You talk a lot about World Class Performance - Isn't that Subjective?

You're right.  "World-Class" is subjective.  And that is the problem.  Any kind of performance measurement is subjective until it is directly tied to a globally-accepted standard of excellence.  At Broadsword we believe that by achieving appropriate compliance with CMMI you are, by definition, a World-Class organization.  The answer lies in the appropriate deployment of useful processes.

I have some questions about CMMI but can't seem to get a straight answer. How can I find out more?

We have just the thing you need.

Click here to go to our blog http://askTheCMMIAppraiser.blogspot.com to ask a question and Jeff will answer you on the same day!

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I need fact-based data to determine where our organization stands on costs, productivity, metrics, standards, and performance. Can you help us?

Yes!  Our CMMI pre-Assessment  will help you understand your "as-is" condition and will benchmark you against the CMMI, the global standard for measuring process maturity.  After your appraisal, you will have a crystal-clear view into the performance of your organization and what it will take to achieve CMMI.

We're an Agile development organization. CMMI seems to be the antithesis of Agile. Isn't there a conflict?

No!  The CMMI is a "what-to" guide, not a "how-to" guide.  The model doesn't speak to methodology, and is equally effective in both agile and waterfall environments.  While it's true that some organizations take a "heavy" or "waterfall" approach to their methodology in order to be CMMI compliant, there is nothing in the CMMI model that requires this.  It does take a different way of thinking about the CMMI in order to be successful however. Broadsword's AgileCMMI is a customized approach to CMMI that is designed for Agile organizations.

Is there any difference between your CMMI Training and Appraisal service and those offered by the SEI?

The CMMI Training courses we offer,  including "Introduction to CMMI", are identical to the courses offered by the SEI.  We are authorized by the SEI to provide this course on their behalf.  Unlike the SEI, we are able to offer "bonus" content that comes from our broad experience working with different types of clients in the field.  We currently offer two bonus modules in our CMMI classes: 'Agile CMMI' and 'Inside your SCAMPI Appraisal.'

Our Lead Appraiser services are also the same as those offered by the SEI.  As an authorized SEI Partner, Broadsword is authorized to deliver these services on behalf of the SEI.  Unlike the SEI, all of our Lead Appraiser's have deep software engineering experience in the business sector that helps them better understand the nuances of software development.

How long will it take to prepare us for a CMMI Appraisal?

That depends on the size and complexity of your organization and how mature your processes and methods are.  The "average" time to prepare for a SCAMPI CMMI Appraisal can be anywhere from a few months to over 12 months and the Appraisal itself can take several weeks.