Maturity Model

A maturity model provides a framework for assessing design system capabilities and defining progression stages. Using a maturity model helps organizations understand their current state, identify gaps, and plan advancement toward greater capability.

What Is a Maturity Model

A maturity model is a structured framework that defines levels of capability progression for an area of practice. Applied to design systems, maturity models describe stages from initial development through optimization, with characteristics that define each stage.

Maturity models originated in software engineering and have been adapted across disciplines. They provide common vocabulary for discussing capability levels and benchmarks for assessment. Design system maturity models help organizations evaluate their systems against defined standards.

How Maturity Models Work

Stage definitions describe capability characteristics at each maturity level. Common stages include initial (ad hoc practices), developing (basic processes established), defined (standardized practices), managed (measured and controlled), and optimizing (continuous improvement). Specific characteristics vary by model.

Dimension coverage ensures models address relevant aspects. Design system maturity models typically cover component completeness, process effectiveness, adoption breadth, documentation quality, and governance sophistication. Multi-dimensional models provide nuanced assessment.

Assessment processes evaluate current state against stage definitions. Assessment may be self-directed or externally facilitated. Evidence should support stage claims rather than relying on aspiration.

Advancement guidance indicates how to progress between stages. Models often describe what investments or changes advance maturity. This guidance helps organizations prioritize improvement efforts.

Key Considerations

• Models should be adapted to organizational context
• Assessment honesty enables meaningful improvement planning
• Models are tools, not goals in themselves
• Different maturity levels may be appropriate for different dimensions
• External models provide starting points for customization

Common Questions

Should organizations create custom maturity models?

Organizations can use existing design system maturity models or create custom frameworks. Existing models provide validated structure and external benchmarks. Custom models can better reflect specific organizational priorities. Many organizations adapt existing models rather than creating from scratch.

How do organizations use maturity assessments?

Assessments inform planning by revealing gaps between current and desired states. They enable communication by providing vocabulary for discussing capability levels. They support resource requests by demonstrating where investment could advance capabilities. Regular reassessment tracks progress over time.

What are common design system maturity models?

Several design system maturity models exist in the industry. Some focus on technical aspects while others emphasize organizational factors. Common elements include stages progressing from ad hoc to optimized and dimensions covering components, processes, and adoption. Organizations should evaluate available models against their specific needs.

Summary

Maturity models provide frameworks for assessing and advancing design system capabilities. Success requires honest assessment, appropriate model selection or customization, and use of models to guide improvement. Organizations should treat maturity models as tools for development rather than ends in themselves.