Level 1 Initial
At TMMi level 1, testing is a chaotic, undefined process and is often considered a part of debugging. The
organization usually does not provide a stable environment to support the processes. Success in these
organizations depends on the competence and heroics of the people in the organization and not the use of proven
processes. Tests are developed in an ad-hoc way after coding is completed. Testing and debugging are
interleaved to get the bugs out of the system. The objective of testing at this level is to show that the software runs
without major failures. Products are released without adequate visibility regarding quality and risks. In the field, the
product does often not fulfill its needs, is not stable, or is too slow to work with. Within testing there is a lack of
resources, tools and well-educated staff. At TMMi level 1 there are no defined process areas. Maturity level 1
organizations are characterized by a tendency to over commit, abandonment of processes in a time of crises, and
an inability to repeat their successes. Also products tend not to be released on time, budgets are overrun and
quality is not according to expectations.