Operational Maturity Model

Used in STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 9 STEP 10

A glimpse inside

Preview of the D9 worked example — structure and colouring shown, detail deliberately softened

3 tabs: Cover · blank tool · Meridian worked example. Ten dimensions, five level descriptors each, a 1–5 score with evidence, and a maturity index and band that calculate themselves.

In a sentence — score operational capability across ten dimensions on the same 1–5 scale, so a baseline, a target and an evidenced result can all be compared honestly.

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What this tool does

A capability assessment is only useful if the same ten dimensions get revisited with the same scale later — otherwise ‘we've improved’ is just an impression. This tool is designed to be used repeatedly against the same instrument: baseline at Step 2, diagnostic lens at Step 3, re-scored at Step 9 and again at Step 10 as evidence of embedded change.

Scores are directional by design, not precision measurements — the sheet asks for evidence in the notes column specifically so a score can be challenged and defended, rather than trusted just because it's a number.

WHY THIS HELPS

Read the average score and the lowest dimension score together, not the average alone — a strong average can hide one badly lagging dimension that will bottleneck the whole transformation if it isn't flagged for a closer look. Priority for deep-dive is a separate flag from the score itself for exactly this reason.

READING THE MATURITY BAND

The average score maps to a band on fixed thresholds: below 1.5 is Elementary, below 2.5 is Stable, below 3.5 is Defined, below 4.5 is Leveraged, and 4.5 and above is Optimised — the same five labels as the level descriptions themselves, so a 2.1 average genuinely means ‘Stable’ in the same sense the column headers use the word, not a vague approximation of it. Because the band is driven off an average across ten dimensions, it's easy for it to look more reassuring than the underlying spread actually is — a firm with five dimensions at 3 and five at 1 lands on exactly the same 2.0 average, and the same Stable band, as one with all ten sitting evenly at 2. Those are very different transformations to plan. That's the whole reason the Lowest dimension score sits directly under the band: it's the one number on this sheet that a healthy-looking average can't quietly absorb.

What's included

D9 · Operational Maturity Model — the blank tool

Ready to complete for your own engagement. Blue-tinted cells are for you to fill in.

Worked example

The same tool completed end to end, using the fictional Meridian Wealth Management scenario — see what ‘done’ looks like before you start your own.

How it's used

A quick walkthrough of the sheet:

Using this tool

1For each dimension, read all five level descriptions left to right before scoring — don't anchor to the first one that sounds plausible.

2Score by evidence and facilitated discussion, capturing that evidence in the notes column.

3Flag Priority for deep-dive (Y/N) for any dimension that needs more than a quick read.

4Treat the result as a directional indicator, not a precise measurement.

5Use the same instrument again at Step 9 and Step 10 — the index and band update automatically each time.

Matches the sheet's own columns exactly: Dimension, five level descriptions (Elementary→Optimised), Selected score, Evidence / notes, Priority for deep-dive.