Capability Maturity Management Frequently asked Questions

• What do we mean by an Organisation’s Maturity?
• What is Unitary Developmental Theory (UDT)?
• Can Organisation Maturity be measured?
• What exactly gets measured?
• Why a 7 level scale versus the often used 5 level scale?
• How can we measure Capability Maturity?
• Are there any rules for Building Capability Maturity?
• How often should we measure Capability Maturity?
• Can we use OrgCMF™ to enable Culture Change?
• ‘I am not clear what you mean by a Capability and a bit confused by what a Dynamic & Construct is and how it relates to Capabilities, can you explain a bit more?’
• What is new and unique about UDT from an OD perspective?
• Is a Culture Assessment useful? Its quite a common approach?
• How can I build Organisation Agility & a Culture of Agility?

What do we mean by an Organisation’s Maturity?

Unitary Developmental Theory (UDT) (also titled: Dynamic Systems Maturity Theory) Guru, Dr. Myles Sweeney describes it as: Organisation ‘Maturity Level’ is it’s ‘Functioning Level’ (Practices & Resulting Outcomes) which reflects its ‘Learning Level’ (Ability to Learn & Change).

What is Unitary Developmental Theory (UDT)?

Unitary Development Theory (UDT) is a scientific means for understanding and improving Human Systems, such as an Organisation System. It explains how they function? Why they perform at a specific level? The nature of their Culture and the Learning and Development Process.

Can Organisation Maturity be measured?

Yes there are 15 definitive and normative levels in organisation science (UDT), these are grouped into a Reference Model Maturity Scale of 7 for practical use, and can be seen on the organisation Capability Maturity Assessment platform www.orgcmf.com.

What exactly gets measured?

We normally measure on the 7-level scale for the organisation system as a whole, or sub-systems the key Capabilities and their Building Blocks (Dynamics & Constructs) as they relate to the Objective under consideration e.g. Performance, Agility, Innovation, Productivity, Collaboration, Culture, Resilience, Digital etc. In practice there are 102 Measurement elements (Capabilities) for the Organization Maturity Index (OMI)Reference Model, 21 for the Team Maturity Index (TMI), and 42 for the Digital Maturity Index (DMI)

Why a 7 level scale versus the often used 5 level scale?

Though 5-level Maturity Scales are useful and easy to understand, they are predominantly used for added simplicity with Descriptive Maturity Frameworks. The 7-Level Maturity Scale is both normative and compliant with the sophistication of the underlying researched 15 habituated levels and related development phases that are its UDT underpinnings. Also important are the UDT rules and guides that relate to each of the levels allowing for calibration of Change actions for greater traction and sustainability of outputs and outcomes.

How can we measure Capability Maturity?

Maturity Assessments can be configured, distributed and monitored using ODTI’s on-line Digital Assessment Platform, which draws from the extensive database of multi choice questions in the database which are underpinned by the Unitary Developmental Theory – Reference Models. Users choose a sample representative base of participants who receive an email link to take the assessment and view the real-time report if they are permitted on https://orgcmf.com/billing/plans/

Are there any rules for Building Capability Maturity?

Yes, there are a small number of rules. In fact, the high failure rates of change and transformation programs (circa 70%) is as a result of now being aware of, and following these rules.

1. Capability Maturity Improvement is a sequential Learning Process that must start at the measured maturity level report guidance for the measured capability or building block to assure any change will get traction and be sustainable. Skipping levels is likely to lead to at best wasted effort and at worst maturity regression.

2. If the measured level of Capability Maturity is 4 or above then the organisation has an integrative capacity to absorb changes recommended at that level. It has self-learning capacity. However, if it is measured at 3 or below, it is disintegrative and foundation capabilities need to be validated and guidance from level 1 needs to be implemented where gaps exist, moving up the levels until the measured level is reached and actioned.

How often should we measure Capability Maturity?

Well, that depends. Sometimes it is only measured once, this happens in scenarios where there is a transactional information requirement. In most cases individuals and team want to monitor improvement in maturity, and recognizing that building maturity even at a construct level must allow for time to take action and embed new practices etc. We recommend no more frequently than bi-monthly and no less frequently than 6 months normally.

