Testing Frequently Asked Questions - Page 6

What is CMM and CMMI?
CMM stands for Capability Maturity Model developed by the Software Engineering Institute(SEI).
Before we delve into it, lets understand what is a software process.

A Software Process can be defined as set of activities, methods, practices and transformations that people employ to develop and maintain software and the associated products.

The underlying premise of software process management is that the quality of a software product is largely determined by the quality of the process used to develop and maintain it.

Continuous process improvement is based on many small, evolutionary steps.CMM organizes these steps into 5 maturity levels.Each maturity level comprises a set of process goals that, when satisfied , stabilize an important component of the software process.Organizing the goals into different levels helps the organization to prioritize their improvement actions. The five maturity levels are as follows.
1.Initial - The Software Process is characterized as adhoc and occassionally even chaotic.Few processes are defined and success depends on individual effort and heroics.

2.Repeatable - Basic project management processes are established to track cost, schedule, and functionality. The necessary process discipline is in place to repeat earlier successes on projects with similar applications.

3.Defined - The software process for both management and engineering activities is documented, standardized, and integrated into a standard software process for the organization. All projects use an approved, tailored version of the organization's standard software process for developing and maintaining software.

4. Managed - Detailed measures of the software process and product quality are collected. Both the software process and products are quantitatively understood and controlled.

5. Optimizing - Continuous process improvement is enabled by quantitative feedback from the process and from piloting innovative ideas and technologies.

CMMI:
In CMM(aka SW-CMM), the entire emphasis is on the software practices.But Software is becoming such a large factor in the systems that are being built today that it is virtually impossible to logically separate the two disciplines.SEI redirected its effort toward the integration of system and software practices and thus born cMMI which stands for Capability Maturity Model Integration.You can find on more info on http://www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi/

What is six sigma?
Six Sigma stands for Six Standard Deviations from mean. Initially defined as a metric for measuring defects and improving quality, a methodology to reduce defect levels below 3.4 Defects Per one Million Opportunities.

Six Sigma incorporates the basic principles and techniques used in Business, Statistics, and Engineering. These three form the core elements of Six Sigma. Six Sigma improves the process performance, decreases variation and maintains consistent quality of the process output. This leads to defect reduction and improvement in profits, product quality and customer satisfaction.

Six Sigma experts (Green Belts and Black Belts) evaluate a business process and determine ways to improve upon the existing process.