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The Business Intelligence Maturity Model
Wayne Eckerson developed the Business Intelligence Maturity Model for The Data Warehousing Insti-
tute (TDWI) as a means for organizations to benchmark their deployments against other companies.
At a high level, the model identifies six stages that mark the progression of BI from a cost center to a
strategic asset. As shown in Figure 2-3, by plotting the typical user adoption rate along the six stages
of the model, Eckerson's research revealed a bell curve in most organizations in stages 2 and 3. It's
important to understand that companies don't necessarily follow a linear progression from stages 0
to 5. Stages often overlap, and the length of time that a company remains in a particular stage can
vary.
Note
You can download a poster illustrating the Business Intelligence Maturity Model from
can also use TDWI's online assessment tool to benchmark your company's BI maturity by
FIGURE 2-3
The TDWI BI Maturity Model.
Notable aspects of the model are the Gulf and the Chasm, which highlight the reality that BI
implementations are not likely to proceed smoothly from one stage to another. As Eckerson discussed
these findings with BI implementers, he discovered that the inclusion of these two obstacles in the
model validated their experience that setbacks in BI implementations and flagging enthusiasm for
pursuing pervasive BI are a normal part of the process. Perseverance pays off for teams that can stay
focused on the steps necessary to expand the capabilities of their BI infrastructure.
Even within the same company, it's very likely that each department will mature at different rates.
That's okay. The good news is that wherever people are, they have tools to support them, they can
transition to higher levels of maturity over time, and the tools can adapt accordingly. Each successive
step in the maturation process translates into greater business value.
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