The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a framework that describes an improvement path from an ad-hoc, immature process to a mature, disciplined process focused on continuous improvement. The CMM defines the state of a process using a common language which is based on the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model. The CMM consists of a continuum of five process maturity levels, enabling process owners to rate the state, or maturity, of a given process as Initial, Repeatable, Defined, Managed or Optimizing.