Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI)

1.4.3 Obtain Initial Objective Evidence
Activity
Description
Required
Practices
Parameters
and Limits
Optional
Practices
The appraisal team leader will request that the organization provides detailed
data on the implementation of practices in the organization. The appraisal
team leader is free to specify the format to be used and the level of detail to be
provided, knowing that anything that is not provided in advance must be
collected later in the appraisal process. There are no minimum requirements
set by the method with respect to completeness or detail in this initial data set.
However, the effort required to conduct a SCAMPI appraisal is a direct
function of the amount of data available to the team at the beginning of the
process. Before the appraisal outputs can be created, the team will need to
verify objective evidence for each instantiation of each practice within the
scope of the appraisal. For detailed requirements on the sufficiency of data,
refer to process 2.2, Verify and Validate Objective Evidence.
The use of a completely populated PII database is desirable but not essential
at this stage in the appraisal process. The appraisal team leader must provide
an opportunity for the organization to provide it, but will not require it unless
the sponsor has agreed that this will be a verification-oriented appraisal (as
opposed to a discovery-oriented appraisal).
A “mapping” of implemented practices and model practices is required, and
may be generated using questionnaires (see activity 1.4.2).
Obtain documentation reflecting the implementation of model practices
within the organizational unit and sampled projects.
At a minimum, the organization must provide a list of documents that are
relevant to understanding the processes in use in the organizational unit and
the sampled projects. This list must be mapped to the model practices that are
in the scope of the appraisal.
A list of terms and important jargon used in the organizational unit may be
provided to the team, to aid in communicating with the members of the
organization.
A complete objective evidence database, which documents the
implementation of every model practice (within the scope of the appraisal) in
the organizational unit and the sampled projects, may be provided to the team
in advance.
The use of database tools specifically built to support a process appraisal is
highly recommended.
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CMU/SEI-2001-HB-001