Generalize the maturity model pattern by spier · Pull Request #536 · InnerSourceCommons/InnerSourcePatterns

spier · 2023-03-23T19:25:06Z

By generalizing the marity model pattern we hope to allow for other orgs to list themselves as adopters of this pattern, even if they may be using a maturity model that is different from the one proposed in this pattern.

At the same time we think that providing a maturity model as part of this pattern has its merits, as it allows readers to understand the goals of this pattern more easily.

Key changes

rewrite Patlet into the 2 sentence form (1 problem + 1 solution)
Generalize the Solution section. Separate the definition of the maturity model from the self-assessment of the teams.
Emphasize that an org that adopts this pattern should review the maturity model and adapt it to their needs, before asking teams to do the self-assessment.
Formatting Forces, Context, and Resulting Context as list, to allow for easier checking

…ity model from the self-assessment of the teams.

rrrutledge

This is great! We need a way to have this idea of the pattern and then specific instances of implementations of the pattern that people can lift and reuse for themselves.

Co-authored-by: rrrutledge <rrrutledge@users.noreply.github.com>

spier · 2023-03-24T20:30:06Z

@dicortazar I would love to get your input on the changes to this pattern, given that you were one of the original authors.

spier · 2026-10-18T10:16:42Z

+
+1. **maturity mode definition**: Create a maturity model that fits the needs of your organization. Also consider the [Guiding Principles](../2-structured/document-your-guiding-principles.md) if you have defined those for your InnerSource program.
+2. **team self-assessment**: Then ask teams to self-assess against that maturity model. You may even do a couple of these sessions together with a view teams, to observe and learn if the maturity model is easy enough to understand.
+3. ... <what happens now? e.g. any re-assessments after some time, or suggested actions after the assessment, or anything else?>


This part here still needs to be finished.

spier · 2026-10-25T21:18:26Z

@rrrutledge if you end up working on this in the InnerSource Working Group meeting, I believe the last fix that this PR needs is some content to be added here, and one thorough end-to-end review.

As for the other PR #538 that was also modifying the same pattern:
I am opted to close #538 and add the improves in a new PR once this PR here is merged. (I may try to merge in the changes automatically but I am expecting that it would end up with too many merge conflicts as both PRs were open for so long)

jeffabailey · 2026-10-26T15:28:48Z

+
+1. **maturity mode definition**: Create a maturity model that fits the needs of your organization. Also consider the [Guiding Principles](../2-structured/document-your-guiding-principles.md) if you have defined those for your InnerSource program.
+2. **team self-assessment**: Then ask teams to self-assess against that maturity model. You may even do a couple of these sessions together with a few teams, to observe and learn if the maturity model is easy enough to understand.
+3. ... <what happens now? e.g. any re-assessments after some time, or suggested actions after the assessment, or anything else?>


Suggested change

3. ... <what happens now? e.g. any re-assessments after some time, or suggested actions after the assessment, or anything else?>

3. Define a maturity goal post assessment, derive tasks, add to your backlog, and schedule with your preferred planning system. Reassess after some time. e.g. Yearly review

jeffabailey · 2026-10-26T15:30:16Z

@jritten does IBM have an example of a maturity model?

rrrutledge · 2026-10-27T03:01:37Z

-## Solution
+Steps to implement:
+
+1. **maturity mode definition**: Create a maturity model that fits the needs of your organization. Also consider the [Guiding Principles](../2-structured/document-your-guiding-principles.md) if you have defined those for your InnerSource program.


Small typo:

Suggested change

1. **maturity mode definition**: Create a maturity model that fits the needs of your organization. Also consider the [Guiding Principles](../2-structured/document-your-guiding-principles.md) if you have defined those for your InnerSource program.

1. **maturity model definition**: Create a maturity model that fits the needs of your organization. Also consider the [Guiding Principles](../2-structured/document-your-guiding-principles.md) if you have defined those for your InnerSource program.

rrrutledge · 2026-10-27T03:01:37Z

-Teams are not aware of best practices that would help them solve issues that
-they run into in their daily doing.
+For this pattern it is particularly important that you adapt the maturity model below to the needs of your organization.
+The context of most organization will differ too greatly, so there is no single maturity model that fits every org.


