W H I T E P A P E R

CMII — Model for

Configuration Management
(Rev B)

SUMMARY —The CMII model provides a

breakthrough CM process that accommodates change
and keeps requirements clear, concise and valid.

This breakthrough process provides the needed

business process infrastructure that is missing in
other business process improvement initiatives.

© 2003

II
CM
Institute of Configuration Management
The Home of CMII
BUSINESS PROCESS INFRASTRUCTURE
Configuration management is a multifaceted process with many elements.
Those elements are often fragmented and may exist under various names.

Each element is important in its own way. With CMII, they are brought together
under one umbrella and integrated into one cohesive unit.

Overall effectiveness, before and after integration, is measured by the ability to

accommodate change and keep released information clear, concise and valid.

As information integrity improves, the need for corrective action declines. As

corrective action declines, real improvements become increasingly robust.

In other words, as the need for fire-fighting is reduced, more resources can focus
on real improvements (new products, better processes, and so on).

To "reinvent CM" is to provide a better business process infrastructure and

thereby enable other core business processes to be more reliable and efficient.

CMII

Project Configuration Quality

Management, Management Assurance
Product (business process (validation)
infrastructure) Building
Development, the right
Life-Cycle product?
Support, (verification)
Requirements Management
Building
Etc. Change Management
the product
Release Management
(planning and right?
Data Management
business decisions) Records Management
Document Control
Library Management

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT: TWO CYCLES, NOT ONE
The project management cycle (plan, do, study and act) is ideal for demonstrat-
ing the proper role of CM and how certain key elements are integrated.

First, it must be recognized that project management is two cycles, not one. A
requirements cycle coexists with a physical item cycle.

The physical item cycle is driven by the requirements cycle. Quality assurance
activities (validation and verification) have their proper place in each cycle.

Requirements must lead and physical items must conform. A fast and efficient
change process is a prerequisite.

PLAN DO
Validate & Schedule Work Perform
Release and Baseline Authorizations Work

Requirements Physical Items

Upgrade Docu- Verify
ECNs CRB ECRs
ments & Data Conformance
Change Review Board

ACT STUDY

Project Configuration Quality

Management, Management Assurance
Product (business process (validation)
infrastructure) Building
Development, the right
Life-Cycle product?
Support, Requirements Management (verification)
Change Management Building
Etc. Release Management the product
(planning and Data Management right?
Records Management
business decisions) Document Control
Library Management

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BASELINE AND LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATORS
The scope of CM, per CMII, includes any information that could impact safety,
quality, schedule, cost, profit or the environment.

A change process cannot be fast and efficient if the information being changed
is not properly identified, structured, linked and owned.

Structures and linkages include how end-items are subdivided into hierarchies
of subordinate-level make-or-buy and repair-or-replace items.

It includes how each item at each level is linked to its own unique set of
supporting documentation and how each document is linked to its owners.

As-planned and as-released (or CMII) baselines are ideal for displaying
physical item hierarchies, supporting documents and associated changes.

Physical items, documents, forms and records are the appropriate handles for
structuring information and processing changes.

Forms are used to authorize and provide positive control of all work. Completed
forms are retained as records of work accomplished.

Use
lowest Closed-
CMII common
Baseline denominators Loop
as Change
(Requirements) "information Process
handles"
Items and Documents

Forms and Records

Meta Data

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THE "V" MODEL FOR DEVELOPMENT
Development, per the CMII model, is an 8-step process. Each step must be
taken in proper sequence and brought to proper closure.

Steps 1 and 2 serve to define the end-item application requirements and basis
for detailed design (or design basis).

Steps 1 and 2, in other words, serve to create the high-level plan.

Steps 3, 4 and 5 extend the high-level plan (design basis) into a detailed plan.
Steps 6, 7 and 8 serve to execute the detailed plan.

The importance of steps 1 and 2 cannot be overly emphasized. Those who use
this 8-step process will find the following statistics to be accurate:

Steps 1 and 2 consume less than 6% of the total development costs

and also lock in over 90% of the total life cycle costs.

Any shortcuts in the first two steps lead to slipped schedules and budget
overruns during development, and inflated support costs thereafter.

Improve
Appli-
cation Appli-
Validate cation
Reqmts and Release
Verify Conformance
End-item
Design System
Basis

Refine Product Corrective

Requirements Structure Build Modules
Action

Detailed Compo-
Design nents

The product Process Material A prototype

of development and
Source serves to validate
Standards Code
is documentation the documentation

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SPECIFIC OWNERSHIP BY CREATORS AND USERS
Each physical item has its own unique set of supporting documentation.
Changes are processed against documents. Physical items must conform.

The physical and functional characteristics of a physical item are specified in

one or more design-oriented documents.

The materials (or source code files) required to produce that same physical item
are identified its bill of material.

The processes and required tools used to produce, operate and/or maintain that
same item are described one or more process-oriented documents.

Each document is co-owned by its creator (or author) and one or more
designated users. No document is owned by a single individual.

The co-owners of each document are responsible for its integrity and have the
authority to make changes as needed (within the rules of the CM process).

Such co-ownership is a prerequisite for achieving a fast-track change process

— and a development process that is truly fast and efficient.

Appli-
cation Appli-
cation
Reqmts

End-item
PLAN DO
Design System
Validate
Basis& Schedule Work Perform
Release and Baseline Authorizations Work

Requirements
Product Physical
ModulesItems
Structure
Upgrade Docu- Verify
ECNs CRB ECRs
ments & Data Conformance
Detailed Compo-
Design nents
ACT STUDY
Process Material
and
Standards Source
Code

6 of 8
CMII FOR BUSINESS PROCESS INFRASTRUCTURE
The power of CMII is derived from integrating the CM elements in a way that
best accommodates change and keeps requirements clear, concise and valid.

An organization is as strong as its business process infrastructure is sound.

PLAN DO
Validate & Schedule Work Perform
Release and Baseline Authorizations Work

Requirements Physical Items

Upgrade Docu- Verify
ECNs CRB ECRs
ments & Data Conformance

ACT STUDY

Project Configuration Quality

Management, Management Assurance
Product (business process (validation)
Development, infrastructure) Building
the right
Life-Cycle
CMII Baselines product?
Support, (verification)
closely coupled with a
Etc. Closed-Loop and Fast-Track Change Process Building
the product
(planning and with information increments in right?
business decisions) Lowest Common Denominators
and individual documents co-owned by
Creators and Designated Users

Requirements Management
as
Change Management (CM nted)
Release Management nve
Data Management Rei
Records Management
Document Control
Library Management

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 ®

II
CM
Institute of
Configuration
Management

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