Blending CMM and Six Sigma to Meet Business Goals

0 7 4 0 7 4 5 9 / 0 3 / $ 1 7 . 0 0 © 2 0 0 3 I E E E a firm basis on which to sustain the process improvement efforts. At Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), we blended Six Sigma concepts and various Software Capability Maturity Model key process areas1 into our own quality management system. We structured our QMS around SW-CMM Level 2 and Level 3 requirements—including quantitative process and product measurements and analysis, process improvements for defect prevention, and process optimization—and reinforced these with Six Sigma concepts, such as initiating Six Sigma projects for continuous improvements. In this way, TCS-QMS provides an organized structure for quality improvement and customer focus, paving the path to CMM Level 5. Here we describe our approach and its benefits, explaining how we leverage Six Sigma to gain statistical insight into the alignment of software goals and customer needs. We also discuss how our method helps initiate the cultural change required to ensure continuous improvement and effective implementation of SW-CMM’s Level 4 and 5 KPAs.