CMMI Level 3!

I've spent the last year and a half of my career getting my company ready for this. CMMI is a process improvement framework that provides standards for implementing process improvement across 22 process areas (things like risk management, measurement and analysis, project planning, etc). There were so many processes to institutionalize within the company before going into the appraisal (18 of the 22 areas for Level 3). Some companies get to level 3 faster but we took our time and made sure it was done the right way. The appraisal went pretty smoothly because of that.

The appraisal lasted 2 weeks and the appraisal team consisted of a mixed group of employees and external (independent) appraisers. I was actually on the appraisal team and yes, they monitor this conflict of interest. We reviewed about 500 documents from the organization and interviewed 19 employees (keep in mind our company only has about 85 people).

I wasn't sure what to expect during the interviews. You just never know what people are going to say. I was floored by the amount of positive things employees had to say about Platinum Solutions and the processes our Quality Management Group has implemented. The team made fun of me because I kept saying how the interviews gave me "warm fuzzies". It makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile which gives me a reason to get up and keep going to work each day.

Most days went well. We had one really long day where even the most patient team members lost their cool. That's what happens at 1am when you've worked 16 hours and still see no end in sight. It was stressful but we made it!

The appraisal team has determined that we are CMMI Level 3 compliant. Now the findings go back to the Software Engineering Institute for review and final approval. We were actually chosen for a random audit by the SEI so they have already audited our appraisal along the way. While that made us nervous when we initially heard about it, we can now be confident that they will come back with an approval. And bonus- no one will be able to question the integrity of our appraisal since it was audited. We should have our official Level 3 rating within the month.

I always find it strange how big events are so anticlimactic. I feel like there should be a huge event that marks the moment in time. Today, the final day of the appraisal, when we knew we were getting Level 3, I could have cried. (I didn't.) I had no idea how much stress and anxiety I've been carrying around about this appraisal. The successful appraisal confirms that the work I've been doing is good. It's a major milestone for the organization and for my career. I'm not sure I could have recovered to continue working towards Level 3 if we had failed.

As soon as I got home, I passed out. All of the stress built up over a year and a half just flowed out and I was exhausted. Now I have this feeling of not knowing what to do with myself anymore. I get to go to work like a normal person without this constant pressure of getting to Level 3 looming over me. I've become accustomed to the pressure; being stress-free (ok, who am I kidding?, but maybe less stressed) is foreign now. I kinda like this new feeling.