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by Jtsummers 2154 days ago
CMMI isn't a process, it's a process model. Or that's what they like to emphasize.

The distinction is this: You can't take the CMMI model and execute on it, it lacks sufficient detail. Superficially, if you read the model and try to execute on it you will end up with Waterfall. What you're supposed to do (and why they're making CMMI 2.0) is map your existing processes (or develop new ones) to the model. That is, if you look at the things required for verification it's not complex: you need test cases, test reports, and some other things. It doesn't have to be heavy weight, point out your test scripts and reporting system (CI/CD platforms all have these) and how you maintain them and train people to use them. Done. But if you're not careful, people will write your process per the CMMI model and it's absolutely junk (witnessed in last job, one of the reasons I left).

CMMI 2.0's problem is that it's written as if Agile (Big-A) is the one true God. But it will almost certainly suffer the same implementation issue, it's not a process but people will try to make it one. As such, the resulting processes they do make will be process theater and hinder work, or at best have no effect but to waste some corporate resources. It does lay out a case, better than the previous CMMI model, for picking and choosing parts of the model to implement and get certified on. So that may help a little bit (less all-or-none attitude).