What are CMM and CMMI? What is the difference between the two?

In this article we take up two very important topics CMM and CMMI! Though these two concepts sound too much similar with only a difference of “I” there is a whole lot of difference between the two. 

The CMM stands for “capability maturity model whereas the CMMI stands for capability maturity model integration. 

What is CMM?

- CMM was born as a registered service mark of the CMU (Carnegie Mellon University). 

- CMM is quite a popular model these days that was created post the study of some data that was collected from many different organizations which had made a contract with the USDD (U.S. department of defense), the organization that had funded the whole research. 

- This model is regarded as the birth point for the engineering giant SEI or software engineering institute.

- An effective approach for improving the quality of the software system or application that is under development can be planned by applying this model to that concerned software system or application. 

- Previously, it was thought that the CMM model can only be applied to the software systems and applications.

- But eventually it was proved it cane be very effectively applied to the other processes as well. Gradually a concept of this model was developed which could also be applied to the business.

What is CMMi?

- CMMI is the abbreviation for capability maturity model integration.

- It is rather like a simple approach for improving the processes whose basic aim lies in helping the organizations in improving their overall performance.

- Unlike CMM, CMMI can effectively drive the improvement process across a whole organization, project or even across a division of the organization. 

- Current version 1.3 of CMMI is supportable by most of the organizations. 

- With the aid of CMMI, following things can be done:

1. Traditionally separate organizational functions can be properly integrated.
2. Process improvement priorities as well as goals can be set.
3. Guidance for quality processes can be provide and
4. A point of reference for the appraisal of the current processes can be provided etc.

To say three major aspects are addressed in CMMI as mentioned below:

1. Product and service development
2. Service establishment, management and delivery and
3. Product and service acquisition.

Differences between CMM and CMMi

Now let us clearly state what all the differences among these two! 

- Firstly the CMM was developed for software systems and applications whereas the CMMI was developed as a means for the integration of the past and future models and build some initially integrated models. 

- Gradually, CMM models gained success and found their use in the following concepts also:

1. Systems engineering
2. Software acquisition
3. Integrated public development
4. Software quality assurance and so on.

- Though all the above mentioned CMMs proved to be quite useful they presented some of the drawbacks also as mentioned below:

1. They were overlapping.
2. They were contradicting
3. They lack an understandable interface
4. They lack standardization and
5. They all displayed different levels of detail etc.

All these drawbacks led to a quite expensive and utter confusing improvement programs that conflicted with one another. 

- CMMI is nothing but an upgraded version of the CMM which has got much wider applications than CMM. 

- CMM model can be considered to be a reference model constituting of matured practices in a discipline that is specified but difficult to integrate as and when needed. On the other hand, the CMMI can be considered to be a more matured set of practices as well as guidelines. 

- It was resultant of the combination of the best components of individual disciplines of CMM. 

What constitutes the testing process of web applications?

Web engineering testing process starts with tests that check content and interface functionality. As testing moves further, navigation testing comes into picture and finally tests are done which check the technological capabilities not visible to end users.

Content testing uncovers errors in content.It examines the static as well as the dynamic content of the web application.

Interface testing validates the aesthetic aspects of user interface. It uncovers errors that have occurred due to interaction, omissions, ambiguities.

Navigation testing designs test cases that tests each user scenario against navigation design. Navigation mechanisms are tested against use cases to ensure that any kind of errors are identified and corrected.

Component testing tests content and functional units within a web application. In web application architecture, a unit is a functional component that is directly providing service to end user.

Navigation and component testing are used as integration tests. Strategy behind integration testing depends upon the web application architecture that has been chosen during design.

Thread based testing tests each thread that is integrated tested individually.
Cluster testing uncovers errors which results due to the collaborating pages.

Configuration testing uncover errors specific to a particular client or server environment. Tests are conducted to uncover errors associated with every possible configuration.

Security testing are tests that are designed to make use of weaknesses in the web application and environment.

Performance testing is a series of tests that assess how increased load affects the web application response time and reliability.

Differences between Capability Maturity Model(CMM) and Capability Maturity Model Integration(CMMI)

Capability Maturity Model (CMM)

The Capability Maturity Model for Software (CMM) is a framework that describes the key elements of an effective software process. There are CMMs for non software processes as well, such as Business Process Management (BPM).
- The CMM describes an evolutionary improvement path from an ad hoc, immature process to a mature, disciplined process.
- The CMM covers practices for planning, engineering, and managing software development and maintenance.
- When followed, these key practices improve the ability of organizations to meet goals for cost, schedule, functionality, and product quality.
- The CMM establishes a yardstick against which it is possible to judge, in a repeatable way, the maturity of an organization's software process and compare it to the state of the practice of the industry.
- The CMM can also be used by an organization to plan improvements to its software process.
- It also reflects the needs of individuals performing software process, improvement, software process assessments, or software capability evaluations; is documented; and is publicly available.

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
- CMMI is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes.
- It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization.
- CMMI helps integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes.