Using process metrics, management can effectively control the process (e.g.,
for software development ). In particular, management can identify ways to
adjust and adapt the process to particular projects without measurable losses of
quality or deviations from specifications. Organizations at this level set
quantitative quality goals for both software process and software maintenance.
Subprocesses are selected that significantly contribute to overall process
performance. These selected subprocesses are controlled using statistical and
other quantitative techniques. A critical distinction between maturity level
3 and maturity level 4 is the predictability of process performance. At maturity
level 4, the performance of processes is controlled using statistical and other
quantitative techniques, and may be quantitatively predictable. At maturity
level 3, processes are only qualitatively predictable.
