CMMI is a well-known and standardized model for assessing and improving software and systems development processes. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. CMMI was developed at the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute (SEI). The current version, 1.2, was published in 2006 and is being adopted worldwide. This book provides hands-on experience and will help the reader to gain an understanding of CMMI. It is an introduction to the model and its fundamental ideas. Through numerous examples, it helps the reader to get started with CMMI and to understand the interrelationship among model components (practices, goals, and process areas). The book covers the following topics: Model-based process improvement Overview of CMMI components History of CMMI and comparison to CMM Process areas of CMMI models Application, potential, and limitations of CMMI