Informative components are CMMI components that help model users understand CMMI required and expected components of a model. These components can be example boxes, detailed explanations, or other helpful information. Subpractices, notes, references, goal titles, practice titles, sources, example work products, and generic practice elaborations are informative model components.

The informative material plays an important role in understanding the model. It is often impossible to adequately describe the behavior required or expected of an organization using only a single goal or practice statement. The model’s informative material provides information necessary to achieve the correct understanding of goals and practices and thus cannot be ignored.