SDLC Stages Maturity¶
Purpose¶
The SDLC Stages Maturity model describes how delivery systems evolve in capability, alignment, and learning across the seven SDLC stages.
It reflects how a project grows from controlled execution to adaptive partnership — connecting delivery performance to relationship trust.
Each SDLC stage not only defines what to do but also how maturely it can be done:
- Structurally, by having clarity and consistency.
- Operationally, by enabling flow and feedback.
- Relationally, by building trust and shared responsibility.
Maturity Levels Across the SDLC¶
| Level | System Characteristics | Collaboration Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Controlled Execution | Reactive and rule-bound. Processes exist but are applied rigidly; success depends on individuals. | Client controls; vendor executes. Communication transactional and status-based. |
| 2. Coordinated Flow | Processes repeatable and partly adaptive. Feedback loops appear, but learning not yet systematic. | Client and vendor coordinate. Transparency increases, autonomy conditional. |
| 3. Empowered Delivery | Delivery system self-regulating; quality and risk controlled by teams. | Teams own execution; governance focuses on outcomes. Collaboration proactive. |
| 4. Adaptive Partnership | System continuously learns and adapts; governance and delivery fully integrated. | Client and vendor co-own outcomes, plan jointly, and innovate together. |
Each stage can operate at a different maturity level — for example, Build may perform at Level 3 while Evolve remains at Level 2.
The goal is not uniform maturity, but balance between flow, governance, and relationship depth.
SDLC Stage Maturity Map¶
| SDLC Stage | Stage Purpose | Minimum → Target Maturity | Client Role | Vendor / Team Role | Shared Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | Understand the problem, align on goals, explore solution directions. | Transactional → Aligned Autonomy | Provides context, goals, and stakeholder access. | Facilitates discovery workshops, defines problem space, validates insights. | Shared understanding of goals, assumptions, and constraints. |
| Shape | Define product scope, architecture vision, and delivery feasibility. | Aligned Autonomy → Shared Ownership | Frames outcomes and priorities. | Co-creates solution architecture, estimates feasibility, defines delivery model. | Outcome-based planning and governance clarity. |
| Build | Design, develop, and integrate components with automation and quality at the core. | Shared Ownership → Strategic Partnership | Owns vision and validates increments. | Delivers autonomously with transparency and technical excellence. | Continuous feedback, visibility, and trust in progress. |
| Validate | Test functionality, performance, usability, and security. | Shared Ownership → Strategic Partnership | Participates in acceptance testing and user validation. | Integrates quality and measurement practices. | Mutual accountability for outcomes and experience. |
| Release | Package, approve, and deploy through reliable pipelines. | Strategic Partnership (sustained) | Approves and communicates business impact. | Operates reliable CI/CD and rollout procedures. | Shared decision on readiness and release timing. |
| Run | Monitor and support the live system. | Strategic Partnership → Aligned Renewal | Defines SLAs and improvement goals. | Manages operations and transparency. | Joint visibility of system health and user experience. |
| Evolve | Learn from outcomes and feedback to improve product, process, and team effectiveness. | Aligned Renewal → Strategic Partnership | Sponsors roadmap and innovation. | Leads improvement cycles, proposes experiments. | Continuous learning, data-driven value refinement. |
Maturity across the SDLC reflects how well flow, accountability, and learning are synchronized.
Gaps between stages reveal where governance or communication must adapt.
Structural, Operational, and Relational Dimensions¶
| Dimension | Definition | Observable Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Structural Maturity | Clarity of process, ownership, and decision boundaries. | Roles and responsibilities are defined, governance cadence is predictable. |
| Operational Maturity | Effectiveness of practices and flow in maintaining stability and quality. | Stable velocity, working automation, consistent delivery predictability. |
| Relational Maturity | Quality of collaboration and transparency between Client and Vendor. | Trust indicators, open communication, joint problem-solving behaviors. |
The Structural dimension establishes order,
the Operational dimension sustains flow,
and the Relational dimension drives long-term value.
Assessing SDLC Stage Maturity¶
Maturity can be assessed per stage or holistically through:
- RAC (Rule Audit Checklist): Structural and operational rule compliance.
- Feedback Indicators: Lead time, quality metrics, risk signals.
- Relationship Health: Trust and alignment feedback between Client and Vendor.
Each stage’s maturity score feeds into a delivery health profile that highlights which capabilities enable or block overall system flow.
When Maturity Plateaus¶
Some stages evolve faster than others — for example, Build may reach high autonomy while Shape or Run remains reactive.
Such asymmetry often indicates systemic bottlenecks, not team incompetence.
3SF views these plateaus as signals to inspect interfaces between stages — where ownership, feedback, or governance may still operate transactionally.
Summary¶
- SDLC Stages Maturity connects delivery quality with relationship growth.
- Each stage advances from controlled execution to adaptive partnership.
- Balance across structural, operational, and relational dimensions ensures the system remains stable and learning-driven.
- Maturity is not about perfection — it’s about adaptive coherence: the ability to stay aligned while continuously improving.