why are our customers coming back to us now over the competition?”
pp
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“What is the unique value this organization brings to its customers?” Technique 1
Technique 1:Start by Asking Key Questions
to Focus Objectives
Common“non-lean & non-agile”
All CMMI Expected Practices…
non lean & non agileapproach
Recommended start point
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Establish specific objectives
Help you focus improvement efforts where need help the most
MeasurementExample
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What Data Should You Collect?
Non-agile approach --collect data related to each process area and figure out later how might use
“Who will use data if collect it?”
The “agile/lean approach” …ask following questions first…
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“How does data relate to objectives?”
Makes sense if already using CMMI and looking to improve, or just starting out with CMMI effort
Why involveworkers?
Why Involve Your Workers?
Led to realizations…Product reuseEmployee turn-overEmployee turn over
Company did have training program, but training & processes not aligned with real issues faced on job
Encouraged open forum discussions...
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Led to Technique 2
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Technique 2:Pruning the Processes
Built flow diagrams of what people really did to get their job done
Anything not on flow became candidate for elimination
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More questionsIf no one used, why there?Wasting time training?If used, would it help?
Pruning led to streamlined processes &
improved training Example
Pruning Example:Peer Review Process
Great deal of data collected about each defect
Periodic analysis of the collected data
Flow diagrams showed people entered data, but no one analyzed it
Further investigation showed requirements for data had been added to process because
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Pruning led to moreeffective peer review process & improved
performance!
psomeone wrongly thought CMMI required it
Onerous review process had discouraged comments
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Insight
Historical tendency: Read things into CMMI model that aren’t there
Creates unnecessary non-value-added work
By using CMMI as intended, can improve your CMMI implementation and increase agility and
performance at the same time
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How did LACM do this?Why not more?
Technique 3:Use CMMI Model Less Formally
LACM used the CMMI model first to:
Help discover where needed A li dHelp discover where needed improvements to help performance
Then prioritized work and focused on those value added improvements
Lesson:
Applied CMMIwith agilespirit
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Lesson: When process improvement teams face pressure to achieve a formal CMMI level and aren’t given adequate time to work real issues, real performance improvements are rarely achieved
2nd – What pruning takes
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What Pruning Really Requires
People in trenches who really understand how job done
Often these people in the trenches are the best performers & the busiest people in the company
If experiencing similar symptoms as LACM, consider allocating
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percentage of time of key people to this effort
Small investment in pruning might pay high dividends in long run
Key questionAlternative: Build relationships with technical experts looking for measurable improvement opportunities
A Key Question
How Do We Ensure We Aren’t Jeopardizing
Our CMMI Compliance?
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Understanding What CMMI Expectsof Your Process Repository
LACM is large and product centric
Some wrongly believe the CMMI requires a “heavyweight” process repository superstructure
LACM is large and product centricLACM mandates tools, and standardsLACM has some detailed work instructions
BOND is small and service centricBOND mandates few tools few standards
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BOND mandates few tools, few standardsBOND has no detailed work instructions
Process repository structure depends on your business need
Example
Process Repository Structures
Traditional (LACM like structure)
Policies
Agile (BOND like structure)
Processes/Practices
Work Instructions/Procedures
Enablers/
Policies/Processes
How-to Guides/Tailoring Aids
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Enablers/Templates
Different Repository Structures, Both CMMI “Compliant” **CMMI doesn’t mandate repository structure
**Achieves intent
However, if want Agile & CMMI too
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Technique 4: Keep “must dos” packaged separately from “guidelines”
Keep must dos:•Lean (minimums)•Focused on “what”•Fundamentals
Policies/Processes
“Must dos”No one tailors
Tailor Up from the “must dos”
•Fundamentals
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How-to Guides/Tailoring Aids
Aids tailoring
Questions or Comments?
How many have used the CMMI d l thi ?model this way?
Why don’t more organizations do this?
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Next Case Study may shed light…
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Case Study 2 Background: RAVE
RAVE Large CMMI Level 5 Organization
Focus on U.S. defense market
2005 recognized “stealth agile” movement
CMMI Level 5 processes didn’t recognize
Different approach to agility:•Did not modify existingCMMI processes tailoring down
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CMMI processes
•Handle agile through their normal tailoring approach & “agile developers guide”
tailoring down
Group Discussion
What do you see as the advantages & disadvantages to each approach?
