YaSM and CMMI for Services - CMMI-SVC

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Comparison: YaSM and CMMI®-SVC (Capability Maturity Model® Integration for Services)

Part of: YaSM vs. other service management frameworks and standards

 

Comparison: CMMI for Services (CMMI-SVC, Capability Maturity Model Integration for Services) and the YaSM service management model. Ready-to-use process templates and process diagrams for CMMI-SVC projects.
Fig. 1: CMMI for Services (CMMI-SVC) and the YaSM model

YaSM was developed with CMMI®-SVC (Capability Maturity Model® Integration for Services) [1] in mind, but YaSM should not be understood to be a "CMMI-SVC process model".

 


Shared principles: YaSM and CMMI®-SVC

The fact that CMMI-SVC and YaSM share many key principles is no coincidence, since both models cover the activities required to establish, deliver and manage services and draw on concepts from other service management frameworks and standards, such as ITIL® [2] and ISO/IEC 20000.

YaSM can thus be used in combination with the CMMI-SVC guidance and serve as a starting point for organizations that wish to adopt CMMI-SVC. We expect, however, that a number of enhancements to the YaSM processes will be needed, depending on which particular sets of CMMI-SVC goals an organization intends to fulfill. The ITIL® publications and other service management guidance may also be consulted if additional advice is needed for specific topics.

Note: YaSM is not endorsed by the authors of CMMI.

CMMI-SVC® process areas and how they relate to YaSM processes

The CMMI-SVC model contains 24 "process areas", of which 17 are "core process areas", covering basic concepts that are fundamental to process improvement in any area of interest. The other seven process areas are specific to the management of services.

The process areas are organized into four process area categories:

  • Service Establishment and Delivery
  • Project and Work Management
  • Process Management
  • Support

For every process area, CMMI-SVC specifies a number of required "specific or generic goals". For each goal, "specific or generic practices" describe the activities which are important in achieving the goals. The practices are not prescriptive - achieving the required goals in other ways is acceptable.

As the authors of CMMI state, "CMMI models provide guidance to use when developing processes [... but ...] are not processes or process descriptions, [... and ...] the process areas of the CMMI model typically do not map one to one with the processes used in an organization" [Forrester et al., 2011].

This explains why there is not a one-to-one relationship between the CMMI-SVC process areas and the YaSM processes. In most cases there are several YaSM processes which support the specific and generic goals set out for each CMMI-SVC process area, as shown in the following table.

 

The table below is meant to highlight which YaSM service management processes are related to specific CMMI-SVC process areas, to illustrate that YaSM and CMMI-SVC share many important principles. Its aim is not to provide a detailed and scientifically correct cross-reference between the two models.

 

