"The instructor was top-notch! Very knowledgeable on subject, well-prepared, …great examples.”

"Bill Smith was thoroughly versed in the subject matter.”

"Relevant examples, humor great, excellent management of time, impressive command of material and course, good voice inflections…”

“very knowledgeable on the subject…able to create a great learning atmosphere”

“Bill was an excellent instructor. The course would not be the same without him.”

"I never would have believed this 'dry' subject material could be presented as interesting and entertaining as it was - excellent instructor.”

“Excellent sense of humor!”

"Great instructor! Kept things lively and interesting!”

"Bill was a very engaging and lively speaker. His presentation of CMMI was informative, particularly his down-to-earth examples.”

“The instructor provided real life, relevant examples for every question asked… Excellent mix of model theory and application.”

“Bill's personal examples made the content real.”

“He brings life (reality) into the course. He draws the class into active discussions on practical applications of the process areas.”

“I valued the instructor's ability to put CMMI in perspective. It is a framework -- not the reason to come to work or the way to solve all our problems. This gives him a lot of credibility.”

“I can't believe I enjoyed this course. I now better understand what my organization is trying to achieve.”

"Bill Smith is the best instructor I have encountered in recent memory. His effective use of linking, chunking, and real-life examples made some of the more complex concepts easy to understand.”

"Exceptional. Engagement techniques made the absorption of course data fun/easy. Had the ability to relate to all the demographics of the attendees. I had a great learning experience.”

C.G. Harper
Quality Manager, Johnston McLamb

C.G. attended our November 11-13, 2008, SEI Introduction to CMMI course in Reston, Virginia.

What's your current role in your organization?

I’m the Quality Manger of a small IT consulting firm in Chantilly, Virginia, but I’m commonly referred to as the “instigator” of process improvement and the “enforcer” of compliance. I assure you it is all said with tender loving care. (I think.)

If the ideal position is to be the only entity in the organization that can reach into all departments, divisions, and projects to establish standardization, then, this is the place to be.

You’ve supported the implementation of the CMMI at a large IT company, and now at a small IT consulting firm. How does it differ?

In my mind, there's little difference. The framework is the same but the one thing I’m valuing is learning how to "trim the meat." No need to create documents for the sake of producing artifacts... something that was not as apparent when I worked at the larger company.  

How does the CMMI course you’ve taken with Leading Edge compare to the other CMMI courses you’ve taken?

There is no comparison. If you are looking for someone that can break it down in plain English and will keep you engaged, you’ve come to the right place. You will not only walk away with a solid understanding of the model, but you'll have the opportunity to gain a network of colleagues and an abundant amount of resource material that only Leading Edge offers to its students.    

Any parting words of wisdom?