CMMI

What it is

ISACA describes CMMI's origin: "Originally created for the U.S. Department of Defense to assess the quality and capability of their software contractors, CMMI models have expanded beyond software engineering."

The outcome of a CMMI evaluation is called an appraisal, not a certificate. ISACA states: "The Performance Report is a required deliverable for CMMI Benchmark Appraisals." One documented appraisal type is the Benchmark Appraisal.

One verified rating level: ISACA's 2019 press release on a CMMI V2.0 Level 5 appraisal describes Maturity Level 5 as: "An organization operating at this level continually improve their processes based on a quantitative understanding of its business objectives and performance." This description comes from a V2.0-era appraisal and is not confirmed against a current-version primary source.

Who owns it

CMMI is marketed by ISACA under the "CMMI® Performance Solutions" brand; ISACA's own page presents CMMI Institute as tied to ISACA under this brand.

Who assesses it

ISACA states that appraisals are "led by our licensed CMMI Partners." A documented 2019 appraisal was led by a named individual described as "Principal Consultant with Process Assessment, Consulting & Training (PACT)" — the title "Lead Appraiser" does not appear verbatim in either opened source.

Levels

• Maturity Level 5 — "An organization operating at this level continually improve their processes based on a quantitative understanding of its business objectives and performance" (ISACA, 2019 CMMI V2.0 press release).