Booklet: Development and Acquisition
Section: Project Management
Subsection: Project Management Effectiveness
 

 

 

 

 

 

There are several methods for enhancing the effectiveness of an organization’s project management skills. Typically the methods involve training project personnel and developing structured management techniques. The following sections include two examples for illustrative purposes. The inclusion of these items in this booklet is not an endorsement or all-inclusive representation of the methods.

CAPABILITY MATURITY MODEL®
The Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute (SEI) developed the Capability Maturity Model for Software® (Model) to assist organizations in the assessment and improvement of their project management process. The Model categorizes an organization’s capability to develop software within one of five “maturity” levels. The Model suggests an organization can improve its development skills (move into a higher category) by implementing the techniques defined within a category (and within any lower categories, excluding the Initial category). The categories and defining characteristics are:

Bullet

 Initial – Organizations with Initial capabilities use ad hoc development techniques and limited standardized procedures.

Bullet

 Repeatable – Organizations with Repeatable capabilities use fundamental project planning, scheduling, and monitoring procedures.

Bullet

 Defined – Organizations with Defined capabilities use approved, formalized management and development standards and procedures, customized to meet specific project requirements, for all projects.

Bullet

 Managed – Organizations with Managed capabilities measure, understand, and control development procedures and product quality.

Bullet

 Optimizing – Organizations with Optimized capabilities use effective communication techniques and innovative ideas and technologies to obtain ongoing improvements in processes and products.

The main areas SEI encourages organizations to implement or improve to mature their development capabilities include:

Bullet

 Repeatable – Basic project management controls such as requirements, configuration, and subcontractor management controls; software project planning, tracking, and oversight procedures; and software quality assurance programs;

Bullet

 Defined – Project and organizational issues such as process focus, training programs, integrated software management, software product engineering, intergroup coordination, and peer reviews;
Bullet Managed – Quantitative issues such as software quality and process management; and

Bullet

 Optimizing – Organizational and project issues such as defect prevention, technology change controls, and process change management.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is comprised of standards institutes from around the world. The nongovernmental organization includes approximately 150 members with representatives from private and public sectors. The organization’s primary goal is to facilitate the development and coordination of product and service standards that are designed to enhance private sector trade and governmental legislation development.

The ISO framework includes highly specific standards that are applied to particular products and processes and generic management standards that can be applied to any organization. It is important to note that the International Standards Organization does not certify compliance with ISO standards. Private companies and, in some countries, governmental bodies evaluate organizations to determine their compliance with ISO standards.

The ISO 9000 series of standards includes ISO 9001, which addresses management practices relating to design, development, production, installation, and servicing activities. The generic 9001 standards focus on manufacturing activities. However, the organization published ISO 9000-3 guidelines to assist project managers in applying the 9001 standards in software development environments.