maturity grid (maturity model)
A maturity grid, also called a maturity model, is an assessment tool for evaluating an organization's level of progress towards a goal.
The grid, which is a matrix laid out in rows and columns, typically lists the criteria that will be evaluated in the left-hand column. Each column's corresponding row has cells that describe, in a few words, the typical behavior exhibited by an organization at each level of development. Typically a maturity model has ten rows or less, with the first row defining entry level and the last row defining fully-developed best practice.
Maturity grids can be used to provide an organization with an initial benchmark for how close to 'fully developed' an organization is in regards to the criteria being assessed. They are also useful tools for leading discussions and providing management with roadmap for next steps.
Sample maturity matrix
Here is an example of a maturity grid for disaster recovery.
| Level 0 |
Naught |
No disaster recovery strategy exists. Technology may or may not be in place. |
| Level 1 |
Initial |
A disaster recovery strategy exists and technology is in place. |
| Level 2 |
Repeatable |
The technology supporting DR has been successfully tested numerous times. |
| Level 3 |
Defined |
The DR plan is documented in detail. |
| Level 4 |
Managed |
Disaster recovery requirements are understood and met. |
| Level 5 |
Optimized |
DR plans are closely aligned with business goals. Plans can be adapted to meet requirements for growth and change. |
Popular IT maturity grids
Capability Maturity Model (CMM) - CMM is a maturity model used to develop and refine an organization's software development process. CMM was developed and is promoted by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
Service Integration Maturity Model (SIMM) - SIMM is a maturity model developed by IBM. It defines the extent to which automated subprocess components represent a unit of work done as part of a specific business function.
Common Assurance Maturity Model (CAMM) - CAMM is a global project that will allow prospective customers for cloud services to compare the compliance levels of different cloud providers.
CALMS - CALMS is a conceptual framework for the integration of DevOps teams, functions and systems within an organization. The CALMS framework is often used as a maturity model, helping managers to evaluate whether or not their organization is ready for DevOps -- and if not, what needs to change.
ITIL - There are 5 levels of maturity within ITIL framework, beginning with level 0, which describes a general lack knowledge, and ending with level 5, which describes a working environment in which best practices have been fully integrated and optimized.