CMMI and Agile Development

All too often, CMMI has been applied rather than implemented. The standards-centric application of CMMI has contributed to some spectacular failures and losses of time and money. The key difference between applying and implementing CMMI is that applying usually appears as a superimposition (or overlay) of model practices onto existing activities with an expectation of producing the example work products found in the model, rather than seeking the natural products of the organization’s processes. This misplaced focus is often the by-product of an overly strong focus
on achieving a particular appraisal rating.

In contrast, implementing CMMI is using the model in the same way that engineers and architects use models: as a learning tool, a communication tool, and a means of organizing thoughts. The more implementation-oriented an organization is, the more improvement-centric it is; thus, the focus is on maturing and growing process capabilities rather than ratings.
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CMMI and Agile can complement each other by creating synergies that benefit the organization using them. Agile methods provide software development how-to’s that are missing from CMMI best practices that work well—especially with small, co-located project teams. CMMI provides the systems engineering practices that help enable an Agile approach on large projects. CMMI also provides the process management and support practices that help deploy, sustain, and continuously improve the deployment of an Agile approach in any organization.