LACMLACM:Ask key questionsPrune processesUse CMMI less formallyKeep must-dos separateTailor up
RAVE:Developers GuideTailor down
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Group shares views
Then I share my views…
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Technique 5:Consider Developer’s Guide to Aid Agility
AdvantagesNo risk to proven level 5 processes• (advantage if working
DisadvantagesIf hearing: • “processes don’t help”
• (advantage if working well)
Doesn’t require critical personnel in “trenches”
Less cost, less retraining
• “create work without value”
…then this approach won’t help
…also may result in redundant efforts
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• E.g. product reviews, progress reporting
…or may result in loss of key “must dos” when tailor
Note: Consider right answer for youcould be combination of LACM & RAVE approach
Next deeper…
CMMI Agile
Many Now Realize CMMI & AgileCan Coexist
CMMI Agile
But to what Level?
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But to what Level? 3, 4, 5?
Quantitative? Continuous Improvement?
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More Information onTwo Case Studies
LACM, Level 3, used selective Level 4 & 5 practices (QPM, CAR) informallyto achieve performance goals
Specific problem getting hardware
Agilespirit Specific problem getting hardware
ordered/installed on timeProject team derived specificmeasures, isolated root cause, & implemented corrective action
RAVE, Level 5, used Agile Developer’s guide and tailor down
Succeeded
appliedat Level 4
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Developer s guide and tailor down approach, fell short of goals
QPM – Quantitative Project ManagementCAR – Causal Analysis and Resolution
Why?
RAVE Wanted To Keep Improving
Funded Lean Six Sigma Team
Created Agile Developer’s Guide
But did so because did not want to change Level 5 formal processes out of fear
Misperception that level 5
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Misperception that level 5 means perfect so can’t change
This is exactly backwards from intent of level 5
Is RAVE unique?
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What Is HappeningToo Often Today
“At this point, of the many organizations that have been evaluated at CMMI Level 5, too many have essentially stopped , y y ppworking on improvement.
Their objective was to get to level 5 and they are there, so why should they keep improving?
This is both an unfortunate and an
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This is both an unfortunate and an unacceptable attitude... it is unacceptable because the essence of level 5 is continuous improvement.” From page 7
“CMMI for Development”Version 1.3
Attaining Level 5 Doesn’t Mean We Don’t Need to Keep Improving
Agile practices can not only coexist with CMMI Level 5 th f ilit tthey can facilitate continuous improvement
Example: Sprint retrospectiveActionable improvements
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Can help achieve intent of QPM/CAR
Will an agile approach provide all you need for CMMI Level 5? NoBut it can help achieve intent; Real performance improvement
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Guidance to Help You Move Your OwnAgile CMMI Integration Forward
If you are an agile expert, learn about the CMMI and talk to the CMMI people in your organization explaining how these initiatives can work together
If you are a CMMI expert, learn about the latest changes in the CMMI V1.3 and learn about the agile options that can help your organization
If you are a manager seek to understand the forces holding back your Agile CMMI integration and combat misperceptions
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Even if you can’t fully employ the techniques LACM used, consider building relationships with technical experts looking for measurable improvement opportunities (small changes help)
CMMI and Agile proponents should recognize both striving for common goals and can help each other
WaterfallBacklog driven/Iterative
Lessons Beyond CMMI: Relevant to any High Process Compliance Situation
Transparency (daily standup meetings)Architect Requirementsy
Mega-l Project
Architect, Requirements Analyst, Test CollaboratingProduct Owner Role (grooming product backlog, working stakeholders to attend key demonstrations)Project Manager role changes to “hybridha
nge
Is N
ever
Eas
y
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Committedto change
changes to hybrid ScrumMaster” (style issues)Functional Managers focus more on career growth of people
Ch
None counter to CMMI
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Summary of MisperceptionsTo Seek Out and Combat!
The CMMI is a set of dictated practices You need to collect data related to every CMMI process area
The CMMI should only be used for formal appraisalsThe CMMI requires a heavyweight process repository superstructure
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You need distinct processes for each process area in the CMMI modelCMMI maturity level 5 means you are perfect and you don’t need to keep improving
Questions and Contact Information
Questions???
Contact Information [email protected]
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