Engine for Software Process Improvement
Several SEI CMMI process areas in the Process Management Team are organized to form the engine for software process improvement. The driving force for strategic software management for the organization derives from the interaction among three key process areas: organization process definition, integrated project management, and organization training. The organization process definition establishes the organization standard process. This provides the basis for senior management policies with their underlying procedures and the training program that promotes and nurtures the knowledge, skills, and behaviors within the organization’s personnel resources needed for project performance.

The integrated project management makes allowances for the lack of total correspondence between the organization standard process and the project software process. This is done by requiring an explicit statement of the project’s standard process and any adaptations and waivers that divert it from the organization standard process.

The project manager that employs the organization standard process is rewarded with project personnel resources fully trained in the practices of this process. The performance of compliant projects over time is expected to be superior to those projects that seek excessive adaptations and waivers.