Strengthening CMMI Maturity Levels with a Quantitative Approach to Root-Cause Analysis

This paper discusses and analyses the opportunity to approach a typical TQM qualitative technique such as Root-Cause Analysis (RCA), expressed with the well-known Ishikawa (or Fishbone) diagrams, in a quantitative manner. Adding a control measure at the end of each ‘cause bone’ can help decision-makers in their determination of corrective/improvement actions to take in terms of how much to introduce into the related action plan in the way of resources. The ISO 15939 Measurement Information Model can be the appropriate technique to help derive such measures, as it overcomes the intrinsic limitations of Orthogonal Defect Classification (ODC) by providing direct process improvement at ML2 on Measurement & Analysis (ME) and at ML3 on Organisational Process Focus (OPF), in particular taking care of the specific practice SP1.4 concerning the establishment of the organisation’s measurement repository), as well as on the General Practice GP2.8 (Monitor & Control the Process) across all the process areas involved in each single cause-effect analysis. The communication issue is discussed, an alternative way to express Ishikawa diagrams is proposed (Mind Maps), and how Mind Maps can facilitate the diffusion of RCA and its quantitative variant (Q-RCA) into organisations, and subsequently be used by organisations, is shown.