TABLE OF CONTENTS We need theories because our brains are small. There are just too many facts and stories to remember without having theories to somehow categorize it all.
Stan Rifkin
Take a minute and answer the questions in Figure 4.1. Then, once you ve finished reading this chapter, take the quiz in Figure 4.10 ( What Did You Learn? What Will You Do ) to find out how much this information has helped you with your own CMMI-based process improvement. Remember, these quizzes are like process improvement work; there is rarely a right or wrong answer. There are only answers that best suit your organization s business needs.
Here s an interesting thought that is more than academic: If you pick up CMMI and start reading it, if you go attend the Introduction to CMMI class, or if you are attending the SEPG Conference for the first time, either you or someone in your organization has already made the decision to use one of the CMMs to improve the organization s process capability or maturity. Whether that decision was made consciously or unconsciously (assumed), whether the decision was based on facts and rationale or not, whether anyone thinks the decision is right or wrong, the simple irrefutable fact remains that the subsequent actions indicate a decision was made.
Once that decision is made and once the organization starts going down the...
