The purpose of this generic practice is to determine what is needed to perform the process and to achieve the established objectives, to prepare a plan for performing the process, to prepare a process description, and to get agreement on the plan from relevant stakeholders.
The practical implications of applying a generic practice vary for each process area.
For example, the planning described by this generic practice as applied to the Work Monitoring and Control process area can be carried out in full by the processes associated with the Work Planning process area. However, this generic practice, when applied to the Work Planning process area, sets an expectation that the work planning process itself be planned.
Therefore, this generic practice can either reinforce expectations set elsewhere in CMMI or set new expectations that should be addressed.
Refer to the Work Planning (WP) (CMMI-SVC) process area for more information about establishing and maintaining plans that define work activities. Establishing a plan includes documenting the plan and a process description. Maintaining the plan includes updating it to reflect corrective actions or changes in requirements or objectives.
The plan for performing the process typically includes the following:
- Process description
- Standards and requirements for the work products and services of the process
- Specific objectives for the execution of the process and its results (e.g., quality, time scale, cycle time, use of resources)
- Dependencies among the activities, work products, and services of the process
- Resources (e.g., funding, people, tools) needed to perform the process
- Assignment of responsibility and authority
- Training needed for performing and supporting the process
- Work products to be controlled and the level of control to be applied
- Measurement requirements to provide insight into the execution of the process, its work products, and its services
- Involvement of relevant stakeholders
- Activities for monitoring and controlling the process
- Objective evaluation activities of the process
- Management review activities for the process and the work products
Subpractices
1. Define and document the plan for performing the process.
This plan can be a stand-alone document, embedded in a more comprehensive document, or distributed among multiple documents. In the case of the plan being distributed among multiple documents, ensure that a coherent picture of who does what is preserved. Documents can be hardcopy or softcopy.
2. Define and document the process description.
The process description, which includes relevant standards and procedures, can be included as part of the plan for performing the process or can be included in the plan by reference.
3. Review the plan with relevant stakeholders and get their agreement.
This review of the plan includes reviewing that the planned process satisfies the applicable policies, plans, requirements, and standards to provide assurance to relevant stakeholders.
4. Revise the plan as necessary.
CAM Elaboration
This plan for performing the capacity and availability management process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area.
CAR Elaboration
This plan for performing the causal analysis and resolution process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area. This plan differs from the action proposals and associated action items described in several specific practices in this process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses the work group's overall causal analysis and resolution process (perhaps tailored from a standard process maintained by the organization). In contrast, the process action proposals and associated action items address the activities needed to address a specific root cause under study.
CM Elaboration
This plan for performing the configuration management process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area.
DAR Elaboration
This plan for performing the decision analysis and resolution process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area.
IRP Elaboration
This plan for performing the incident resolution and prevention process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area. This plan typically is based on an estimation of the volume and type of service incidents.
IWM Elaboration
This plan for performing the integrated work management process unites the planning for the work planning and monitor and control processes. The planning for performing the planning related practices in Integrated Work Management is addressed as part of planning the work planning process. This plan for performing the monitor-and-control related practices in Integrated Work Management can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area.
MA Elaboration
This plan for performing the measurement and analysis process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area.
OPD Elaboration
This plan for performing the organizational process definition process can be part of (or referenced by) the organization’s process improvement plan.
OPF Elaboration
This plan for performing the organizational process focus process, which is often called “the process improvement plan,” differs from the process action plans described in specific practices in this process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses the comprehensive planning for all of the specific practices in this process area, from establishing organizational process needs through incorporating process related experiences into organizational process assets.
OPM Elaboration
This plan for performing the organizational performance management process differs from the deployment plans described in a specific practice in this process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses the comprehensive planning for all of the specific practices in this process area, from maintaining business objectives to evaluating improvement effects. In contrast, the deployment plans called for in the specific practice would address the planning needed for the deployment of selected improvements.
OPP Elaboration
This plan for performing the organizational process performance process can be included in (or referenced by) the organization’s process improvement plan, which is described in the Organizational Process Focus process area. Or it may be documented in a separate plan that describes only the plan for the organizational process performance process.
OT Elaboration
This plan for performing the organizational training process differs from the tactical plan for organizational training described in a specific practice in this process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses the comprehensive planning for all of the specific practices in this process area, from establishing strategic training needs through assessing the effectiveness of organizational training. In contrast, the organizational training tactical plan called for in the specific practice of this process area addresses the periodic planning for the delivery of training offerings.
PPQA Elaboration
Examples of resources provided include the following tools:
- Evaluation tools
- Noncompliance tracking tools
QWM Elaboration
This plan for performing the quantitative work management process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area.
REQM Elaboration
This plan for performing the requirements management process can be part of (or referenced by) the work plan as described in the Work Planning process area.
RSKM Elaboration
This plan for performing the risk management process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses the comprehensive planning for all of the specific practices in this process area. In particular, this plan provides the overall approach for risk mitigation, but is distinct from mitigation plans (including contingency plans) for specific risks. In contrast, the risk mitigation plans called for in the specific practices of this process area addresses more focused items such as the levels that trigger risk handling activities.
SAM Elaboration
Portions of this plan for performing the supplier agreement management process can be part of (or referenced by) the work plan as described in the Work Planning process area. Often, however, some portion of the plan resides outside of the work group with a group such as contract management.
SCON Elaboration
This plan for performing the service continuity process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area. Alternatively, this plan can be included as part of a broader business continuity plan maintained at the organizational level.
In either case, the plan for performing the service continuity process differs from the service continuity plans described in a specific practice in this process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses the comprehensive planning for all of the specific practices in this process area, from identifying and prioritizing essential functions through analyzing results of verification and validation. In contrast, the service continuity plans called for in one of the specific practices of this process area address how to restore key services following a significant disruption in service delivery.
SD Elaboration
This plan for performing the service delivery process can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area.
SSD Addition
SSD Elaboration
This plan for performing the service system development process can be part of (or referenced by) the work plan as described in the Work Planning process area.
SST Elaboration
Overall planning for service system transition can be included in (or referenced by) the work plan, which is described in the Work Planning process area. In addition, planning associated with the transition of a particular service system is typically addressed in a service system transition plan.
This plan for performing the service system transition process differs from the plans for service system transition described in a specific practice in this process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses the comprehensive planning for all of the specific practices in this process area, from analyzing service system transition needs through assessing and controlling the impacts of the transition. In contrast, the service system transition plans called for in the specific practice of this process area address planning for specific transitions of the service system.
STSM Elaboration
This plan for performing the strategic service management process differs from the plans for standard services described in the specific practices of this process area. The plan called for in this generic practice addresses comprehensive planning for all the specific practices in the process area.
WMC Elaboration
This plan for performing the work monitoring and control process can be part of (or referenced by) the work plan, as described in the Work Planning process area.
WP Elaboration
Refer to Table 6.2 in Generic Goals and Generic Practices for more information about the relationship between generic practice 2.2 and the Work Planning (WP) (CMMI-SVC) process area.