CMMIDEV

CMMIDEV, commonly written as CMMI-DEV or CMMI for Development, is a process-improvement framework that guides organizations in developing and delivering products and software. It defines a set of process areas and practices aimed at improving lifecycle activities such as requirements management, design, implementation, verification, validation, configuration management, measurement, and project management. The model was developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University and is now administered by the CMMI Institute. It evolved from the Capability Maturity Model for Software and has been updated through multiple versions to reflect industry practices.

CMMIDEV offers two representations: a staged representation with maturity levels and a continuous representation focusing on capability levels for individual process areas. In the staged approach, organizations progress through levels that add process capabilities; in the continuous approach, they improve by target capability levels for selected areas.

Key process areas include Requirements Management, Technical Solution, Product Integration, Verification, Validation, Configuration Management, Measurement and Analysis, Process and Product Quality Assurance, Project Management, and Supplier Management.

Appraisal and evaluation are performed using SCAMPI, with Class A appraisals used for formal assessments of capability or maturity. CMMIDEV is widely used in software, systems engineering, and hardware-intensive sectors such as defense, aerospace, automotive, and healthcare, and it is often aligned with ISO standards.

Critics point to potential cost and bureaucratic overhead, while supporters highlight structured process improvement and risk reduction. The model remains in use and has evolved to emphasize flexibility and outcomes.