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Using Maturity Models to Level Up

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Level up by using Maturity Models as a framework to demonstrate your ability to think and operate at a senior level.

Planning and Building a Career and Organization with Maturity Models
Using Maturity Models to Plan and Build a Career and Organization. Image by Midjourney.

Recently, a friend applied for a position one level higher than their current role at their current company. We chatted about what they could do to demonstrate to the hiring manager that they are ready for the challenges above their current level. This post is an expanded version of our chat.

One of the most straightforward ways to demonstrate the ability to operate at a senior level is to use frameworks to plan, prioritize, communicate, and drive continuous improvements.

A Maturity Model is one such framework that can be adapted to any field or area of expertise. 

If you’re already familiar with Maturity Models, you can skip directly to the last section.

What is a Maturity Model?

In a 2012 paper entitled Maturity Models 101, authors Richard Caralli, Mark Knight, and Austin Montgomery offer this definition:

In its simplest form, a maturity model is a set of characteristics, attributes, indicators, or patterns that represent progression and achievement in a particular domain or discipline.

A maturity model allows an organization or industry to have its practices, processes, and methods evaluated against a clear set of artifacts1 that establish a benchmark. These artifacts typically represent best practices and may incorporate standards or other codes of practice that are important in a particular domain or discipline.

Maturity models serve as a strategic map, outlining best practices and benchmarks so leaders can envision a path toward excellence in their domain or discipline.

Maturity Model Examples

Let’s look at several well-documented maturity models from different disciplines to understand the above definition better.

We’re less concerned about the specific model content at this stage since these vary significantly depending on the area or practice. Instead, pay particular attention to how these models are structured and how they depict progress from least mature to most mature.

A. Product Management

The Product Management Maturity Model by ProductFocus identifies three Maturity Levels (Immature, Managed, and Leading) across five Domains (Leadership, Organization, People, Tools, and Processes).

Figure 1: Product Management Maturity Model by ProductFocus
Figure 1: Product Management Maturity Model by ProductFocus

B. Customer Engagement

The Braze Customer Engagement Model has three Levels (Activate, Accelerate, and Ace) across 12 Domains grouped into two categories: Technical Competency and Team/Org Competency.

Figure 2: The Braze Customer Engagement Model
Figure 2: The Braze Customer Engagement Model

C. Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Created by the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP), the Financial Planning & Analysis Maturity Model has three Levels (Foundational, Emergent, and Leading Practices) across 13 Domains grouped into three categories.

Figure 3: The Financial Planning & Analysis Maturity Model
Figure 3: The Financial Planning & Analysis Maturity Model

D. Software, Product, and Service Development

The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) has five Levels (Initial, Managed, Defined, Quantitatively Managed, and Optimizing) and over a dozen Domains that apply to Software, Product, or Process Development. The specific Domains used depend on the nature of the work being assessed.

Figure 4: The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
Figure 4: The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)

For more examples of maturity models in other functional areas, see:

Components of a Maturity Model

From the examples above, we see that most maturity models are depicted as tables with the following axes and values:

  • Maturity Levels. Maturity models typically have 3 to 5 Levels. Levels are usually depicted as columns on a table, running left to right from least to most mature. Occasionally, they’re shown as rows, with the most mature level stacked at the top. Each Level may be named or labeled for ease of reference.
  • Maturity Domains. A maturity model has several Domains, each representing an area or dimension that is important to the function, discipline, or organization. These are usually depicted as rows on a table.
  • Maturity Attributes. At the intersections of the two axes (Level and Domain), we find the Attributes—statements that we use to describe how each Domain manifests at a particular Maturity Level.

