What does the Defined level (Level 3) emphasize?

The Defined level, which is the third level of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), emphasizes well-characterized and understood processes that are documented and described in standards. At this level, organizations establish a set of standard processes that are tailored for specific projects or organizational needs.

This focus on standardization ensures that teams can anticipate process outcomes, leading to improved predictability and quality of work. The Defined level encourages consistent application of processes across various projects, facilitating effective training, communication, and performance measurement.

In contrast to the other options, inconsistent processes and reactive, spontaneous processes do not align with the objectives of the Defined level. Autonomously managed processes could imply a lack of standardization and oversight, which would not reflect the structured and documented nature of processes at this level. Therefore, the emphasis on having well-defined processes that are articulated in standards is key to achieving consistent and repeatable results, which is central to the benefits derived from progressing to the Defined level in the CMMI framework.