Is Achieving CMMI High Maturity Tougher Now?

Few years back, major changes were introduced to CMMI and SCAMPI (Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement): Starting 1st Nov 2006, ADS v1.1 ceased to be functional and was replaced by ADS v1.2. SCAMPI Appraisals conducted thereafter started reporting the Appraisal Findings or the Appraisal Disclosure Statement (ADS) using ADS v1.2. *Starting 1st Sep, 2007, CMMI v1.1 ceased to be functional and was replaced with CMMI v1.2. CMMI Implementations across organizations thereafter were performed using CMMI v1.2. Starting 1st Sep, 2007, SCAMPI v1.1 ceased to be functional and was replaced with SCAMPI v1.2. SCAMPI Appraisals thereafter were conducted using SCAMPI v1.2. For CMMI High Maturity Appraisals (Capability or Maturity Levels 4 or 5), separate High Maturity Lead Appraiser (HMLA) qualification procedure was introduced. All Lead Appraisers were made to apply and qualify as HMLA before being allowed to lead CMMI High Maturity Appraisals. Why were CMMI and SCAMPI Changed? Other than incorporating the experiences, change requests and suggestions received from the community of practitioners and Lead Appraisers, these changes seem to have been purposed to achieve the following: Improve the ethical and rightful application of CMMI framework – in the race to a “Maturity Number”, many organizations fell into the tendency of forgetting about “Maturity” and remembering only the “Number”. The changes made it tougher to reach to the “Number” especially if it was either 4 or 5. Raise the bar – with almost everyone trying for and achieving the Maturity Level 5 status, the CMMI Model was perceived to have become lesser of a factor that could be used as a true differentiator from a business value perspective. The changes brought back higher emphasis and implementation rigor to the High Maturity practices. Did the Change to CMMI and SCAMPI Change Anything? SEI has been publishing CMMI Process Maturity Profile since last so many years. For determining the answer for the question – "Did the Change to CMMI and SCAMPI Change Anything?" – analysis of the above information available on the SEI website can be performed. The table below shows the percentage break-up of CMMI appraised organizations in two categories - upto ML3 (maturity level 3) and High Maturity (ML4 & ML5). The table above tells the story clearly. However, to leave no room for doubt a trend chart of the same is drawn below. The chart and the table show a clear declining trend in the percentage of organizations that are getting appraised at CMMI maturity level 4 and level 5. Note: For the analysis explained in this post, the CMMI Process Maturity Profile reports starting 2005-Mar through 2009-Sep have been considered. This makes it a 4-5 year period which is adequate to allow the trend to emerge quite strongly. The data on “Process Maturity Profile by All Reporting Organizations” which provides the “%CMMI Appraised Organizations” against the 5 maturity levels and also for cases where no maturity ratings were given have been considered. So did the Change to CMMI and SCAMPI Change Anything? – YES it did. It has definitely made a difference. And "Is Achieving CMMI High Maturity Tougher Now?" The answer at the end of this analysis is, YES... undoubtedly so.