Can we use OrgCMF™ to enable Culture Change?

Yes! ODTI research brings new insights to the relationship between Capability Maturity & the Culture of an organisation. Firstly, be clear upfront what the business or organisation objective is and your observation as to where and why you believe culture change is important. Assuming you have established the need to change, you recognise that culture is a consequence of many system elements and their associated maturity levels and that the traditional focus on values and beliefs as the basis of change alone, will not lead to sustainable and consistent practices and behaviours. Our partners have found that completing a base line Capability Maturity Assessment provides visibility on which core capabilities have maturity levels than need to be improved to higher levels. This may include ‘Triage Level’ Dynamic assessment and usually inclusion of ‘Diagnostic level’ Assessment questions for the ‘Strategy Dynamic’. The program for change can follow normal best practice or if this is an area of low maturity we provide a simple Organisation Capability Maturity Improvement Methodology (OCIM™).

‘I am not clear what you mean by a Capability and a bit confused by what a Dynamic & Construct is and how it relates to Capabilities, can you explain a bit more?’

‘Capability is usually defined as an organisations ability to mobilise resources to achieve an aim’. The ‘Change Capability’ of an organisation represents its level of Agility. ‘Dynamics (Macro-Capabilities)’ are the forces which influence the functioning of an organisation, the level of functioning is in effect its maturity level. ‘Constructs-Meso & Micor Capabilities)’ are the primary capability building blocks that can be measured for maturity. Capability management is a means of classifying and grouping the elements of a system and their inter relationships and dependencies.

What is new and unique about UDT from an OD perspective?

• It describes and explains the level of functioning of an organisation system & its elements.

• It classifies this functioning level on a scientific scale of maturity, a normative scale

• It guides development for the organisation, unit or capability through the logical sequence of learning development for a system.

• It identified lower levels of maturity as dis-integrative (limited ability to take on board change) and the higher levels as integrative (able to take on board a level of change and self- manage) and that the development process sequence differs for each.

• It enables calibration of change action to achieve sustainable traction

Is a Culture Assessment useful? Its quite a common approach?

Any action to change or improve the culture of an organisation for the benefit of the organisation and its stakeholders is a positive step. That said organisations and their cultures are sophisticated and we should avoid over-simplification. What UDT has done is help us understand this sophistication and provide a useful tool and set of guidance that brings leaders and teams greater assurance of more successful change outcomes.

How can I build Organisation Agility & a Culture of Agility?

Changing Culture happens over time and is a consequence of building organisation system’s capability maturity. The relationship between Capability Maturity and Culture Maturity is outlined in this video and this paper. ODTI research, both academic and application, which led to Dynamic Systems Maturity Theory (DSMT), gives us the development roadmap and rules, which ensure each change gets traction and is sustainable and avoids the pitfalls of inappropriate or uncalibrated change actions. This short paper looks at Agility in particular and you should find it relevant and useful. It includes the application of Agile techniques as part of the Organisation Cultural Agility Development.

The real differentiator in using OrgCMF™ Framework and Tools is that it is based on UDT and therefore takes a system view. Again we know from research that Organisation Agility is not just achieved from people Agility, but each system element must achieve a target level of Maturity that ensures the system is Agile , so its more than People, its Information, processes, systems and tools etc. This paper elaborates a bit more on this topic.

Communications and Training are important, but they must be done at a level the organisation can absorb. Our experience suggests that using an Agility Maturity Reference Model provides the Change Lead with a Framework and all the stakeholders with a body of knowledge, which increases awareness of the constraints to Agility in an organisation through Specific Capability Maturity Assessments (measurements). The measurements can be devolved to a team level is appropriate getting both a Team and Organisation perspective. Understanding the current capabilities and their maturities and setting targets can align and motivate stakeholders. And because the development actions recommended for each capability measured are based on the learning development sequence, any training, communications, agile practices or change actions introduced are calibrated/appropriate and can be built upon over time.

This link introduces a methodology for building Organisation Agility.