CMMI
Process improvement framework with maturity levels 0-5
ISO 27701
International standard for privacy information management systems
Quick Verdict
CMMI drives process maturity for predictable delivery in software and services, while ISO 27701 establishes privacy management for PII handling. Organizations adopt CMMI for operational excellence and benchmarking; ISO 27701 for regulatory compliance and privacy accountability.
CMMI
Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
Key Features
- Defines 6 maturity levels (0-5) for organizational progression
- Organizes 25 Practice Areas into 4 Category Areas
- Offers staged and continuous improvement representations
- Uses SCAMPI appraisals for objective benchmarking
- Institutionalizes processes via generic goals and practices
ISO 27701
ISO/IEC 27701:2025 Privacy Information Management
Key Features
- Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) framework
- Controller-specific controls in Annex A
- Processor-specific controls in Annex B
- PDCA cycle for continual improvement
- GDPR and regulatory compliance mappings
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
CMMI Details
What It Is
Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is a performance improvement framework for process maturity. It helps organizations enhance predictability, quality, and efficiency in development, services, and acquisition. Primary scope covers software, IT operations, and suppliers using staged or continuous representations with maturity levels 0-5.
Key Components
- 4 Category Areas (Doing, Managing, Enabling, Improving) with 12 Capability Areas and 25 Practice Areas in v2.0.
- Generic practices for institutionalization; specific practices per area.
- Maturity levels from Incomplete (0) to Optimizing (5).
- SCAMPI appraisals (Class A/B/C) for certification.
Why Organizations Use It
- Reduces risks, rework, and overruns; improves ROI via data-driven control.
- Meets contractual requirements in defense, regulated sectors.
- Builds stakeholder trust through benchmarked maturity ratings.
- Enables Agile/DevOps integration for competitive advantage.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: assessment, piloting, rollout, appraisal, sustainment.
- Involves gap analysis, training, tooling, metrics.
- Applies to mid-large organizations across industries; global via ISACA.
ISO 27701 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27701:2025 is the international standard providing requirements and guidance for a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS). It establishes a certifiable framework to manage privacy risks in processing personally identifiable information (PII), extending ISO/IEC 27001's ISMS with a risk-based, PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach focused on controllers and processors.
Key Components
- Clauses 4–10: Management system extensions (context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement).
- **Annex A37 controls for PII controllers (e.g., lawful basis, DSARs, retention).
- **Annex B24 controls for PII processors (e.g., contracts, sub-processors).
- Mappings to GDPR (Annex D), ISO 27002; built on ISO 27000 family.
- Three-year certification with annual surveillance audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Aligns with global privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, LGPD) for compliance evidence.
- Mitigates privacy risks, enhances stakeholder trust.
- Procurement differentiation, supply-chain assurance.
- Integrates privacy into security governance for efficiency.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, risk assessment, controls, audits.
- All sizes/industries processing PII; 6–12 months typical with ISMS.
- Requires internal audits, SoA, RoPA for certification.
Key Differences
| Aspect | CMMI | ISO 27701 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Process improvement across development, services, acquisition | Privacy management system for PII controllers/processors |
| Industry | Software, IT, defense, cross-industry global | Any PII-processing sectors worldwide |
| Nature | Voluntary process maturity framework with appraisals | Voluntary PIMS certification standard |
| Testing | SCAMPI appraisals (A/B/C) by certified appraisers | Stage 1/2 audits by accredited certification bodies |
| Penalties | Loss of maturity rating, no legal penalties | Loss of certification, no direct legal penalties |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about CMMI and ISO 27701
CMMI FAQ
ISO 27701 FAQ
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