iSQI TMMi-P_Syll2020 - TMMi - Test Maturity Model Integration Professional

A typical business reason for starting a test improvement program is to achievehigher productivity. Test process improvements can lead to better efficiency in test execution, reduction of defects, and optimised resource usage, all of which contribute to the overall productivity of the organisation. By improving testing processes, organisations can reduce time-to-market and minimise costs associated with fixing defects post-production, which in turn boosts productivity.

This statement is not true regarding a staged model. In astaged model, such as TMMi, organisations must follow a pre-defined path through maturity levels, and the process areas are organised in a fixed order that must be achieved sequentially. Each maturity level forms the foundation for the next, meaning that an organisation cannot achieve process areas at different capability levels independently, as is possible in acontinuousmodel like CMMI. The staged model is designed to ensure that each process area is fully implemented and institutionalised before progressing to the next maturity level.

Defect Preventionis aTMMi Level 5process area. This process area focuses on identifying the root causes of defects and implementing preventive measures to avoid their recurrence. At TMMi Level 5, the goal is to optimize processes and move from defect detection to defect prevention.

Advanced ReviewsandTest Measurementare Level 4 process areas, whileOrganizational Innovation and Deploymentis part of CMMI, not TMMi.

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Defect Preventionis a key process area inTMMi Level 5, focusing on continuous process improvement and defect avoidance​​.

In theInitiating phaseof a test improvement cycle, one of the key activities is toCharter Infrastructure. This activity involves setting up the structure needed to support the improvement effort, such as establishing a project board and defining responsibilities. This phase focuses on creating the foundational support for the test improvement initiative.

ISO/IEC 15504, which is known for its process assessment model, was not one of the sources used during the development of the TMMi model. The TMMi model was developed using inputs from sources such as the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), international testing standards (like those from ISO and IEEE), and industry testing best practices surveys. While the ISO/IEC 15504 model has relevance to general process assessments, it was not specifically referenced in the creation of the TMMi.

With a 40% achievement in the Test Planning process area, the rating would be "Partly achieved." According to TMMi, a process area is rated "Partly achieved" when the percentage of achievement is between 15% and 50%. This indicates that some practices have been implemented, but significant improvement is still required to meet the full requirements of the process area.

The specific practice"Establish the Organization’s Test Process Database"is found within theTest Lifecycle and Integrationprocess area, which is part ofTMMi Level 3. This process area aims to establish standardized test processes across the organization, including maintaining atest process databasethat holds process-related information and data for reuse and continuous improvement.

TMMi References:

TheTest Lifecycle and Integrationprocess area is responsible for establishing and maintaining organizational test process assets, including the test process database​​.

Both Test Organization and Test Training Program are process areas associated with TMMi Level 3 (Defined). At this level, the organisation establishes a formal test organisation and ensures that there is a dedicated test training program. This helps to institutionalise testing as a profession and ensures the systematic development of skills needed for testing activities across the organisation.

Planning pokeris an Agile technique commonly used to estimate effort, and it can be adapted for use in theTest Planningprocess area to help estimate test efforts (SG3: Establish Test Estimates). This collaborative technique brings stakeholders together to estimate the effort required for tasks by assigning numerical values in a consensus-driven manner. It is particularly effective in Agile environments where estimation is iterative and frequently updated based on evolving project needs​.