There are many benefits associated with maturing work processes. As work processes mature, which of the following would be expected to decrease:

Process maturity, as defined by frameworks like the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), focuses on making work processes more defined, managed, repeatable, and optimized. A primary objective and key indicator of increasing process maturity is the improvement of product quality and process performance. As processes become more controlled and predictable, the organization shifts from reactive defect detection to proactive defect prevention. This systematic approach, including root cause analysis and quantitative management, directly leads to a measurable reduction in the number of defects produced.

A. Training: Training may become more efficient and targeted in a mature organization, but the overall amount is not expected to decrease; continuous improvement and new staff require ongoing training.

B. Management Support: Achieving and sustaining high process maturity requires significant and continuous management commitment and support; this is expected to remain strong or increase.

D. Customer Satisfaction: As mature processes lead to higher quality products with fewer defects and more predictable delivery, customer satisfaction is expected to increase, not decrease.

E. Confidence in the Process: As processes become more stable, repeatable, and effective, the organization's confidence in its ability to meet goals and deliver quality products increases.

1. CMMI Institute. (2010). CMMI for Development, Version 1.3 (CMU/SEI-2010-TR-033). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. The descriptions of Maturity Level 4 (Quantitatively Managed) and Level 5 (Optimizing) detail the use of statistical techniques to control process performance and implement defect prevention, with the explicit goal of improving quality (pp. 21-22).

2. Gibson, D. L., Goldenson, D. R., & Kost, K. (2006). Performance Results of CMMI-Based Process Improvement (CMU/SEI-2006-TR-004). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. This empirical study reports performance results from organizations using CMMI. Table 11 on page 29 shows a median 67% decrease in post-release defects for organizations reporting this measure as a result of process improvement.

3. Pressman, R. S., & Maxim, B. R. (2020). Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill. In Chapter 30, "Process Improvement," the text explains that a key benefit of moving to higher process maturity levels is a "significant reduction in the number of defects" (Section 30.3.2). This textbook is standard courseware in numerous university software engineering programs.