Many organizations find value in measuring their progress by conducting an appraisal and earning a maturity level rating or a capability level achievement profile. These types of appraisals are typically conducted for one or more of the following reasons:

· To determine how well the organization’s processes compare to CMMI best practices and identify areas where improvement can be made

· To inform external customers and suppliers about how well the organization’s processes compare to CMMI best practices

· To meet the contractual requirements of one or more customers

Appraisals of organizations using a CMMI model must conform to the requirements defined in the Appraisal Requirements for CMMI (ARC) [SEI 2011b] document. Appraisals focus on identifying improvement opportunities and comparing the organization’s processes to CMMI best practices.

Appraisal teams use a CMMI model and ARC-conformant appraisal method to guide their evaluation of the organization and their reporting of conclusions. The appraisal results are used (e.g., by a process group) to plan improvements for the organization.