What Practice Area ensures adherence to applicable standards and organizational templates?

The correct choice is the Practice Area that focuses on process quality assurance. This area is crucial because it systematically assesses whether processes are being followed according to defined standards, procedures, and organizational templates. Ensuring adherence to these standards is vital for maintaining consistency, reliability, and quality across various projects and operations.

Process quality assurance involves implementing mechanisms to review, evaluate, and validate processes in order to uncover defects or deviations from established norms. It promotes a culture of quality and continuous improvement within an organization. By monitoring compliance with standards and templates, organizations can effectively manage risks, enhance process performance, and improve overall project outcomes.

The importance of process quality assurance cannot be overstated, as it directly contributes to achieving project success and operational efficiency, aligning with best practices outlined in CMMI. This practice area plays a foundational role in establishing a framework that supports both compliance and systematic improvement efforts.