In addition to the three model components above, the Maturity Models 101 paper identifies two more components a maturity model must have:

  • Appraisal and Scoring Methods. These methods describe how an organization’s maturity is assessed against the model. We want the scoring method to be objective enough that different organizations can use the same model consistently. For example, a model may include a standard checklist of statements that must be true before a specific Domain is determined to be at Level 3 maturity. The scoring method may also refer to an external standard that already exists for that particular domain.
  • Improvement Roadmaps. Maturity models typically offer recommendations for organizations that wish to attain a higher maturity level. For example, the People Capability Maturity Model (depicted below) urges the adoption of specific practices (i.e., Repeatable, Competency-based, Measured & empowered, and Continuously improving) to move a People or Human Resources team up the Maturity Levels.
Figure 5: The People Capability Maturity Model
Figure 5: The People Capability Maturity Model

Creating or Adapting a Maturity Model for Your Discipline

If there is no industry-accepted maturity model for your discipline, you can create one by defining the five components: Levels, Domains, Attributes, Appraisal and Scoring Methods, and Improvement Roadmaps.

Some tips to consider:

  • Start with three Maturity Levels and consider adding more only if there are meaningful and distinct differences between Levels to justify the added complexity. You may temporarily have gaps in your Attribute descriptions as you refine (expand or collapse) the Maturity Levels, but these will get filled in later when you add the Appraisal and Scoring Methods.
  • Draw inspiration from the Maturity Domains of other models. Refer to the models linked above, as well as the five Maturity Levels of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) model, to see how other fields track their progress through the maturity spectrum.
  • Use the generic People, Process, and Technology (PPT) framework as a starting point for Domain categories if there is no existing framework for your industry. For example, under the “People” category, possible domains include Onboarding, Performance Management, Skills and Competencies, and Leadership. Then, supplement the PPT framework by adding domains to represent competencies or areas specific to your field or discipline. 
  • Ensure that the Domains are Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive (MECE). List all possible domains when you start out, and then create logical groupings or categories to keep them organized.
    As you add Attribute descriptions, check each Domain to confirm that they still make sense. If you have Domains that overlap, refine the domain list until they’re all mutually exclusive. If a Domain doesn’t meaningfully help you distinguish between Maturity Levels (i.e., if new competencies are not added at higher maturity levels for a particular domain), ask yourself if you need it in the model. 
  • Refine the model by specifying the Appraisal and Scoring Methods. Don’t skip defining the appraisal and scoring methods for each Attribute. Avoid ambiguous statements that require personal judgment (e.g., “rate the strength of the team’s innovation culture” without providing objective guidelines for arriving at such a rating). By specifying how each attribute is objectively assessed, you reduce ambiguity and will have enough detail to determine how many Maturity Levels you actually need.
    If you’re feeling stuck, consider using Large Language Models (LLMs) as your thought partner. OpenAI’s ChatGPT (see transcript) and Anthropic’s Claude (see transcript) are familiar with maturity models as conceptual frameworks. Note: If you do use LLMs, the onus is on you to ensure your model remains self-consistent. 
  • Share your draft maturity model with key stakeholders as you refine it. Teams or organizations that work closely with your team can provide valuable feedback based on their needs and prior experiences working with your team. Sharing the model while it’s under development improves cross-functional buy-in, increases the likelihood of adoption, and ensures that the model reflects the needs of our customers and stakeholders. Sharing early drafts can also help identify potential overlaps with the mandates of other teams, which you can proactively address to create more cohesive inter-team working relationships. Start with “friendly” stakeholders who are influential within their own organizations—they’ll give you helpful feedback and will become advocates for your model within their teams.
  • Expect to release new versions. Don’t kill yourself trying to create a “perfect” maturity model; there is no such thing. Even industry-accepted models are refined and updated over time, with new versions released periodically to capture new insights gleaned from using them. Homegrown maturity models are fundamentally arbitrary—they will reflect the standards you believe will help the team make and track progress. As such, your initial model will likely over-index on known and recent organizational pain points, and that’s both okay and expected. As part of your team’s annual planning cycle, take a moment to determine if there are enough changes to your understanding of the team’s business circumstances to warrant releasing a new version of the maturity model. 

How to Use a Maturity Model to Level Up

Leaders are accountable for the performance of the team as a whole, not just one aspect or dimension. Whether homegrown or industry-accepted, a maturity model gives leaders a much-needed framework for developing and maintaining an integrated view of the team or organization. 

