From MCC to CMM: technology transfers bright and dim

Describes lessons learned during the author's five lives in technology transfer. The author's first life came in General Electric's Space Division, where he performed research on software metrics and structured programming, and transferred technology to the pages of technical journals. His second life came at ITT's Programming Technology Center where he was responsible for transferring software measurement practices into common use across ITT's worldwide software operations. Some measurement initiatives survived, but most were short-lived. His third life came in the Human Interface Laboratory and Software Technology Program of the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC). MCC's member companies were only occasionally able to transfer the advanced technology they challenged MCC to produce. His fourth life came in directing the Software Process Program at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) where he led the team that produced the Capability Maturity Model (CMM). Although the CMM's transfer was occasionally too rapid to control, the CMM suggested that you should transfer no technology before its time. The author's fifth and current life involves co-founding TeraQuest and helping companies to improve their software development capability. The paper includes 25 lessons in technology transfer and a career transfer model.