Mr. Phelps
English 115: Essay 3
November 14, 2012
The CMMI and the Agile Methods This paper will compare and contrast the CMMI model and the agile method model. In the software engineering profession there has passed time since professionals listen, or read with frequency in conversations, projects or e-mails, the questions about whether their businesses should implement the CMMI, or the agile methods for their software development projects. The capability maturity model integration (CMMI) is a model to make improvements and to evaluate the different processes of development, maintenance, and operation of software systems. The agile development method is one of a growing number of alternatives to traditional, process-centric software management methods with a focus on people, results, minimal methods and maximum collaboration (Highsmith, 2000). All in all, there exist some vast similitudes and differences between both models. Firstly, I will describe how both models are similar. One of the main aspects of CMMI that are equal to the agile methods is their end; improve processes in order to manage projects effectively, obtaining a successful outcome. Also, according to Turner and Jain, both models have specific rules: “process-oriented and some of the agile methods (particularly [the agile] XP [method]) have specific rules that must be followed. Agile tends to have considerably fewer rules, but the feeling of [a] group [in a project] is that this [makes] those few much more critical”. Another similitude would be that both are motivated by the desire to become a high performance organization (Turner, Jain).
Secondly, I will describe how they are different. One of the main differences in both models is how they gain customer trust. In CMMI, process infrastructure is used, whereas in the agile methods the productions of working software, and the continuous participation of the client in the project, are the means to get customer
Cited: 1. Turner, R. and A. Jain. “Agile Meets CMMI: Culture Clash or Common Cause?” XP/Agile Universe (2002): 9-26. Print. 2. Fritzsche, M. and P. Keil. “Agile Methods and CMMI: Compatibility or Conflict?” e-Informatica Software Engineering Journal 1.1 (2007): 153-165. Print.