Leveling up the Organization

Armed with this integrated view, individuals can demonstrate their ability to think and operate at a senior level by using the maturity model to plan, prioritize, communicate, and drive continuous improvements on their team. 

In practice, this means we use the maturity model to:

  • Diagnose the organization’s current state. A leader must first understand the team’s current strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities before they can chart a path forward for the team. A maturity model helps us attain this understanding when we plot our team’s current maturity levels across the relevant Domains.
    Tip: In more nascent organizations, expect the team’s current state to be low on the maturity scale. Be proactive about framing this information so it’s not perceived as demoralizing or an indictment of the team’s work. Rather, help the team recognize that the current state is an expected starting point given the organization’s short history. 
  • Define the team’s roadmap. Leaders can develop a roadmap for their organization by plotting where they want to be on the maturity model within a specific timeframe.
    For example, one can say, “We aim to be at Maturity Level 3 across all Domains by the end of the current fiscal year.” By plotting our current and desired future states on the maturity model, we can see the team’s roadmap emerge naturally from the gap between the two states.
  • Align and communicate with the team using a shared vocabulary. A well-documented maturity model gives leaders a precise and useful vocabulary for setting expectations and communicating priorities.
    For example, “We need to ‘level-up’ the team” is vague. In contrast, the statement ”We need to improve in the Planning domain from Level 1—Isolated, team-level planning to Level 2—Integrated, Cross-functional planning” is specific and well-defined. The model Attributes give the team a shared vocabulary, while the Scoring Mechanisms for each Attribute help us identify and communicate the new competencies we expect the team to learn and use.
  • Get comfortable with using maturity metrics to track progress. While some industries (e.g., retail, financial services, telecommunications, utilities, contact center services) are metrics-driven, other fields of discipline (e.g., Policy Development, R&D) do not readily lend themselves to quantitative measures. For the latter type of team, the maturity model can be used as a proxy set of metrics to inject a more quantitative flavor into the team’s culture.
  • Benchmark against industry practices. A maturity model provides a detailed description of how the most mature organizations perform, thus serving as a reference against which we can measure our organization. Leaders demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement and innovation by leading the team to higher maturity levels.

Leveling Up Yourself

As you work to create, refine, and socialize a maturity model for your organization, you are also charting your own distinct path toward professional development. 

Specifically, you will learn to: 

  • Enhance your strategic thinking skills. A maturity model looks easy conceptually but takes rigor and discipline to refine. There’s real “homework” to identify the relevant Domains, specify the Appraisal and Scoring Methods for each Attribute, and streamline the model.
  • Embrace continuous refinement. Every work week will bring a new experience or learning that will help you refine the maturity model. When you deal with a new incident or read a news article/journal/paper about advances in your discipline, extract the main points, then figure out where it fits in the maturity model. Once this thought process becomes a habit, everything you read and experience can enrich the maturity model and help you continuously refine it.
  • Exert Influence without Authority: By sharing the maturity model with stakeholders, senior leadership, and decision-makers, you extend your influence and impact, demonstrate strategic thinking and foresight, and establish credibility. A maturity model can also promote engagement and alignment with other teams, thus encouraging dialogue and collaboration.

By using a Maturity Model to think, plan, and strategize about the team’s current state, needs, and potential future direction, we demonstrate our ability to understand the higher-level challenges that senior managers or leaders face. We assure the organization that we have a thoughtful and thorough approach to set the team’s direction and lead the team into the future. We also chart a path toward our personal and professional development.

Author’s Note: Thank you to BC, DH, LM, IR, and YR for their feedback. This post has more depth and clarity because of their input. 

Bibliography

Recommended Reads Elsewhere

Footnotes

  1. In this context, the term “artifact” refers to any documented standard in any stable format (e.g., document, slide deck, checklist, spreadsheet, recorded media, reference manual) that dictates how an organization should perform its job. It is the reference against which the organization’s work processes and work products are evaluated. ↩︎
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