Just a quick word about Agile & “High Maturity” or “High Capability” practices:

I’m currently visiting the SEI for their Understanding CMMI High Maturity Practices class (since I already understand the concepts, I’m mostly taking it to force me to spend a lot more time with the actual model language than I’d do left to my own devices — and to satisfy certain certification requirements).

One thing I would like to report, since I haven’t pointed it out before, is that agile methods have a serious advantage over non-agile or “traditional” methods when it comes to the High Maturity and Capability practices.

Specifically, Agile’s predisposition to project retrospectives, progress metrics (velocity, etc.) and continual re-planning all lend themselves to having various measures collected, analyzed, and the results worked back into the next iteration or project. Obviously, there must be value to doing so, and even so, doing it should be as automated as possible. But for agile teams working in larger organizations with a process-oriented infrastructure (think: agile team w/in a defense contractor), such a team could get to, sustain and appraise for high maturity or capability levels long before and without nearly as much change or pain as their non-agile co-habitating projects.

For an explanation of what high maturity practices are, please refer to here and look for process areas with an “ML4″ or “ML5″ following the name.
For an explanation of what high capability practices are, please refer to here and look for the goals and practices beginning with “GG4/GP4″ or “GG5/GP5″. You might notice familiar language to the above link.