The CBA IPI method is a diagnostic tool that enables an organization to gain insight into its
software development capability by identifying strengths and weaknesses of its current processes,
to relate these strengths and weaknesses to the CMM, to prioritize software improvement
plans, and to focus on software improvements that are most beneficial, given its current
level of maturity and the business goals.
The method is an assessment of an organization’s software process capability by a trained
group of professionals who work as a team to generate findings and ratings relative to the
CMM key process areas within the assessment scope. The findings are generated from data
collected from questionnaires, document review, presentations, and in-depth interviews with
middle managers, project leaders, and software practitioners.
The CBA IPI method has two primary goals:
• to support, enable, and encourage an organization’s commitment to software
process improvement
• to provide an accurate picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the
organization’s current software process, using the CMM as a reference
model, and to identify key process areas for improvement.
The approach of the CBA IPI method is to assemble and train a competent assessment team
under the leadership of a Lead Assessor and to conduct a structured series of activities with
key people in the organization to understand their problems, concerns, and ideas for improvement.
The method is based on the following key assessment principles:
• Use the Capability Maturity Model for Software V1.1 as a process reference
model.
• Use a formalized assessment process that complies with the CMM Appraisal
Framework.
• Involve senior management as the assessment sponsor.
• Base the assessment on the sponsor’s business goals and needs.
• Observe strict confidentiality by guaranteeing that no information will be
attributed to an individual or project.
• Approach the assessment as a collaboration between the assessment team
and the organizational participants.