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Kiril's web log
SPIN-BG Meeting, a good day for CMMI in Bulgaria :) 
Thursday, October 6, 2005, 10:02 PM - CMMI, CMMI Implementation, CMMI Publications, Personal
We had a meeting of spin-bg group. I had prepared a presentation on

1. "Intermediate Concepts of CMMI" course
2. CMMI Continuous Representation
3. The future of CMMI

The meeting was really good. Probably the first really interactive meeting that got people talking and sharing experience.

This I think started with our previous meeting where we had a guest lecturer. As one guy put it people start to feel comfortable sharing ideas and experiences and this is going to help the industry I hope.

There were also some good initiatives to share experiences on tool evaluation and implementation of certain practices.

I hope this spirit is not going to die out and bigger part of the industry is going to look at improvement, They really need to there are still companies around that do not even use simple source control

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Completed - Intermediate Concepts of CMMI 
Monday, September 19, 2005, 03:27 PM - CMMI, CMMI Publications, Intermediate Concepts, Personal
Finally, it is over and even better I passed the Intermediate Concepts of CMMI training with excellent rating.

I must say it is one of the most interesting learning exercises I have ever had. It basically converts the static built up CMMI knowledge from the Intro course and self study into a clear, lively and vivid picture of a better way of making software. I think it can be best compared to the difference of looking at house blueprints and taking tour of a constructed building.

The course it self takes five days. The first day covers the CMMI model concepts – capability levels, maturity levels, representations, model components. The next three days are dedicated to review of the 25 process areas and some practical exercises. The great part is that the process areas are presented largely by the students and a very good discussion of each area occurs following the formal presentation. The exercises are also very well designed to help combine the knowledge of the different process areas into one idea of an interrelated process model.

The last day is dedicated to examination on the contents of the CMMI standard. The examination is not hard if you have studied thoroughly the standard, but I think one has to do quite a bit of self reading to pass. In my case I had spend great deal of my time in the last two months going over the complete standard and the first 6 chapters of both representations. If I have to give advice on the preparation it is best to get the Addison-Wesley book on CMMI. It combines both representations into single reading material and contains small modifications making the reader's life much easier.

So as they say the more you know the better your understanding is of how much more there is to learn. I have now started my journey into PSP and Six Sigma as two supporting bodies of knowledge to help better implement the CMMI. About PSP there is an excellent PSP self study course available from SEI site, it is free, but requires registration and is for private use only. For those wanting to just get feel of what this process thing is about an interesting Video Presentation with Watts S. Humphrey is available as well.

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Learning Aids 
Monday, September 5, 2005, 11:44 PM - CMMI, CMMI Implementation, Intermediate Concepts, Personal
To facilitate my learning of the CMMI I have developed an Excel sheet containing the titles of all CMMI key elements Process Areas (arranged by maturity level and Category), Specific Goals, Specific Practices, Generic Goals and Generic Practices.

I hope it may be of use to someone else trying to get grasp of this vast body of knowledge.


CMMI_breakdown.xls

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Going for ‘Intermediate Concepts of CMMI’ course 
Wednesday, August 31, 2005, 05:14 PM - CMMI, CMMI Publications, Intermediate Concepts, Personal
As the start of the course approaches I am now investing a lot of time in studying CMMI standards.

I have now completed my pre class assignment for the course. I would like to make it available to all as a possible help in understanding Integrated Project Management process area better, here is the link to it Integrated Project Management.ppt. It is also available in the 'Files' section on the right side bar.

I will try to put narration to it in the coming days to make it easier to use and more informative.

Please if anyone gets the presentation let me know what you think of it.

-Kiril

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I am back from vacation 
Tuesday, August 30, 2005, 02:49 PM - Personal
Here I am back form vacation. I was for a first time on an "all inclusive" type of vacation. I must admit this is the laziest way to spend some time. I was with my family (daughter and girl friend) at Hotel Rubin in the St. Kostantin & Elena resort in north Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast.

Above is a picture of the beach, sea and the swimming pool in front of our hotel.

Here is my daughter on the side of the pool in front of the hotel. Our room was on second floor, exactly behind my daughter's head on the picture.

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