IBM Measured Capability Improvement Framework (MCIF) - Getting started

Last month, IBM Rational announced their Measured Capability Improvement Framework (MCIF) offering, described in the IBM’s oficial news release. MCIF encapsulates 25 years of experience helping teams incrementally improve their practice maturity to deliver business results.

Learn more about MCIF.
Here is a short video on MCIF from Per Kroll, chief architect at IBM.



There is also a white paper on MCIF by Per Kroll and Murray Cantor.

Abstract : "In this paper, we describe how to govern the software and system delivery function to ensure favorable ROI by introducing a control framework that enables reasoning about those practices that work and those that don’t. Using this framework permits us to effectively manage risk or innovation and diseconomy of scale, and to understand the effectiveness of difference development models."

The paper also discusses an MCIF measurement solution implemented at IBM Rational using IBM Rational Insight - the 'Executive Dashboard'.

Also watch the presentation by Eric Larsen (Product Manager, Rational Insight) and Per Kroll (Chief Solution Arhitect, MCIF) on Make Better Decisions by Overcoming Information Blind Spots. This presentation talks about where how Rational Insight is an essential part of MCIF.

IBM Rational Software Conference 2009: Process, Project and Portfolio Management Track Keynote. This keynote talks about how Rational Insight and MCIF are part of the whole Rational solutions story

IBM Rational Insight - Getting Started

Rational Insight is an enterprise reporting and performance measurement solution. It implements standard measurements, reports, and dashboards to provide accurate insight into systems and software delivery organization.

Seeing is believing, so here is a short demo of Rational Insight.

IBM Rational Executive Dashboard



Based on Rational Insight, the Executive Dashboard is designed around business and operational objectives. It pulls live data from a variety of sources

• Rational Team Concert
• Rational Quality Manager
• Rational ClearCase
• Rational Clearquest
• Rational Test Manager
• Rational RequisitePro
• Microsoft Project

Rational Insight supports data retrieval from sources using either the REST architecture or direct database access. Hence it can support any data source that provides REST services for accessing data, or has direct database access. The above list represents the products supported out of the box.

Rational Insight is based on Cognos Business Intelligence and performance management technology. Founded in 1969, Cognos serves more than 23,000 customers in over 135 countries. Learn more about Cognos software

• Cognos Inc
• Cognos Business Intelligence and Financial Performance Management

Rational Insight consists of the following components

• IBM Cognos® Data Manager
• IBM Rational Insight data warehouse
• IBM Cognos Framework Manager
• IBM Rational Insight report server
• IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Server
• IBM Rational Insight XML data configuration
• IBM Rational Insight Data Services

It also works with other Cognos components, for instance with Cognos 8 Go to deliver reports on mobile devices.

Learn more about Rational Insight architecture

• Introducing IBM Rational Insight V1.0
• Rational Insight infocenter

Rational Insight is a key part of IBM - Measured Capability Improvement Framework (MCIF). MCIF encapsulates 25 years of experience helping teams incrementally improve their practice maturity to deliver business results. Learn more about MCIF. Here is a short video on MCIF from Per Kroll, chief architect at IBM.