The Intelligence Capability Maturity Model

A step-by-step framework to assess your current intelligence capabilities and create an actionable plan to level up your intelligence program with the resources at your disposal.

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EXPLAINING THE MODEL

What is a capability maturity model and why should I use it?

Maturity models are a structured way to assess current capabilities and create an action plan for improvement. This intelligence maturity model is broken into 5 stages, allowing you to access the challenges you may face per stage and set goals to improve to the next. With the challenges and goals, there are three key components; people, process, and technology which allow for a simple yet effective way to accept your challenges, and make both strategic and tactical moves to ultimately level up your intelligence program.

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There are 5 levels of intelligence program maturity

1. Reacting

2. Balancing

3. Growing

4. Scaling

5. Optimizing

INTELLIGENCE MATURITY LEVELS

Select a level

1. Reacting

3-1

Reacting

Example: My intelligence work is highly reactive and my day tends to consist of responding to ad-hoc requests.

Description: This stage is characteristic of having no formalized processes, or an undocumented process, and the daily workload being highly reactive. The individual generally feels like they are in a dynamic state of change, tending to work in an ad-hoc and potentially uncontrolled manner due to stakeholder demands.

2. Balancing

4-1

Balancing

Example: My intelligence work consists of consistent information monitoring and sending a deliverable (newsletter, report, battle card) on a monthly basis. I am keeping up, but feel understaffed and/or resource-limited.

Description: This stage is characteristic of a limited process with common deviations from the process. The individual generally feels that they have limited time to perform consistent tasks due to human capital resources and attempts to find a balance between consistent efforts and reactive requests.

3. Growing

5-1

Growing

Example: My intelligence work is performed as a dedicated solo practitioner or I have a small team. I have a defined process for information monitoring, analysis, and most of my deliverables. My processes have allowed me to grow my stakeholder audience. I would like to continue the transition from reactive to proactive.

Description: This stage is characteristic of defined and documented standard processes established and subject to some degree of improvement over time. The processes may not have been systematically or repeatedly used and may be insufficient for the users to become competent or the process to be validated in a range of situations.

4. Scaling

6-1

Scaling

Example: My intelligence work and our team are operating efficiently and providing a high level of value to our primary stakeholder groups. Generally, our insights are generated as a team, and we have consistent deliverables produced on a schedule. We have engaged multiple departments to collaborate and contribute intelligence, but we struggle with gaining adoption beyond our initial target audience, and driving consistent engagement from those groups has been difficult.

Description: This stage is characteristic of highly structured processes across all primary team members, templated deliverables, and leverages a scalable platform. Although, this stringency has likely not been adopted consistently by extended team members or intelligence contributors. Since the frameworks are all in place, this stage is all about driving adoption and scaling to target stakeholders. Success may feel hampered by legacy processes or tools utilized in other departments.

5. Optimizing

3-3

Optimizing

Example: My intelligence team, our processes, and our platform are recognized as the insights hub throughout our organization, serving multiple departments and enabling them to obtain what they are looking for in real-time. We have already deployed or are considering serving insights to stakeholders in 3rd party platforms via integrations into Teams, SharePoint, Slack, Salesforce, etc. We feel overwhelmed at times due to the size of our team and the level of demand there is now for our services.

Description: This stage is characteristic of consistent processes and a standardized platform understood by all relevant stakeholders. The value of intelligence is accepted within the organization and the intelligence program is seen as an invaluable hub for all key insights. Improvements are iterative and primarily focused on providing optimal value to all stakeholder groups. This includes delivering insights in varying formats in multiple places to have the optimal impact on target stakeholder groups (hypertargeting).

3-1

Reacting

Example: My intelligence work is highly reactive and my day tends to consist of responding to ad-hoc requests.

Description: This stage is characteristic of having no formalized processes, or an undocumented process, and the daily workload being highly reactive. The individual generally feels like they are in a dynamic state of change, tending to work in an ad-hoc and potentially uncontrolled manner due to stakeholder demands.

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4-1

Balancing

Example: My intelligence work consists of consistent information monitoring and sending a deliverable (newsletter, report, battle card) on a monthly basis. I am keeping up, but feel understaffed and/or resource-limited.

Description: This stage is characteristic of a limited process with common deviations from the process. The individual generally feels that they have limited time to perform consistent tasks due to human capital resources and attempts to find a balance between consistent efforts and reactive requests.

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5-1

Growing

Example: My intelligence work is performed as a dedicated solo practitioner or I have a small team. I have a defined process for information monitoring, analysis, and most of my deliverables. My processes have allowed me to grow my stakeholder audience. I would like to continue the transition from reactive to proactive.

Description: This stage is characteristic of defined and documented standard processes established and subject to some degree of improvement over time. The processes may not have been systematically or repeatedly used and may be insufficient for the users to become competent or the process to be validated in a range of situations.

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6-1

Scaling

Example: My intelligence work and our team are operating efficiently and providing a high level of value to our primary stakeholder groups. Generally, our insights are generated as a team, and we have consistent deliverables produced on a schedule. We have engaged multiple departments to collaborate and contribute intelligence, but we struggle with gaining adoption beyond our initial target audience, and driving consistent engagement from those groups has been difficult.

Description: This stage is characteristic of highly structured processes across all primary team members, templated deliverables, and leverages a scalable platform. Although, this stringency has likely not been adopted consistently by extended team members or intelligence contributors. Since the frameworks are all in place, this stage is all about driving adoption and scaling to target stakeholders. Success may feel hampered by legacy processes or tools utilized in other departments.

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3-3

Optimizing

Example: My intelligence team, our processes, and our platform are recognized as the insights hub throughout our organization, serving multiple departments and enabling them to obtain what they are looking for in real-time. We have already deployed or are considering serving insights to stakeholders in 3rd party platforms via integrations into Teams, SharePoint, Slack, Salesforce, etc. We feel overwhelmed at times due to the size of our team and the level of demand there is now for our services.

Description: This stage is characteristic of consistent processes and a standardized platform understood by all relevant stakeholders. The value of intelligence is accepted within the organization and the intelligence program is seen as an invaluable hub for all key insights. Improvements are iterative and primarily focused on providing optimal value to all stakeholder groups. This includes delivering insights in varying formats in multiple places to have the optimal impact on target stakeholder groups (hypertargeting).

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Level up your intelligence program with this 7-page capability maturity model

In this paper we provide you with a step-by-step framework to assess your current intelligence capabilities and create an actionable plan to level up your intelligence program with the resources at your disposal.

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