CMMI for Outsourcing: Guidelines for Software, Systems, and IT Acquisition

Book description

"By following the guidance contained in [the CMMI-ACQ and this book], you'll be able to build an organic acquisition capability that will position your organization to successfully set the scope of engagements with suppliers, keep suppliers and in-house users focused on a common picture of success, and deliver capabilities that will position your organization as a leader in your market or mission for years to come."
--From the Foreword by Brian Gallagher
Director, Acquisition Program, Software Engineering Institute

Increasingly, both commercial and government organizations are acquiring key software, systems, and IT functions instead of building them. Yet all too often, the technology solutions they purchase cannot be sustained successfully. Now there is a comprehensive solution: the CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ) model, which connects the widely adopted CMMI 1.2 framework with established industry best practices for acquisition and outsourcing.

This book is a practical introduction to the initial CMMI-ACQ and its use in all phases of technology acquisition. Developed under the leadership of the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) and General Motors (GM), the CMMI-ACQ combines CMMI's successful process discipline with techniques proven to work in GM's own extensive outsourcing program. Reflecting the unique insights of key players in the development and early implementation of the CMMI-ACQ, the book covers the entire acquisition project lifecycle, presenting real-world stories as they might occur in your own organizations, insider experiences, tips, tricks, and pitfalls to avoid.

The topics discussed here include: determining when outsourcing is and is not appropriate; developing acquisition strategies and aligning organizational structure with them; capturing accurate requirements; specifying realistic design constraints; writing effective RFPs; selecting, managing, and collaborating with suppliers; negotiating contracts; managing risk; and "measuring for success."

CMMI for Outsourcing® will be valuable to any organization that wants to achieve better results from technology acquisition. It will be especially helpful to organizations already involved with CMMI-related process improvement and to companies that partner with them.

Foreword   
Preface   
Chapter 1: Introduction to the CMMI-ACQ   
Chapter 2: Getting Started   
Chapter 3: Engineering Solutions   
Chapter 4: Delivering Solutions   
Chapter 5: Accelerating Acquisition Improvement   
Appendix: Overview of CMMI-ACQ   
Bibliography   
About the Authors   
Index  

