An assessment is a complex, labor-intensive process in which a number of things can go awry. This can cause the assessment team to waste time and may result in the presentation of an inaccurate picture of compliance status. By identifying and responding to risks and issues which can negatively impact upon the efficiency of the assessment process, an organization can maximize the opportunity for assessors to accurately determine an organization?s true level of compliance. Accurate, relevant findings provide a solid foundation from which to facilitate continuous improvement and achievement of higher process goals. This paper describes the strategies used to successfully conduct an assessment against the Capability Maturity Model for Software in the Motorola iDEN™ Subscriber Group engineering organization in April 2003. The techniques can be applied to other similar appraisal methods (including ISO 9000 audit or a SCAMPI℠ for CMMI®) which involve some combination of interviews and evidence review.