One of the basic requirements of a successful change or software process improvement effort is an Action Plan. The Action Plan is a formal, written response to an assessment, and the "map" for improvement. It is actually a set of plans... high level strategic plans, tactical plans for each technical area, and operational plan.

Action Planning is used by a recently assessed organization to transform their assessment findings into workable plans. It is a group activity led by a facilitator knowledgeable in the CMMI and the action planning process.