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
    1. Dedication
  2. Praise for CMMI® for Outsourcing
  3. Foreword
    1. Set the Scope, Focus the Team, and Deliver Value
  4. Preface
    1. The Purpose of This Book
    2. Who Should Read This Book?
    3. The Organization of This Book
    4. Background and History
    5. Acknowledgments
  5. 1. Introduction to the CMMI-ACQ
    1. 1.1. What Is CMMI-ACQ?
    2. 1.2. The Structure of This Book
    3. 1.3. Our Team: Recruiting the Project Manager
    4. 1.4. Introducing the Supplier’s Representatives
    5. 1.5. The First Meeting with the Supplier’s Reps
    6. 1.6. Recruiting the Internal Customer
    7. 1.7. Meeting with the Executive Board
      1. 1.7.1. Hidden Truth Number 1: Obtain and Maintain Executive Leadership
      2. 1.7.2. Hidden Truth Number 2: Strategic Partnering Is Essential
      3. 1.7.3. Hidden Truth Number 3: Maintain Acquirer Core Competencies
      4. 1.7.4. Hidden Truth Number 4: Understand Conflicting Goals Between Suppliers and Between Suppliers and Acquirers
      5. 1.7.5. Hidden Truth Number 5: Understand the Difference Between Managing and Performing
      6. 1.7.6. Hidden Truth Number 6: Standardize Whenever Possible
    8. 1.8. The Way Forward
  6. 2. Getting Started
    1. 2.1. Charting the Strategy
    2. 2.2. A Strategy Meeting with Senior Executives
      1. 2.2.1. Deciding on the Type of Supplier Agreement
      2. 2.2.2. Defining the Roles in the Project
      3. 2.2.3. Evaluating Project Risk
      4. 2.2.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ in Developing Your Strategy
    3. 2.3. From Strategy to Plan
      1. 2.3.1. Developing the Acquirer and Supplier Work Breakdown Structures
      2. 2.3.2. Improving Your Project Estimates
      3. 2.3.3. Developing Your Project Plan
      4. 2.3.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Developing Your Project Plan
    4. 2.4. Partnering with Suppliers
      1. 2.4.1. Discovering What Fits
      2. 2.4.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Partnering with Suppliers
      3. 2.4.3. Evaluation and Negotiation
      4. 2.4.4. Appling the CMMI-ACQ to Evaluation and Negotiation
      5. 2.4.5. Signed and Sealed
      6. 2.4.6. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Signing the Agreement
      7. 2.4.7. Manage Your Suppliers Through Productive Alliances
      8. 2.4.8. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Managing Your Supplier Agreement
      9. 2.4.9. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Fostering Cooperation
    5. 2.5. Summary
  7. 3. Engineering Solutions
    1. 3.1. Focus on Value
      1. 3.1.1. Involve Customers from the Beginning
      2. 3.1.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Involving Customers
      3. 3.1.3. Significant Differentiators
      4. 3.1.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Writing Contractual Requirements
    2. 3.2. Specify Realistic Design Constraints
      1. 3.2.1. Underlying Principles and Common Design Constraints
      2. 3.2.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Developing Design Constraints
      3. 3.2.3. Goodness of Fit
      4. 3.2.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Technical Reviews
    3. 3.3. Practice Agility
      1. 3.3.1. Mind the Gap
      2. 3.3.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Analyzing and Validating Requirements
      3. 3.3.3. Controlled Requirements Changes
      4. 3.3.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Managing Requirements
    4. 3.4. Summary
  8. 4. Delivering Solutions
    1. 4.1. Treat Each Project as a Whole Endeavor
      1. 4.1.1. Work on All Aspects Concurrently
      2. 4.1.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Integrated Project Management
      3. 4.1.3. Where’s Waldo?
      4. 4.1.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Configuration Management
    2. 4.2. Manage Project Risks
      1. 4.2.1. Leave No Stone Unturned
      2. 4.2.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Risk Management
      3. 4.2.3. Keep Close Tabs on Risks
      4. 4.2.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Handling Risks
    3. 4.3. Measure for Success
      1. 4.3.1. The House of Measures
      2. 4.3.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Measuring Your Projects
      3. 4.3.3. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Developing Project Measures
      4. 4.3.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Using Data in Managing Processes
      5. 4.3.5. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Using Data in Managing Subprocesses
      6. 4.3.6. Monitor and Control Projects
      7. 4.3.7. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Monitoring Performance and Progress
    4. 4.4. Let’s Go Live (and Live to Tell About It)
      1. 4.4.1. Technology Solution Readiness
      2. 4.4.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Verifying the Acquired Product
      3. 4.4.3. Ready, Set, Go!
      4. 4.4.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Validating the Product
    5. 4.5. Summary
