a comprehensive process meta-model that is predicated on a set of system and software engineering capabilities that should be present as organizations reach different levels of process capability and maturity
a process meta-model in two different ways: (1) as a “continuous” model and (2) as a “staged” model
defines each process area in terms of “specific goals” and the “specific practices” required to achieve these goals. Specific goals establish the characteristics that must exist if the activities implied by a process area are to be effective. Specific practices refine a goal into a set of process-related activities.