Stat tools - when to use what

1. Box Plots: used to tell if the data set is skewed by looking at the relative positions of the median, quartiles and the tail. Easy to spot outliers.
2. Scatter Plots: when we are interested in the relationships between two attributes. Offer visual assessment.
3. Control Charts: to know whether the data is within acceptable bounds.
4. Correlation: measure the correlation between two variables. Measure the strength of relationship / association.
5. Linear Regression: express relation as a linear formula.
6. Multivariate Regression: investigate relationship between one dependent variable and two or more independent variables.

M&A Needs

M and A requires you to identify needs:

1. Management needs
2. Technical needs
3. Project needs
4. Process improvement needs
5. Product needs

To start an M and A program, identify what your management requires as measures from the following categories:

a. Schedule & progress
b. Resources & cost
c. Product size & stability
d. Product quality
e. Process Performance
f. Technology Effectiveness
g. Customer Satisfaction

1. Once you have established these measures, you might need to be more granular, may lead to further decomposition of the measure
2. You will have to review the measurements as some of it might not be as useful you might have thought earlier

Sources of Variation

Example: How many text messages on an average a 19-year-old sends in a day.

1. Natural variation: Not all students will send the same number of text messages in a day. Taking one sample will not give all the information we need.
2. Explainable variation: Are there any other reasons why asking one student will not give the average for all 19 years? There are different types of students. Girls seem to send more texts and maybe rich students send more tickets. This is explainable variation.
3. Sampling error: I take a sample of 5 students. You take a sample of 5 students. Do you think the same mean/average will be the same? We will likely not, because we will choose different people. There are infinite different samples we can take from a population. Sampling error exists because a sample is not a true representative of the entire population. Sample size matters; the larger the sample size greater is the confidence.
4. Biased sampling: Bias happens when you pick up your samples based on prejudices like not including poor students in the above example.

CMMI V1.3 CONSTELLATIONS

Adapted from SEI's V1.3 status presentation...

RD: Requirements Development
RM: Requirements Management
TS: Technical Solution
VAL: Validation
VER: Verification

SSAD: Solicitation &
Supplier
Agreement
Development
ARD: Acquisition
Requirements
Development
ATM: Acquisition
Technical
Management
AM: Agreement
Management
AVAL: Acquisition
Validation
AVER: Acquisition
Verification

SD: Service
Delivery
CAM: Capacity and
Availability
Management
SSD: Service
System
Development
SSM: Service
System
Development
SST: Service
System
Development
SC: Service Continuity
IRP: Incident
Resolution &
Prevention

CMMI V1.3 Webcast Notes

Source: Kishore Budde...

- Changes are mostly based on CRs and the intention was not to raise the bar

- To Bring clarity to High Maturity Practices (finalized version will be ready by end of March or early April)

- Simplify Generic Practices

- Increase Appraisal efficiency

- Improve Commonality across Constellations (Dev, Svc, Acq)

- Officially CMMI v1.3 is expected to be launched by Novemmber 2010

Within the model: (cannot recollect changes to individual PAs at L2 and L3, the speaker was quickly moving between topics due to limited time)

• We will get to see informative material on Customer Satisfaction ( there was no mention of it in earlier and current versions). However, no specific direct requirement in any PA
• Elimination of GG4 and GG5 (proposed - final decision is pending with SEIs CCB)
• Informative material will be added on confusing/dicy to interpret words such as: Process model, Business Objective, Sub Process etc
• While number of PAs in Level 2,3 and 4 will remain as is, we can expect an additional PA OPM - Organization Process Management at L5 (part of OPP will be here, no additional requirements)
• SPs in QPM are modified to link them well with CAR
• 'Common Cause' concept is shifted from L5 to L4
• We can expect to see informative material on Agile in about 9 PAs (so Agile officially takes its place in CMMI model)
• Words in GG1 and GP3.2 to be simplified for better understanding

• Changes	V1.2	V1.3
  Pages	560	461
  GP	17	13
  SG	50	48
  SP	173	165
  PA	22	22/23
  GG	3	3

Appraisal related: (Few are listed below. More clarification will be provided on 18th March in a seperate webinar that focusses only for Appraisal tasks)

• There will just be artifacts and Affirmation (concept of DA and InDA will be eliminated)
• Expect Minimum Scoping rules
• First Appraisal based on CMMI V1.3 can be expected in November 2011
• During the one year sunset period (Nov 2010 - Oct 2011), Organization may chose to go for implementation based on v1.2 or v1.3
• v1.2 appraisal result taken anytime before October 2011 will be valid for 3 years
• CMMI v1.3 appraisal rating validity period may be increased (under consideration)
• SEI plans to bring guidelines for SCAMPI A,B and C in one book. If thats not feasible; changes will be made to B, C handbook to reflect v1.3 changes

Transition & Training related:

• Transition from v1.2 to v1.3 will first be launched (later v1.1 to v1.3 to be launched). One take online upgrade course to complete this transition
• Lead Appraisers and Instructors in addition to taking the online course, should attempt and clear a test
• 3 day Introduction to CMMI SVC will be made available and DEV will become supplement (It is the other way round till now)
• Training material may not undergo too much of a change
• Training costs are expected to remain constant
• SEI looking at conducting 3 day Intro to CMMI SVC training through its partners (will be finalized by SEPG Conf in NA next month)

Note: All the above mentioned pointers are just to give a quick feel on what to expect in CMMI v1.3. Some of them may not see the light of the day and few new surprises can be expected.