The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) Snapshot is a methodology used to take a quick look inside an organization's process improvement effort to gauge progress and look for mid-course corrections. Over a two to three day period, the assessment team looks at the Key Process Areas of the CMM and determines how the organization matches up. The process can be tailored to give the level of detail required by the organization.

A series of interview sessions, questionnaires, and documentation reviews are used to gain insight into the organization's software practices. Before an assessment team leaves, the organization is given a briefing on the initial findings. This is followed up by a written report a few weeks later. Although this is not as rigorous as a CBA/IPI, the CMM Snapshot is often sufficient to see how close an organization is to meeting a certain CMM level or determine the level of effort required to reach the desired level.