  9. 5. Accelerating Acquisition Improvement
    1. 5.1. The Need for Process Stability
      1. 5.1.1. A Good Hard Look in the Mirror
      2. 5.1.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Planning Process Improvement
      3. 5.1.3. Back to Basics
      4. 5.1.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Planning Process Improvement
    2. 5.2. Establish Standardized Work Processes
      1. 5.2.1. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Creating a Process Asset Library
    3. 5.3. Smooth Sailing
      1. 5.3.1. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Establishing Your Standard Processes
    4. 5.4. Leading the Charge for Change
      1. 5.4.1. Nurturing Change
      2. 5.4.2. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Training Processes
      3. 5.4.3. Riding the Waves of Change—and Having Fun
      4. 5.4.4. Applying the CMMI-ACQ to Making Incremental Improvements
    5. 5.5. Summary
  10. Overview of CMMI-ACQ
    1. A.1. Introduction
    2. A.2. Process Improvement with CMMI
      1. A.2.1. Managed Processes
      2. A.2.2. Defined Processes
      3. A.2.3. Quantitatively Managed Processes
      4. A.2.4. Optimizing Processes
    3. A.3. The Big Six: Acquisition Process Areas
      1. A.3.1. Solicitation and Supplier Agreement Development
        1. Related Process Areas
        2. Specific Practices by Goal
          1. SG 1. Prepare for Solicitation and Supplier Agreement Development
            1. SP 1.1. Develop the Acquisition Strategy
            2. SP 1.2. Identify Potential Suppliers
            3. SP 1.3. Develop Solicitation Package
            4. SP 1.4. Review the Solicitation Package
            5. SP 1.5. Distribute and Maintain Solicitation Package
          2. SG 2. Select Suppliers
            1. SP 2.1. Evaluate Proposed Solutions
            2. SP 2.2. Develop Negotiation Plans
            3. SP 2.3. Finalize Supplier Selection
          3. SG 3. Establish Supplier Agreements
            1. SP 3.1. Establish Mutual Understanding of the Agreement
            2. SP 3.2. Document Supplier Agreement
      2. A.3.2. Acquisition Management
        1. Related Process Areas
        2. Specific Practices by Goal
          1. SG 1. Manage Supplier Agreements
            1. SP 1.1. Manage Supplier Agreement Communications
            2. SP 1.2. Resolve Supplier Agreement Issues and Disputes
            3. SP 1.3. Revise Supplier Agreements
            4. SP 1.4. Close Supplier Agreements
          2. SG 2. Satisfy Supplier Agreements
            1. SP 2.1. Manage Payment to Supplier
            2. SP 2.2. Accept Acquired Product
            3. SP 2.3. Transition Product
      3. A.3.3. Acquisition Requirements Development
        1. Related Process Areas
        2. Specific Practices by Goal
          1. SG 1. Develop Customer Requirements
            1. SP 1.1. Elicit Needs
            2. SP 1.2. Develop the Customer Requirements
          2. SG 2. Develop Contractual Requirements
            1. SP 2.1. Establish Contractual Requirements
            2. SP 2.2. Allocate Contractual Requirements
          3. SG 3. Analyze and Validate Requirements
            1. SP 3.1. Establish Operational Concepts and Scenarios
            2. SP 3.2. Analyze Requirements
            3. SP 3.3. Analyze Requirements to Achieve Balance
            4. SP 3.4. Validate Requirements with Comprehensive Methods
      4. A.3.4. Acquisition Technical Solution
        1. Related Process Areas
        2. Specific Practices by Goal
          1. SG 1. Develop Technical Constraints
            1. SP 1.1. Establish a Definition of Design Constraints
            2. SP 1.2. Verify Design with Comprehensive Methods
          2. SG 2. Analyze and Verify Technical Solution
            1. SP 2.1. Verify Technical Solution
            2. SP 2.2. Analyze Interface Descriptions for Completeness
      5. A.3.5. Acquisition Validation
        1. Related Process Areas
        2. Specific Practices by Goal
          1. SG 1. Prepare for Validation
            1. SP 1.1. Select Products for Validation
            2. SP 1.2. Establish the Validation Environment
            3. SP 1.3. Establish Validation Procedures and Criteria
          2. SG 2. Validate Products or Services
            1. SP 2.1. Perform Validation
            2. SP 2.2. Analyze Validation Results
      6. A.3.6. Acquisition Verification
        1. Related Process Areas
        2. Specific Practices by Goal
          1. SG 1. Prepare for Verification
            1. SP 1.1. Select Work Products for Verification
            2. SP 1.2. Establish the Verification Environment
            3. SP 1.3. Establish Verification Procedures and Criteria
          2. SG 2. Verify Selected Work Products
            1. SP 2.1. Perform Verification
            2. SP 2.2. Analyze Verification Results
  11. Bibliography
  12. About the Authors
  13. InsideBackCover

Product information

  • Title: CMMI for Outsourcing: Guidelines for Software, Systems, and IT Acquisition
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: March 2007
  • Publisher(s): Addison-Wesley Professional
  • ISBN: 9780321477170