Appraisal Requirements for CMMI

The ARC document describes the requirements for several types of appraisals. A full benchmarking class of appraisal is defined as a Class A appraisal. Less formal methods are defined as Class B or Class C methods. The ARC document was designed to help improve consistency across appraisal methods, and to help appraisal method developers, sponsors, and users understand the tradeoffs associated with various methods [SEI 2006a].
Depending on the purpose of the appraisal and the nature of the circumstances, one class may be preferred over the others. Sometimes self-assessments, initial appraisals, quick-look, or mini-appraisals, incremental appraisals, or external appraisals are appropriate, and other times a formal benchmarking appraisal is appropriate.A particular appraisal method is declared an ARC Class A, B, or C appraisal method based on the sets of ARC requirements that the method developer addressed when designing the method.