Can you explain capability levels in a continuous representation? Ans. The continuous model is the same as the staged model only that the arrangement is a bit different. The continuous representation/model concentrates on the action or task to be completed within a process area. It focuses on maturing the organizations ability to perform, control, and improve the performance in that specific performance area. Capability Level 0 Incomplete: This level means that any generic or specific practice of capability level 1 is not performed. Capability Level 1: Performed: The capability level 1 process is expected to perform all capability level 1 specific and generic practices for that process area. In this level performance may not be stable and probably does not meet objectives such as quality, cost, and schedule, but still the task can be done. Capability Level 2: Managed: Capability level 2 is a managed process planned properly, performed, monitored, and controlled to achieve a given purpose. Because the process is managed we achieve other objectives, such as cost, schedule, and quality. Because you are managing, certain metrics are consistently collected and applied to your management approach. Capability Level 3: Defined: The defined process is a managed process that is tailored from an organization standard. Tailoring is done by justification and documentation guidelines. For instance your organization may have a standard that we should get an invoice from every supplier. But if the supplier is not able to supply the invoice then he should sign an agreement in place of the invoice. So here the invoice standard is not followed but the deviation is under control. Capability Level 4: Quantitatively Managed: The quantitatively managed process is a defined process which is controlled through statistical and quantitative information. So from defect tracking to project schedules all are statistically tracked and measured for that process. Capability Level 5: Optimizing: The optimizing process is a quantitatively managed process where we increase process performance through incremental and innovative improvements. Continuous representation is the same as staged only that information is arranged in a different fashion. The biggest difference is one concentrates on a specific process while the other brings a group of processes to a certain maturity level.