Maturity Growth Contract¶
“Maturity is not declared — it is earned, measured, and renewed.”
Purpose¶
The Maturity Growth Contract (MGC) defines the joint roadmap for evolving relationship maturity between Client and Vendor organizations.
It translates the 3SF Maturity Model from a diagnostic framework into a living governance plan that measures and manages how both sides build trust, autonomy, and systemic collaboration.
This contract sets the baseline, the target maturity level, and the growth plan — creating a shared understanding of what “maturity progression” looks like in measurable terms.
The MGC complements legal agreements (SoW, MSA) by governing how the partnership itself evolves across projects and quarters.
Applies To¶
| Dimension | Scope |
|---|---|
| SDLC Stages | Delivery → Evolve → Audit |
| 3SF Relationship Lines | Engagement ↔ Delivery ↔ Value |
| 3SF Layers | Stable Rules Layer (SRL) + Rule Audit Checklist (RAC) |
| Maturity Target | From Collaborative Confidence → toward Strategic Partnership |
Actors / Roles¶
| Client Side | Vendor Side | Shared Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Sponsor | Account Lead | Approve maturity targets and governance cadence. |
| Governance Officer | Delivery Facilitator | Measure and report maturity progress quarterly. |
| Product Leader | Product Leader | Align outcome delivery with relationship growth. |
| Solution Architect | Technical Integrator | Ensure technical maturity aligns with organizational maturity. |
Key Components of the Maturity Growth Contract¶
| Component | Description | Linked 3SF Artifacts |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline Maturity Assessment | Establishes current level (Transactional, Collaborative, Co-Creative, Strategic). | Maturity Dashboard |
| Target Maturity Level | Defines desired maturity level and timeframe (e.g., Strategic in 18 months). | Quarterly Assessment |
| Growth Roadmap | Specifies initiatives, responsible roles, and checkpoints for improvement. | Delivery Diagnostic |
| Measurement Cadence | Defines frequency and data sources for maturity reviews. | Relationship Audit |
| Governance Evolution Rules | Defines how autonomy, reporting, and control evolve. | Autonomy & Control Boundary Charter |
| Learning Integration | Incorporates reflection results to adjust maturity plan. | Learning Before Blame Protocol |
Agreement Format¶
The MGC is a co-created governance annex to the Delivery Charter or portfolio agreement. It is reviewed and updated quarterly, co-signed by both Executive Sponsors.
The document typically contains:
1. Maturity Baseline Summary¶
- Relationship maturity level across Engagement, Delivery, and Value lines.
- Strengths, constraints, and systemic gaps.
2. Growth Objectives¶
- Desired maturity target, timeframe, and criteria for achieving it.
- Example: Move from Collaborative to Co-Creative by enabling vendor autonomy for iteration planning.
3. Improvement Initiatives¶
- Actions or experiments contributing to maturity advancement (e.g., governance simplification, trust score tracking).
4. Measurement Dashboard¶
- Visual metrics of progress across quarters.
- Uses indicators from the Maturity Dashboard.
5. Review and Renewal Schedule¶
- Quarterly assessment cadence and sign-off checklist.
- Commitment to transparency in reporting and joint reflection.
Inputs / Outputs¶
| Inputs | Outputs |
|---|---|
| Quarterly assessment data, relationship audit reports, delivery metrics | Maturity Growth Plan, updated Dashboard Entries, Quarterly Review Record |
Metrics / Signals¶
| Category | Example Indicators |
|---|---|
| Maturity Delta | At least one relationship dimension improves per quarter (e.g., Engagement → from 2.5 to 3.0). |
| Autonomy Growth | Vendor approval dependencies decrease by ≥25% within 2 quarters. |
| Learning Adoption | ≥80% of LBP actions implemented before next review. |
| Trust Stability | Maturity score variance between Client and Vendor ≤ 1 point. |
Common Pitfalls¶
- Treating the MGC as a static compliance checklist.
- Overpromising maturity targets without enabling structural change.
- Confusing delivery performance improvement with maturity growth.
- Lack of quarterly follow-up or dashboard updates.
- Using maturity scores to assign blame instead of learning.
Scaling Notes¶
| Maturity Stage | Evolution Focus |
|---|---|
| Collaborative → Co-Creative | Introduce quarterly maturity reviews tied to specific trust indicators. |
| Co-Creative → Strategic | Integrate maturity tracking into portfolio governance and investment decisions. |
At advanced maturity, the MGC becomes a Strategic Partnership Growth Framework, tracking not just delivery quality, but organizational alignment and innovation capacity.
Client-Side Application¶
Objective: Ensure the Client organization actively participates in the relationship’s evolution — not just in performance reviews.
Client actions¶
- Define clear, measurable growth goals per maturity dimension.
- Commit to removing internal constraints blocking vendor autonomy.
- Approve quarterly review cadence and maintain transparency.
- Integrate MGC metrics into leadership dashboards.
Vendor-Side Application¶
Objective: Demonstrate measurable growth in maturity through transparency, reliability, and governance participation.
Vendor actions¶
- Facilitate maturity data collection and quarterly reviews.
- Propose experiments and improvements for maturity progression.
- Track and report impact of autonomy and trust initiatives.
- Use MGC results as evidence in portfolio audits and new proposals.
Summary¶
The Maturity Growth Contract transforms 3SF maturity from theory into a continuous governance process.
It ensures both Client and Vendor remain accountable for relationship evolution — turning “partnership” into a measurable, managed asset.
By signing the MGC, both sides commit not only to deliver value, but to grow in how they deliver it — embodying the 3SF vision of maturity through shared accountability.