Suggested change

The context of most organization will differ too greatly, so there is no single maturity model that fits every org.

The context of most organizations will differ too greatly, so there is no single maturity model that fits every org.

rrrutledge · 2026-10-27T03:01:38Z

+* You increase the trust in your initiative by allowing teams to go through the self-assessment at their own pace, and by opening up to feedback from them.
+* The teams going through the self-assessment will likely have discussions, possibly even disagreements about some of the points in the maturity model. These are fantastic conversation starters, and the discussions help you to create a shared understanding of InnerSource in your organization.
+
+Below we have defined a **sample maturity** model around 4 categories: Transparency, Collaboration, Community, and Governance.


Suggested change

Below we have defined a **sample maturity** model around 4 categories: Transparency, Collaboration, Community, and Governance.

Below we have defined a **sample maturity model** around 4 categories: Transparency, Collaboration, Community, and Governance.

spier added 7 commits March 23, 2023 18:13

Formatting Forces as list, to allow for easier checking

8c8928c

Formatting Context as list, to allow for easier checking

3b601c8

Format list correctly (to prevent issues in gitbook)

bfc29c4

rewrite Patlet into the 2 sentence form (1 problem + 1 solution)

7d18d54

Generalize the Solution section. Separate the definition of the matur…

5a0763d

…ity model from the self-assessment of the teams.

Adding myself as author

8a3daef

Formatting Resulting Context as list, to allow for easier checking

8f8bfa2

spier requested review from NewMexicoKid, cewilliams, lenucksi and robtuley as code owners March 23, 2023 19:25

spier added 2-structured Patterns with existing instances (Please see our contribution handbook for details) 📖 Type - Content Work Working on contents is the main focus of this issue / PR labels Mar 23, 2023

rrrutledge reviewed Mar 23, 2023

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Comment thread patterns/2-structured/maturity-model.md Outdated

Comment thread patterns/2-structured/maturity-model.md Outdated

Fix spelling

b5fbcae

Co-authored-by: rrrutledge <rrrutledge@users.noreply.github.com>

lenucksi changed the title ~~Generalize the marity model pattern~~ Generalize the maturity model pattern Apr 24, 2023

spier mentioned this pull request Oct 18, 2026

Maturity Model: Formatting and grammar updates #538

Closed

Merge branch 'main' into generalize-maturity-model

14c0ca7

spier requested a review from yuhattor as a code owner October 18, 2026 10:04

spier added 3 commits October 18, 2026 12:09

Rework patlet

1dfc673

Rework the forces section

c4042b5

Spelling fixes

515a745

spier commented Oct 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

spier added 2 commits October 18, 2026 20:19

Rewording intro to Solution

f214d69

Rewording

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jeffabailey reviewed Oct 26, 2026

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jeffabailey requested changes Oct 26, 2026

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jeffabailey mentioned this pull request Oct 26, 2026

Refactor and publish the InnerSource Maturity pattern InnerSourceCommons/innersource-working-group#208

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rrrutledge reviewed Oct 27, 2026

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Generalize the maturity model pattern - #536

Generalize the maturity model pattern#536
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	3. ... <what happens now? e.g. any re-assessments after some time, or suggested actions after the assessment, or anything else?>
	3. Define a maturity goal post assessment, derive tasks, add to your backlog, and schedule with your preferred planning system. Reassess after some time. e.g. Yearly review

	1. maturity mode definition: Create a maturity model that fits the needs of your organization. Also consider the [Guiding Principles](../2-structured/document-your-guiding-principles.md) if you have defined those for your InnerSource program.
	1. maturity model definition: Create a maturity model that fits the needs of your organization. Also consider the [Guiding Principles](../2-structured/document-your-guiding-principles.md) if you have defined those for your InnerSource program.

	The context of most organization will differ too greatly, so there is no single maturity model that fits every org.
	The context of most organizations will differ too greatly, so there is no single maturity model that fits every org.

	Below we have defined a sample maturity model around 4 categories: Transparency, Collaboration, Community, and Governance.
	Below we have defined a sample maturity model around 4 categories: Transparency, Collaboration, Community, and Governance.

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