David H. Kitson, Software Engineering Institute, USA

Terry Rout, the Session Chair, introduces David Kitson. He has been working with the SPICE project since the early days. With his foundation work on the SW CMM and the CCMI, we are in the presence of ‘royalty’. Welcome Dave Kitson!

Talking about the relationship between CMM and international standards.Over the years there has been a move to close the gaps between the CMM product suite and international standards. The next release CMMI v2 is planned for release in 2010.

15504 is a framework standard. 15504 aims to establish a framework for existing models to conform to best practices for process assessment.15504 and SPICE tend to be used interchangeably, however they are not the same.15504 is the international standard.

15504 is in its 3rd generation. The 1st generation was the hard-wired 15504 (the BPG). The 2nd generation was the published Technical Report (TR). The 3rd generation is the published ISO standard (2003–05).

15504 has an architecture that uses  a Process Reference Model in associated with a Process Assessment Model matched against the measurement framework and requirements in 15504.

Regarding CMMI and 15504, the ‘A-spec’ defined a route for close conformance to 15504 identifying the synergies where they exist. CMMI is now defining connectivity with ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 12207. To do this, the CMMI needs to establish the Process Reference Models of interest. So to be more specific, the relevant PRMs of interest together with a mapping of indicators in CMMI to the associated PRMs is needed. A detailed translation mechanism is also required.

Future directions of the CMMI: – to establish connectivity to 9001, 12207 and 15288. Work is underway on ISO9001. Host organisations have been identified.

Thanks to David for an informative session.