Benchmark appraisals identify opportunities for improving both process implementation and business performance. The emphasis is on a rigorous method capable of achieving high accuracy and reliable appraisal results. This appraisal requires a CMMI Certified Lead Appraiser to manage the appraisal team at the organization’s site.

A Sustainment appraisal provides organizations with a more frequent insight and validation of their performance improvement with a reduced scope and impact on the appraised organization. To maintain the previous benchmark appraisal rating validity, a sustainment appraisal must be completed and accepted before the benchmark appraisal validity period ends.

Often used as part of an improvement effort to gauge progress and prepare for an eventual Benchmark appraisal, evaluation appraisals do not produce ratings. The primary intent of Evaluation appraisals is a flexible, less formal approach to determine opportunities for process or performance improvement. It requires fewer activities than a Benchmark appraisal, and helps an organization to understand, with a relatively high degree of confidence, its progress toward a target CMMI maturity level or target capability level profile.

An Action Plan Reappraisal may be conducted following a Benchmark or Sustainment appraisal that narrowly fails to achieve the target maturity level or capability level profile.