Equivalent staging is a target staging, created using the continuous representation that is defined so that the results of using the target staging can be compared to the maturity levels of the staged representation. (See “target staging,” “maturity level,” “capability level profile,” and “target profile.”)

Such staging permits benchmarking of progress among organizations, enterprises, and projects, regardless of the CMMI representation used. The organization may implement components of CMMI models beyond those reported as part of equivalent staging. Equivalent staging is only a measure to relate how the organization is compared to other organizations in terms of maturity levels.

1. This glossary is from Appendix C of Technical Report CMU/SEI-2002-TR-004.
2. ® CMMI is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by Carnegie Mellon University.