Improving IS Functions Step by Step: the Use of Focus Area Maturity Models

With new technologies developing rapidly and becoming more common, organizations need to keep up their IS capabilities. Maturity models are designed as a means to support capability development. The existing literature is strongly dominated by studies of fixed-level maturity models, i.e. maturity models that distinguish a limited set of generic maturity levels, such as the well-known CMM. We argue that, while fixed-level maturity models may be well-suited to assessing the maturity of IS capabilities, another form of maturity model, the focus area maturity model, is better suited to supporting incremental improvement. In this paper we define the concept of focus area maturity model. We use a design-science research method, basing our work on both extensive industry experience and scientific investigation.