Review By: Noreen Dertinger
06/09/2005As the world of process improvement in software technology continues to evolve, this field is becoming more competitive. To have long-term success, it is important to have solid, cost-effective, and repeatable processes in place--that is where Michael West's book, "Real Process Improvement Using CMMI," comes into play. As West points out in the introduction, not using or not having been appraised at a CMMI maturity level does not necessarily mean that an organization is in a state of chaos and doomed for failure. Conversely, having implemented CMMI does not necessarily guarantee success.

"Real Process Improvement Using CMMI" is intended for all levels of professionals in the software development process, from testers and programmers to senior executives, interested in improving the workings of their organization. This book will be of special interest to people who are responsible for process improvement.

West has organized the material in this book in a logical manner beginning with the entry level professional that has not had previous exposure to CMMI. It should be noted though, that readers who are already familiar with the topic will probably benefit the most from the subtleties he brings into his advanced treatment of the topic. Those who are already familiar with the subject matter will be able to pick and choose which chapters they should read. The writing style is clear and not overly technical. Many topics are further supported with the use of charts and tables.

Every software development professional should have at least a passing familiarity with process improvement and CMMI. Michael West provides insights that are both highly relevant to current development practices and practical to follow. From an experienced software tester's perspective, "Real Process Improvement Using the CMMI" was a useful and interesting read. It allowed me to see through the eyes of managers and process improvement professionals in our organization. For managers, this book includes a significant portion on "managing the process improvement project" and "process improvement strategies that work."

Mr. West's approach to CMMI acknowledges that some organizations can be successful without following a CMMI process. He does not advocate hastily dumping existing processes that work for completely new ones in a "slash and burn" style.

For me, the highlight of the book is the concluding chapter titled "Process Improvement Myths and Methodologies." If I had to provide a practical, achievable process improvement plan, this book would serve as one of my main references.

West’s book, "Real Process Improvement Using the CMMI," provides a good basis for learning about the CMMI in a concise volume. He provides insight, approaches, and techniques for achieving success using CMMI, but doesn't promise that this book will guarantee achievement of a maturity level or provide a silver bullet for implementing CMMI, or achieve process improvement. However, by studying, adapting, and applying the many practical examples he provides, the reader will have made great progress toward achieving CMMI and desired process improvement goals.