This document contains a presentation by Bill Smith on lessons learned from process improvement initiatives. The presentation includes 10 lessons: 1) Treat process improvement like a project; 2) Involve future users when developing processes; 3) Understand root causes of problems before assigning blame; 4) Avoid a one-size-fits-all improvement approach; 5) Walk before you run when implementing changes; 6) Keep an open mind; 7) Process improvement and compliance are not the same; 8) Plans without implementation are meaningless; 9) You may lose people and that's okay; and 10) Consider dissenting opinions. The presentation provides examples and references to support each lesson.
1. SEPG North America 2012
Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger:
My Process Improvement
Lessons Learned
3/9/2012
Bill Smith, CEO
Leading Edge Process Consultants LLC
www.CmmiTraining.com
2. All slides contained in this presentation are Copyright 2012 by Leading
Edge Process Consultants LLC – even though I left our logo and
copyright information off the individual slides to give them a “cleaner”
look. So, what does this mean? Please don't copy, modify, or otherwise
use any of these slides without my written permission.
Plus, the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) would like you to know that
CMM Integration℠, IDEAL℠, SCAMPI℠, SCAMPI Lead Appraiser℠, and
SEPG℠ and are all service marks of Carnegie Mellon University. There’s
more. Capability Maturity Model® and CMMI® are registered in the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office by Carnegie Mellon University.
Sorry, but my lawyer made me add all this stuff, and he only speaks
legalese. I promise the rest of your time with me will be a bit more
interesting. Thank you for your patience.
Bill
5. “Out of life’s school of war:
What does not destroy
me, makes me stronger.”
Friedrich Nietzsche, 1889.
Often paraphrased as “What
doesn’t kill you makes you
stronger.”
6. Or
to put a
more modern,
less depressing
spin on it…
7. “Next time you feel like
It’s just one of those days
When you just can’t seem to win
If things don’t turn out the way you
planned
Figure something else out
Don’t stay down, try again, yeah…
Everybody makes mistakes,
Everybody has those days…
Nobody’s perfect!”
“Hannah Montana aka Miley Cyrus on the stage of Hannah Montana Tour,” Author: Hannah Montana
Mike Schmid from Hollywood CA. Photo in public domain, used here under the
following license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
“Nobody’s Perfect”
2007
8. So that you can avoid
some of the mistakes
I’ve seen
and sometimes even
made…
79. • We rigorously
estimate process
development time
• We develop a detailed
schedule
• We track actual
progress in detail
• Successful ML3
appraisal – on time!
80. #1
Make Process
Improvement a
See also: “Unplanned process
improvement is wishful thinking,” Watts
Humphrey
Project
82. 10. Don’t Ignore the Naysayers; They
May Be Right
9. You May Lose People… and That’s
Okay
8. “And Then a Miracle Happens” Is Not
a Deployment Plan
7. Process Improvement and
Compliance Are Not Synonymous
6. Keep an Open Mind
83.
84. References
• Smith, Bill. My life (Pittsburgh PA metro area, Washington DC metro area, et al: 1961
to date).
• Chrissis, Mary Beth, et al. CMMI® Third Edition: Guidelines for Process Integration and Product Improvement.
(Boston: Addison-Wesley, 2010).
• Garcia, Suzanne, and Turner, Richard. CMMI® Survival Guide: Just Enough Process Improvement. (Boston:
Addison-Wesley, 2007).
• Gerrard, Matthew, and Nevil, Robbie. “Nobody’s Perfect” (song). (Walt Disney: 2007). (Popularized by Miley
Cyrus as “Hannah Montana.”)
• Humphrey, Watts S. Managing the Software Process. (New York: Addison-Wesley, 1990).
• Martin, Roger. “Changing the Mind of the Corporation,” Harvard Business Review, November-December 1993.
• Nietzsche, Friedrich. Twilight of the Idols, or, How to Philosophize with a Hammer, 1889.
• Nonaka, Ikujiro. “The Knowledge-Creating Company,” Harvard Business Review, November-December 1991.
• Senge, Peter, et al. The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations.
(New York: Doubleday 1999).
85. For More Information
Appraisals Training
Mary Segnit Bill Smith
Coaching & Consulting
www.CmmiTraining.com
Editor's Notes
Basically:Don’t steal our stuff!We’ll use some terms that are trademarks or service marks of the SEI.
Please feel free to contact Bill directly at:bill@cmmitraining.com571-490-3229 (office)571-232-0146 (cell)