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Glossary Term Capability Maturity Model for Software

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What is Capability Maturity Model for Software?

A maturity model for software quality management with five levels (Initial, Repeatable, Defined, Managed, Optimizing), each containing key practices for process improvement.

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Understanding Capability Maturity Model for Software

Maturity model focused on quality management processes and has five maturity levels that contain several key practices within each maturity level. Developed by the Software Engineering Institute, this model evaluates an organization's software development processes against five maturity levels: Initial, Repeatable, Defined, Managed, and Optimizing. Each level represents increasing process sophistication and quality. While CMM has been largely superseded by CMMI, its concepts remain influential in process improvement. Organizations implement CMM or CMMI principles through process documentation, metrics, improvement initiatives, and organizational change management. For example, a government contractor might implement CMMI Level 4 processes to demonstrate quantitative project management capabilities as required for certain contracts. Related terms: CMMI, Process improvement, Software development lifecycle, Quality management, Maturity assessment, Process capability.

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