What is TMMi in Software Testing and Why it is Important?

The stakeholders that demand permanent improvements in their software products are many – clients, investors, employees, and competitors. There are plenty of methodologies of software testing that are constantly improving to provide better products and make the software development life cycle easier and more efficient. To determine whether testing is affecting quality in a positive manner or not, you need a standard model.

TMMi Foundation?in 2005 and launched in 2010. This model was designed to help organizations optimize their testing. It provides a framework of the processes that need to be addressed, rather than following a set of events explicitly.

TMMi was built upon best practices created by the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB), Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and more.

TMMi Structure

Maturity Levels

A maturity level within the TMMi can be considered as a degree of organizational test process quality. It is defined as an evolutionary plateau of test process improvement. Each level gradually develops an important part of the organization’s test processes. There are five maturity levels that define what to implement to achieve the given level: initial, managed, defined, measured, and optimization, respectively.

To reach a particular maturity level, an organization must satisfy all of the appropriate goals of the process areas at the specific level. Note that all organizations possess a minimum of TMMi level 1, as this level does not contain any defined process areas or goals that must be achieved.

Process Areas

It is an informative component that provides details and references to help organizations start thinking about how to approach the required and expected components. As we mentioned, each maturity level, except level 1, consists of several process areas that indicate where an organization should concentrate to improve its test process. Each process area identifies a cluster of test-related activities. When the practices are all perfect, it will be a significant improvement in activities related to that area will be made.

In the TMMi, all process areas of the maturity level and the lower maturity levels must be satisfied to consider a maturity level to be achieved. For example, if an organization is at TMMi level 4, it has satisfied all of the process areas at both TMMi level 2, TMMi level 3, and TMMi level 4.2.3 Specific Goals.

They are required components that describe what an organization must achieve to satisfy a process area. Moreover, they are used in assessments to decide if a process area is satisfied and achieved or not.

Generic Goals

They are also required components. They are called generic’ because the same goal statement appears in all process areas. A generic goal illustrates the characteristics that institutionalize the processes that implement a process area.

Specific Practices

They describe activities that are considered substantial in achieving the related specific goal of a process area. Specific practice is an expected model component.

Generic Practices

A generic practice is also an expected model component. It is called ‘generic’ because the same practice appears in all process areas. A generic practice is the description of an activity that is considered important in achieving the associated generic goal.

Sub-practices

A sub-practice is a detailed description that provides guidance for interpreting and implementing a specific practice. It is an informative component that provides ideas that may be useful for test process improvement.

Why TMMi?

• An independent model that integrates best practices derived from many quality and test models.
• Addresses all test levels.
• Underpinned by risk management, monitoring, and control.
• Appropriate for all software development lifecycle methodologies.
• It is the de facto international standard for measuring test maturity.
• Focused on moving organizations from defect detection to defect prevention.
• Supports testing activities and test process improvement in systems and software engineering.

How TestCrew Will help you to adopt TMMi?

As mentioned above, TMMi can supply significant improvements and savings to organizations and their software projects. To get this, you have to be familiar with the TMMi model and be informed on how to identify improvement areas and the benefits of each optimization. In general, it is a difficult task, but this will be a piece of cake with Test Crew and their professional team.

For this reason, training is critical, our trainers are experienced practitioners in their field and offer a wealth of real-world experience to ensure you get your high expectations.

So, what are the basic steps that TestCrew will help you start your journey with TMMi?

A company begins by identifying its current maturity level and understanding where it stands at present with Test Maturity. Are your testing processes active? Do you, for example, have a special mechanism for triaging bugs? TestCrew team will help you understand exactly how much you need to do to get to your destination.

The second step is defining the Target Test Maturity Level and structuring the process that is going to be executed to achieve your goal. A company decides on what should be accomplished to satisfy a specific process area. Therefore, knowing why you want to get to a certain maturity level, and when, will help adjust your sights accurately.

Next, when you break down the steps you need to get to your goal, it becomes far easier to visualize and follow through. In other words, you need to walk before running. You can only go up a level when you achieve all the current level requirements.

Finally, any company should make a constant review, evaluation, feedback, and measurable action outcomes resulting in further improvements.

The software community realizes that a zero-defect standard is unachievable, but the TMMI model helps at least to get close to that standard. In TestCrew we will help you achieve that.