A measurement framework to assess software maturity models

Software maturity models can be utilized by organizations to evaluate and enhance their development processes. Established and recognized models such as the Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) and ISO/IEC 15504 (Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination (SPICE)) have proven their value. However, many new software maturity models exist, and their quality and potential value remain questionable until they are properly assessed before adoption. Without such an assessment, organizations can implement poor or ineffective models, resulting in wasted resources and failed improvement initiatives. Our research aims to address this challenge by developing a measurement framework based on ISO/IEC 15504-3 standards to assess the quality of developed software maturity models. We derived our quality assessment criteria through literature analysis, analyzing four main categories: basic model information, structural design, assessment methods, and implementation support. After developing this framework, we validated it with expert reviews to assess its design and usability and through a series of case studies. Feedback from academics and industry practitioners confirmed the framework’s utility, especially recognizing its clear structure and comprehensiveness of evaluation criteria. Case studies also revealed the framework’s effectiveness in identifying strengths and areas of improvement, finding that evaluated models had quality scores ranging from 83.3% to 93.2%. Our study enhances software maturity models’ practical utility and adoption across different software contexts, providing professionals and academics with a structured way to evaluate and enhance maturity models.