CMMI-SVC® process areas and related YaSM service management processes
CMMI-SVC® process area Related YaSM processes Notes
CAM (Capa­city and Availa­bility Manage­ment)
  • Both YaSM and CMMI-SVC stipulate that service capacity and availability must be managed, but YaSM does not contain specific capacity and availability management processes. Rather, service capacity and availability is treated as an aspect of services to be managed through the service lifecycle processes.
CAR (Causal Analysis and Reso­lution)
  • The processes listed here are only examples; other YaSM processes also perform some kind of causal analysis.
CM (Configu­ration Manage­ment)
  • -/-
DAR (Deci­sion Analysis and Reso­lution)
  • The YaSM processes listed here are the ones where those decisions are taken that matter most to the service provider; typically, such decisions are reached after analyzing and prioritizing a number of alternative options.
IRP (Incident Reso­lution and Preven­tion)
  • -/-
IWM (Integra­ted Work Manage­ment)
  • The YaSM process for setting up and maintaining the service management system (SMS) is responsible for defining, establishing and revising the service provider's processes. This includes establishing teams and the work environment.
  • Other YaSM processes are also about managing work, for example
    • Service improvement, which manages service improvement initiatives through service improvement plans.
    • Project management, which coordinates the work to be carried out as part of projects.
    • Incident and service request resolution, which organizes the activities required to resolve incidents and service requests.
MA (Measure­ment and Analysis)
  • Measures and mechanisms for data collection and reporting with respect to service quality are specified during YaSM's service design stage and implemented during the service build stage. Service operation is responsible for performing data collection and reporting.
  • The service improvement process will analyze the collected data and take corrective action if required.
  • The process for setting up and maintaining the SMS includes activities for defining and measuring process metrics, as well as for taking corrective action if processes are to be improved.
OPD (Organi­zational Process Defini­tion)
  • The YaSM process for setting up and maintaining the SMS defines, communicates, operates and improves the service management processes. This is supported by a set of service management policies.
  • There are a number of other YaSM processes establishing rules and guidelines for teams, such as the service operation and security processes.
OPF (Organi­zational Process Focus)
  • The YaSM process for maintaining the SMS performs regular process reviews and audits in order to identify weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. This may lead to the definition of process improvement initiatives which are managed through process improvement plans.
  • The strategic process assesses the organization's strengths and weaknesses from a strategic viewpoint. This may result in initiatives being launched, for example to set up new processes or additional capabilities.
OPM (Organi­zational Perfor­mance Manage­ment)
  • The YaSM process for maintaining the SMS specifies and measures process performance data in the form of process metrics. This includes setting target values for the metrics which help with identifying gaps against the organization's objectives.
  • Regular process reviews and audits identify weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. This may lead to the definition of process improvement initiatives which are managed through process improvement plans.
OPP (Organi­zational Process Perfor­mance)
  • (See notes on process area OPM above)
OT (Organi­zational Training)
  • -/-
PPQA (Process and Product Quality Assu­rance)
  • YaSM's service operation process provides reports on the achieved service quality levels. The service improvement process evaluates those reports against the agreed service levels and instigates corrective action if required.
  • The process for maintaining the SMS performs regular process reviews and audits in order to evaluate the service management processes and identify non-compliance issues. This may lead to the definition of process improvement initiatives which are managed through process improvement plans.
QWM (Quanti­tative Work Manage­ment)
  • The quality objectives for services are established in the form of service definitions and service agreements under the responsibility of the service portfolio management process.
  • The service operation process contains activities for monitoring the achieved service quality. If the measured service quality is out of line with the agreed service levels, the service improvement process will typically try to identify the root causes and take corrective action.
  • The process for maintaining the SMS establishes objectives for the service management processes; it also defines and measures suitable process metrics for monitoring process performance. If the processes do not achieve their defined objectives, this will typically lead to an analysis of the root causes and the instigation of corrective action.
REQM (Require­ments Manage­ment)
  • The service requirements are defined and documented in the form of service definitions during service design. The service provider and the customer will typically sign a customer service agreement, representing a commitment by the service provider to deliver the service as specified in the service definition.
  • The service improvement process is responsible for ensuring on an ongoing basis that the services delivered are in line with the agreed requirements.
RSKM (Risk Manage­ment)
  • Risks affecting the service provider's business model as a whole are assessed during strategic reviews. This may lead to the definition and implementation of suitable responses to the identified strategic risks.
  • A number of other YaSM processes are tasked with managing risks of particular types, for example security risks or risks associated with critical, disruptive events.
SAM (Supplier Agree­ment Manage­ment)
  • -/-
SCON (Service Conti­nuity)
  • -/-
SD (Service Deli­very)
  • The services to be delivered and the approach for their delivery are defined during the service design stage. The service build process is responsible for preparing the organization for service delivery.
  • Customer relationship management will typically sign a service agreement with every customer who wishes to use a service as specified in a service definition.
  • Actual service delivery and maintenance of the service systems is the responsibility of the service operation process.
SSD (Service System Develop­ment)
  • YaSM's service design process identifies the service requirements and stakeholder needs; based on these requirements, it specifies the service components which are necessary to deliver the services.
  • The service build process is responsible for implementing the services and its constituent components, in line with the specified requirements.
  • The service operation and improvement processes contain activities to ensure that customer and stakeholder needs are satisfied during actual service delivery.
SST (Service System Transi­tion)
  • The approach for developing and deploying services is established during the service design stage in the form of a service implementation blueprint.
  • The actual deployment of the service components is the responsibility of the service build process. In many cases, project management will coordinate the deployment activities.
  • Assessing and controlling the impacts of the service transition is achieved by involving the change assessment and configuration management processes.
STSM (Strategic Service Manage­ment)
  • YaSM's strategic process typically reviews the range of services offered to customers on a regular basis, based on an analysis of the service provider's capabilities, customer needs, technological advancements, and other factors.
  • Once it is decided which services are to be part of the service portfolio, the service design process is called upon to define the service properties, including the service quality levels to be achieved.
WMC (Work Moni­toring and Control)
  • Service operation defines the operational work to be carried out for each service. The service improvement process will verify if the operational activities are carried out as specified and take corrective action if required.
  • The process responsible for maintaining the SMS defines the operational activities for each process. Regular process reviews will assess if the operational activities are carried out as specified. If any deficiencies are detected, this will typically result in corrective action being instigated.
  • As for work in the context of projects, monitoring of progress, analyzing of issues and under-taking of corrective action is the responsibility of project management.
WP (Work Planning)
  • Service operation defines and plans the operational work to be carried out for each service. This process also ensures that sufficient resources are available for operating the services.
  • The process responsible for maintaining the SMS defines and plans the operational activities for each process. It also ensures that sufficient resources are available for operating the processes.
  • Work in the context of projects is planned by the project management process.

 

References

  • [Forrester & al., 2011] Forrester, Eileen C., Buteau, Brandon L. & Sandy Shrum: CMMI for Services: Guidelines for Superior Services. - 2nd edition. Pearson Education, Inc.; River, NJ, USA, December 2011.

Notes

[1] CMMI® and Capability Maturity Model® are registered trademarks of Carnegie Mellon University.
[2] ITIL® is a registered trademark of AXELOS Limited.

Is based on: The YaSM Process Map. - Document: "YaSM and CMMI® for Services (CMMI-SVC)"

By:  Stefan Kempter Author: Stefan Kempter, IT Process Maps GbR  and  Andrea Kempter Contributor: Andrea Kempter, IT Process Maps GbR, IT Process Maps.

 

Shared principles: YaSM and CMMI®-SVC  › CMMI®-SVC and related YaSM processes