Organization Maturity Levels

7/28/2019 Organization Maturity Levels

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Maturity Levels

The maturity level of an organizationprovides a way to predict the futureperformance of an organization within agiven discipline or set of disciplines.Experience has shown thatorganizations do their best when theyfocus their process-improvement efforts

on a manageable number of processareas that require increasinglysophisticated effort as the organizationimproves.


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A maturity level is a defined evolutionaryplateau of process improvement. Eachmaturity level stabilizes an important part of

the organizations processes. In CMMI models with a staged representation,

there are five maturity levels, each a layer inthe foundation for ongoing process

improvement, designated by the numbers 1through 5

Initial

Managed Defined

Quantitatively Managed

Optimizing


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Maturity Level Details

Maturity levels consist of apredefined set of process areas. Thematurity levels are measured by the

achievement of the specific andgeneric goals that apply to eachpredefined set of process areas. The

following sections describe thecharacteristics of each maturity levelin detail.


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Maturity Level 1: Initial

At maturity level 1, processes are usuallyad hoc and chaotic. The organizationusually does not provide a stableenvironment. Success in these

organizations depends on the competenceand heroics of the people in theorganization and not on the use of provenprocesses. In spite of this ad hoc, chaoticenvironment, maturity level 1

organizations often produce products andservices that work; however, theyfrequently exceed the budget andschedule of their projects.


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Maturity level 1 organizations arecharacterized by a tendency to overcommit, abandon processes in the

time of crisis, and not be able torepeat their past successes.


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Maturity Level 2: Managed

At maturity level 2, an organizationhas achieved all the specific andgeneric goals of the maturity level 2

process areas. In other words, theprojects of the organization haveensured that requirements are

managed and that processes areplanned, performed, measured, andcontrolled.


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The process discipline reflected bymaturity level 2 helps to ensure thatexisting practices are retained during

times of stress. When these practicesare in place, projects are performedand managed according to their

documented plans.


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At maturity level 2, requirements,processes, work products, andservices are managed. The status of

the work products and the delivery ofservices are visible to managementat defined points (for example, at

major milestones and at thecompletion of major tasks).


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Commitments are established amongrelevant stakeholders and arerevised as needed. Work products

are reviewed with stakeholders andare controlled. The work productsand services satisfy their specified

requirements, standards, andobjectives.


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Maturity Level 3: Defined

At maturity level 3, an organizationhas achieved all the specific andgeneric goals of the process areas

assigned to maturity levels 2 and 3.At maturity level 3, processes arewell characterized and understood,

and are described in standards,procedures, tools, and methods.


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The organizations set of standardprocesses, which is the basis formaturity level 3, is established andimproved over time. These standardprocesses are used to establish

consistency across the organization.Projects establish their definedprocesses by tailoring the

organizations set of standardprocesses according to tailoringguidelines.


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The organizations managementestablishes process objectives basedon the organizations set of standard

processes and ensures that theseobjectives are appropriatelyaddressed.


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A critical distinction betweenmaturity level 2 and maturity level 3is the scope of standards, process

descriptions, and procedures. Atmaturity level 2, the standards,process descriptions, and procedures

may be quite different in eachspecific instance of the process (forexample, on a particular project).


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Another critical distinction is that atmaturity level 3, processes are typicallydescribed in more detail and more

rigorously than at maturity level 2. Atmaturity level 3, processes are managedmore proactively using an understandingof the interrelationships of the process

activities and detailed measures of theprocess, its work products, and itsservices.


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At maturity level 3, the standards, processdescriptions, and procedures for a projectare tailored from the organizations set ofstandard processes to suit a particular

project or organizational unit. Theorganizations set of standard processesincludes the processes addressed atmaturity level 2 and maturity level 3. As aresult, the processes that are performed

across the organization are consistentexcept for the differences allowed by thetailoring guidelines.


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Maturity Level 4: Quantitatively

Managed

At maturity level 4, an organization hasachieved all the specific goals of theprocess areas assigned to maturity levels

2, 3, and 4 and the generic goals assignedto maturity levels 2 and 3. Subprocessesare selected that significantly contribute tooverall process performance. These

selected subprocesses are controlled usingstatistical and other quantitativetechniques.


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Quantitative objectives for quality andprocess performance are established andused as criteria in managing processes.

Quantitative objectives are based on theneeds of the customer, end users,organization, and process implementers.

Quality and process performance areunderstood in statistical terms and aremanaged throughout the life of the

processes.


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For these processes, detailed measuresof process performance are collected andstatistically analyzed. Special causes of

process variation[1] are identified and,where appropriate, the sources of specialcauses are corrected to prevent future

occurrences. Quality and process performance

measures are incorporated into the

organizations measurement repository tosupport fact-based decision making in thefuture.


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A critical distinction betweenmaturity level 3 and maturity level 4is the predictability of process

performance. At maturity level 4, theperformance of processes iscontrolled using statistical and otherquantitative techniques, and is

quantitatively predictable. Atmaturity level 3, processes are onlyqualitatively predictable.


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Maturity Level 5: Optimizing

At maturity level 5, an organization hasachieved all the specific goals of theprocess areas assigned to maturity levels

2, 3, 4, and 5 and the generic goalsassigned to maturity levels 2 and 3.Processes are continually improved basedon a quantitative understanding of the

common causes of variation[1] inherent inprocesses.


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Maturity level 5 focuses on continuallyimproving process performance throughboth incremental and innovative

technological improvements. Quantitativeprocess-improvement objectives for theorganization are established, continuallyrevised to reflect changing business

objectives, and used as criteria inmanaging process improvement.


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The effects of deployed processimprovements are measured andevaluated against the quantitative

process-improvement objectives.Both the defined processes and theorganizations set of standard

processes are targets of measurableimprovement activities.

P i t t dd


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Process improvements to addresscommon causes of process variation andmeasurably improve the organizations

processes are identified, evaluated, anddeployed. Improvements are selectedbased on a quantitative understanding of

their expected contribution to achievingthe organizations process-improvementobjectives versus the cost and impact to

the organization. The performance of theorganizations processes is continuallyimproved.


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Optimizing processes that are agileand innovative depends on the

participation of an empoweredworkforce aligned with the businessvalues and objectives of theorganization.

A iti l di ti ti b t


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A critical distinction betweenmaturity level 4 and maturity level 5is the type of process variation

addressed. At maturity level 4,processes are concerned withaddressing special causes of process

variation and providing statisticalpredictability of the results. Thoughprocesses may produce predictable

results, the results may beinsufficient to achieve theestablished objectives.


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The organizations ability to rapidlyrespond to changes andopportunities is enhanced by finding

ways to accelerate and sharelearning. Improvement of theprocesses is inherently part of

everybodys role, resulting in a cycleof continual improvement.


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At maturity level 5, processes are

concerned with addressing commoncauses of process variation andchanging the process (that is,shifting the mean of the processperformance) to improve processperformance (while maintainingstatistical predictability) to achieve

the established quantitative process-improvement objectives.

Documents

Organization Maturity Levels