Digital maturity models are popular. Most consultancies have one. Most are some version of a 1-to-5 scale across a few dimensions like data, content, technology and customer experience.
They can be useful. They are also frequently used as a sales gimmick. Worth knowing the difference.
When a maturity assessment is useful
The model is specific to your industry or business model. A generic “digital maturity” assessment for a charity is not the same as one for a B2B SaaS company. The questions matter.
The output is comparative. You score 2 out of 5 on data infrastructure. The useful version of this finding is “and here is what 4 out of 5 looks like for a business your size, so you have something to aim at”. Without comparison, the score is meaningless.
The assessment names the next move. Not “improve your data maturity”. Specific. “Connect the CRM to the analytics warehouse via this method, so you can answer this specific question.” Useful.
The assessor has nothing to gain from the score being low. If the same firm does the assessment and then sells you the work to fix what they found, you are getting a sales pitch dressed as an audit.
When it is a sales gimmick
The framework is suspiciously aligned with the consultancy’s product offerings. They score you low on exactly the things they happen to specialise in. This happens more often than is comfortable.
The output is a chart with no recommendations. You get a deck telling you what is wrong. You do not get a clear path to fix it without buying a follow-on engagement.
The “level 5” definition matches what only the consultancy’s clients seem to achieve.
Useful version: an honest assessment that gives you a clear, actionable list of things to fix in the next quarter, in priority order, with named outcomes.
Sales version: a chart, a wide-eyed reaction, an invoice.
If you have been offered a maturity assessment and are unsure which kind it is, I will read the proposal for you.