TOPIC: Integrating Lean, Six Sigma, and CMMI

The CMMI approach to process improvement has become widely accepted in the software industry. However, many software producing organizations are parts of larger system and product manufacturers where the Six Sigma approach also has become established, typically in manufacturing. Now, executives are pressuring their software organizations to adopt Six Sigma (and Lean) in addition to CMMI. These three approaches use different terminology, are promoted by different vendors, and sponsored by different professional societies – increasing the chances of conflict among the resulting initiatives.
This presentation will introduce the basic concepts of high maturity (Levels 4 and 5) in the CMMI, and then discuss how the Six Sigma approach and Lean principles can be integrated into the CMMI framework. This integration may occur at three levels:
Utilization of Six Sigma techniques to implement individual CMMI practices
Adoption of the DMAIC and DFSS cycles for segments of the CMMI structure
Integration of Six Sigma and CMMI initiatives (especially planning and training)
Rather than creating conflict, these approaches can be implemented synergistically. In particular, the CMMI creates a need for Six Sigma skills, that otherwise might not be utilized to their fullest. Adoption of Six Sigma ad Lean helps to ensure that the CMMI initiative does not become an exercise in satisfying documentation requirements. Together, these approaches encourage systematic and measurable process improvement.

David N. Card is the Managing Director of the USA unit of Det Norske Veritas IT Global Services. Previous employers include the Software Productivity Consortium, Computer Sciences Corporation, Lockheed Martin, and Litton Bionetics. Dave is an internationally recognized expert in software measurement and process improvement. He has worked extensively with high maturity organizations where mastery of quantitative and statistical methods is essential to success. Dave spent one year as a Resident Affiliate at the Software Engineering Institute. He worked as a member of the research team of the NASA Software Engineering Laboratory for seven years. Dave is the author of Measuring Software Design Quality (Prentice Hall, 1990), co-author of Practical Software Measurement (Addison Wesley, 2002), and co-editor ISO/IEC Standard 15939: Software Measurement Process (International Organization for Standardization, 2002). Dave also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Systems and Software. He is a Senior Member of the American Society for Quality.

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Integrating Lean, Six Sigma, and CMMI