Within a Practice Area, how does each evolutionary level relate to the previous one?

Each evolutionary level in a Practice Area of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) builds on the previous levels and adds new functionality. This approach emphasizes a cumulative development process where organizations enhance their capabilities progressively.

At each successive level, organizations utilize the foundational processes and practices established in the previous levels to develop and improve their overall performance. For instance, the practices learned and implemented at an earlier maturity level become integral components that contribute to the effectiveness of the next level, allowing organizations to add new processes or refine existing ones. This ensures a logical progression that encourages continuous improvement and capability enhancement.

This building-block approach is critical because it fosters a deeper understanding and integration of best practices, instead of discarding previous work or treating each level as arbitrary or standalone. Thus, this connection between levels reflects the model’s emphasis on systematic growth and maturity, ensuring organizations can evolve their processes in a structured manner.