Frequently Asked Questions

How do you add new requirements standards and what will be the expiry date(s) relative to the existing standards?

New requirements standards such as ISO 20000 and ISO 27001 can be adopted once they are mapped in the BPL and accredited certification is available. Rules on expiry dates will be published in transition statements.

Can you have different TickITplus grades for different scope profiles and requirements standards i.e. Silver for 9001, Foundation for 27001?

Different grades would only be allowed for different scope profiles although, in general, the most benefit would be gained by unifying the scope profiles for an
organisation. Where a certified scope includes more than one requirements standard then the TickITplus grade should be the same.

Can I select one or more Type A/B processes to be assessed at a higher capability level to the others?

Yes, this is allowed. Such assessments would need careful planning due to the extra attributes that need to be evaluated.

How do I combine a TickITplus assessment with a CMMI SCAMPI assessment?

In principle this is possible and can be done by extending the TickITplus PRM to include the CMMI process model. Compliance with both sets of scheme rules must be achieved for the assessment rules to be valid.

How is a TickITplus assessment different to an audit from the interviewees perspective?

One strength of TickITplus is that different techniques are used to obtain evidence. At Foundation level there would be little difference to the interviewees although the questioning is likely to be more focused. At the higher grades the use of group interviews; confirmation mode affirmations; presentations to validate draft results are all possible techniques that a Lead Assessor may deploy. Additionally the use of an assessment team is mandated at the higher levels with the team being made up of internal practitioners.

How much extra time is needed to perform a TickITplus assessment over a normal audit?

The time needed for a TickITplus assessment depends upon larger number of factors than a normal audit. These include the scope of assessment, the grade being sought, the size of the organisation, the size of the assessment team and the mode of assessment. Compared to a normal audit a higher grade TickITplus assessment is expected to require more time.

A starting point for time calculations is given in the Core Requirements Specification Section 7. Assessment durations are monitored by the Committee to ensure an acceptable and uniform level of coverage. This is to provide extra confidence to certificate users that representative coverage is achieved across different sizes of organisations.

How much of the BPL can I copy into my Process Reference Model?

The license agreement that accompanies the BPL defines the rules for using the BPL text in the Process Reference Model.

How many Practitioners do I need to support a Foundation Assessment?

There is no requirement to use internal Practitioners on Foundation Assessments. As such the minimum team size is one i.e. the Lead Assessor.