Stages of Digital Maturity
Understand where you are today and what to focus on next to build effective digital teams
Identify Your Current Stage
Use this page to identify the stage that best reflects your organization today, then use the guidance to prioritize your next steps. Most organizations will see elements of themselves across multiple stages. That’s expected. Use this model as a guide, not a checklist.
Digital Maturity Model
This model outlines five stages of organizational maturity in delivering digital services. Each stage describes common characteristics, priorities, and practical next steps for strengthening your organization’s capabilities and digital service function.
How a digital service team fits
A dedicated digital service team is not required to advance through these stages. Digital capabilities may be centralized within one team, distributed across departments, or supported through a hybrid approach. A dedicated team can help coordinate and strengthen these capabilities as the organization matures.
Funding models and digital maturity
Digital maturity is not tied to a specific funding model. It increases as funding becomes more predictable, coordinated, and aligned with long-term priorities. See Digital Service Team Funding for common funding approaches and how they can work together.
Exploring
Exploring
No dedicated budget for digital service work
Work is funded informally or absorbed within existing team budgets
No dedicated digital team; work is handled within existing teams as needed
Digital work is not owned by a specific function or leader
Each project is run differently, with little documentation or reuse of practices (e.g., no consistent use of user research, roadmaps, or agile rituals)
Work is contained within a single team or department, with little to no involvement from others
Success depends on individual effort; similar projects often produce very different results in timeline, quality, and usability
Ownership: Who is responsible for this work, and who sets direction?
Assign clear ownership for digital work, even if it is part-time
Establish a basic team structure and reporting line
Document how recent work has been delivered
Identify where digital work is already happening
Support early experimentation and learning
Reduce reliance on borrowed or ad hoc staff
Identify where digital work is happening and reduce reliance on borrowed or ad hoc staff
Assess current hiring practices and identify gaps in targeting digital skill sets
Perfect processes
Scaling across the organization
Formal governance
Organizing
Organizing
Project-based or department funding supports work case by case.
No consistent or coordinated funding model is in place.
A small, executive team or function is formed with clear ownership
Digital work begins to be separated from general IT or program work
Practices like sprint planning, user research, or backlogs are introduced, but teams apply them inconsistently across projects
Cross-team work happens on an ad hoc basis and requires manual coordination (e.g., meetings, emails, personal relationships)
Some projects are delivered successfully, but timelines, quality, and user experience vary significantly between efforts
Autonomy vs. consistency: When should teams standardize how they work, and where should they retain flexibility?
Define team roles and responsibilities
Establish and document ways of working (e.g., planning, delivery, research)
Pilot and refine standard practices across projects
Create space for teams to test and improve approaches
Begin hiring for key digital roles (e.g., product, design, engineering)
Start improving hiring practices, even if they are not yet consistent
Identify gaps in internal support for developing digital skills
Scaling to other departments
Over-engineering standards
Forcing uniformity too early
Standardizing
Standardizing
General fund, cost-recovery, or hybrid funding begins to support regular operations.
Funding is more predictable but still tied to short-term cycles.
Cross-functional teams (e.g., product, design, engineering) are established
Teams are structured around delivering digital services, not just functions
Teams consistently use shared practices, templates, and tools (e.g., intake processes, roadmaps, design standards)
Projects regularly involve multiple teams or stakeholders, with defined processes for collaboration and handoffs
Delivery is more predictable; teams can estimate timelines and produce consistent levels of quality across projects
Reliance on individuals vs. systems: Can the organization depend on shared processes rather than individual effort?
Implement shared templates, tools, and delivery processes across teams
Reinforce consistent use of standards through management support
Strengthen coordination across teams and stakeholders
Build role specialization while maintaining shared practices
Implement structured and consistent hiring processes across roles
Define roles, competencies, and leveling for digital positions
Introduce onboarding and training to support skill development
Align hiring with workforce planning and long-term needs
Constant reinvention of practices
Expanding too quickly across the organization
Chasing innovation for its own sake
Scaling
Scaling
General fund, cost-recovery, or hybrid funding reliably supports ongoing work.
Project funding supports expansion and other planned initiatives.
Multiple teams or a executive digital service support work across departments
Clear ownership, governance, and engagement models define how teams work with others
Standard practices are adapted for different contexts (e.g., large programs vs. small projects) and continuously improved based on experience
Cross-department collaboration is planned and embedded in how work gets done (e.g., shared roadmaps, joint prioritization, governance forums)
Work delivers measurable outcomes (e.g., improved service delivery, reduced processing time, increased user satisfaction) across the organization
Navigating Constraints: How can the organization expand work across departments without slowing delivery?
Integrate digital work into long-term planning and governance structures
Establish cross-department collaboration mechanisms (e.g., shared roadmaps, prioritization forums)
Expand capacity to support multiple teams or initiatives
Continuously improve practices based on outcomes and feedback
Build and maintain recruiting pipelines for ongoing hiring
Establish structured development opportunities (e.g., training, mentorship, career progression)
Scaling to other departments
Over-engineering standards
Forcing uniformity too early
Leading
Leading
Stable funding supports ongoing operations and long-term investment.
Funding models enable continuous improvement, innovation, and scaling.
Digital teams operate as an enabling function across the organization
Structures support coaching, platforms, and shared services beyond direct delivery
Practices are continuously refined using data and feedback, and new approaches are tested and adopted proactively
The organization collaborates across agencies or levels of government and contributes to shared initiatives or standards
The organization consistently delivers high-quality digital services and is recognized as a leader or model for others
Growth: Where should the organization focus next to keep improving and leading?
Invest in continuous improvement and innovation
Share practices, tools, and lessons learned with other organizations
Mentor and support other teams or agencies
Expand influence through partnerships and cross-government collaboration
Use data to continuously improve hiring and development practices
Create clear career pathways to support retention and growth
Invest in internal talent development and strengthen your reputation as an employer of choice
Defending existing processes
Optimizing only within your organization
Staying comfortable
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