A comparative study on CMMI tools and its assessment in the Lebanese region

Abstract

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is one of the most widely used approach by companies worldwide to improve their productivity by measuring and improving the maturity level of the processes inside the company during the early stages of the software development (Analysis & Design). This will boost automatically the efficiency of the product in its final stages: Coding, Testing & Delivery. Big companies aim to be CMMI certified because of the models good practices that once fulfilled helps in delivering - high quality software and increase the attraction of potential customers. CMMI defines five Capability-Maturity levels. All companies start at level one where the development processes are unpredictable, poorly controlled and reactive. Level 3 is the most reached one where the application development processes follow specific guidelines in order to become characterized and proactive. Most companies are satisfied with being at level 3 since going into higher levels requires lots of effort and does not return many benefits. In the Arab region generally and in the Lebanese area specifically, some initiatives to apply international Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) tools were taken by some companies to consider the improvement of the software development and the application of the CMMI models. Studies were conducted to see where the Lebanese Software Companies stand from the usage of process improvement tools. The result shows that very few companies are interested in standard improvement tools or are CMMI certified. I deducted from interviewed companies that some have a general education in the field; others dont spend much time on putting into practice the quality assurance and control activities. However, the survey shows that there is a common thought among the companies that QA/QC is nothing but theories that dont generate money in presence of working code and tight deadlines. The goal of this work is to study the Lebanese Software Companies and their current quality control practices, the probability of applying international standardized improvement processes during the early phases of the development life cycle and finally studying the CMMI Process Areas of maturity level 2 since it is the first step for companies willing to follow CMMI good model practices and get the CMMI certification. This study reveals the reasons why companies should adopt and accept process improvement tools in the early development phases and throughout the project lifecycle to reach the maturity level. Increase the companys profit and the customers satisfaction with a high quality product are examples of outcomes of this work.