DITA Maturity Model Levels
Level 1: Topics
Level 2: Scaleable reuse
Level 3: Specialization and customization
Level 4: Automation and Integration
Level 5: Semantics on demand
Level 6: Universal semantic infosystem

Because of the benefits of XML in general, such as the separation of content from format, and of DITA in particular, DITA is becoming a popular information model in today’s global, multi-channel environment.

Maturity Model investment /return summary

One of DITA’s most attractive features is its support for incremental adoption: you can adopt DITA quickly and easily sing a subset of its capabilities, and then add investment over time as your content strategy evolves and expands.
However, this incremental continuum has also resulted in confusion, as communities at different stages of adoption claim radically different numbers for cost of migration and return on investment.

The DITA Maturity Model addresses this confusion by dividing DITA adoption into six levels, each with its own required nvestment and associated return on investment. You can assess your own capabilities and goals relative to the model and choose the appropriate initial adoption level for your needs and schedule.

Figure 1. DITA Maturity Model

See also:

DITA Maturity Model Q&A with Michael Priestley and Amber Swope