Which records management maturity model should you use to assess your program, and how do you score where you are today?
A maturity model is a structured yardstick. It describes what a records program looks like at successively higher levels of capability, so you can place yourself on that scale, set targets, and measure progress over time. The goal is not a grade for its own sake but a shared, honest picture of where you stand.
Choosing a model
There is no single “correct” model, and the best choice is usually the one that fits your sector and that your stakeholders will trust. A few principles help:
- Pick a recognized, principle-based framework rather than an ad-hoc checklist, so your results are defensible and comparable over time.
- Align it with a governing standard. Many models map their criteria to established records management principles, which keeps your assessment anchored to widely accepted practice rather than one organization’s opinion.
- Match it to your mandate. A federal agency, a hospital, and a small business face different legal and operational pressures; choose criteria that reflect yours.
Most credible models share the same spine: capability rises from ad hoc (inconsistent, individual-dependent) through developing and defined to managed and optimized (measured, automated, continuously improved).
How to score where you are
Assess across a few consistent dimensions, typically people, process, and technology:
- Define the levels. Write a short, plain-language description of each maturity level for each dimension so scorers interpret them the same way.
- Gather evidence, not opinions. Look for policies, retention schedules, disposition logs, training records, and audit results. A capability you cannot demonstrate does not count.
- Score conservatively. Rate to the level you can sustain consistently, not your best day. Inflated scores hide the gaps you most need to fix.
- Involve more than one perspective. Records staff, IT, legal, and business owners often see different realities; reconciling them improves accuracy.
- Record the baseline and reassess on a cycle. Maturity is a trend line, not a snapshot.
Turning scores into action
The lowest-scoring, highest-risk dimensions are your priorities. Translate gaps into a short roadmap with owners and dates, then reassess to confirm movement.
For broader grounding in records fundamentals, see the fundamentals topic hub.
Sources & further reading
Authoritative government and non-profit references.
- ISO 15489-1 Records management — ISO
- Records management (NARA) — National Archives (NARA)
How to cite this page
APA
RM University Editorial. (2026). Which records management maturity model should you use to assess your program, and how do you score where you are today?. Records Management University. https://www.recordsmgmt.org/questions/which-records-management-maturity-model-to-use-and-how-to-score-your-program/
MLA
RM University Editorial. "Which records management maturity model should you use to assess your program, and how do you score where you are today?." Records Management University, 16 June 2026, www.recordsmgmt.org/questions/which-records-management-maturity-model-to-use-and-how-to-score-your-program/.
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