Process optimization has become a key success element for organizations improving their software delivery capabilities. Successful organizations drive continuous improvement organically through an entity responsible for process management and improvement, e.g., Process Improvement Group, Engineering Process Group (EPG), or Project Management Office. The improvement group generally does its work through a continuous cycle of
- Identifying the current business needs for process improvement
- Diagnosing the state of the organization with respect to those needs
- Establishing a plan for improvement
- Acting on the plan, developing and incorporating changes into the organization's work
- Analyzing and learning from the results
Each organization brings unique knowledge and skills, but it can also leverage a wide range of industry best practices. Typically, these best practices are collected in standard models, such as CMMI, the Capability Maturity Model® – Integration. Using a model-based approach, such as a CMMI-focused one, provides a roadmap to help stage the improvements and leverages the lessons that others in industry have already learned.
