Maturity Models and Benchmarking of Ict Services Among Ministry of Agriculture Parastatals

Abstract

The objectives of this study was to produce and test a simple questionnaire based maturity model that can be used in assessing ICT services maturity in Ministry of Agriculture parastatals. In addition, the study was to assess the level of willingness to benchmark within these sister organisations. The study covered Ministry of Agriculture parastatals with majority of the participants being located in the Nairobi County. The resulting data collected was used to test the maturity model with resultant scores of between 32 and 59 where the score range was 20 for the lowest and 100 for the highest score. This placed the parastatals in the second level and breaking into the third level in a five level maturity model. These levels were classified as Initial for level 1, Basic for level 2, Automated for level 3, Web integrated for level 4 and Advanced for level 5. Most of the participants had not heard of maturity models before and literature indicate this is a concept which is very rarely used in the country. Given difficulties associated with resources and commitment which has resulted in capability maturity models, particularly CMMI, be undertaken only by the large organisations, the resulting model could be used as starting point in measuring and benchmarking ICT services in the ministry parastatals and also be a tool that could be used in performance contract assessments. All the participants were very receptive to a model where they could first benchmark against the best in the sector before spending resources when they are introducing a new area in their organisations.