Introducing Scorecard Maturity Levels: A More Motivational Path to Software Health

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Hi Compass community!

We’re excited to announce a major update to Compass scorecards: Maturity Levels. This new feature improves how teams track and celebrate progress toward software health, making the journey more motivating and actionable for everyone.

Why maturity levels?

Until now, Compass scorecards have used a simple 0-100 scoring system, with statuses like “Passing,” “Needs Attention,” and “Failing.” While clear, this approach can sometimes feel punitive; no one likes seeing “Failing!” a bunch of times, even when they’re making real progress.

While threshold scorecards still have their place – we think they are best used for urgent compliance needs – with maturity levels, we’re introducing a more aspirational model. Instead of a single pass/fail threshold, requirements are grouped into progressive levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each level represents a meaningful milestone, and moving up feels like an achievement, not just a fix.

For example, if your scorecard tracks component readiness, you might set:

• Bronze: Owner and repository set

• Silver: Documentation and description set

• Gold: Metrics configured

Now, teams can see exactly where they stand and what it takes to reach the next level. (Note: there’s also a “None” level if Bronze has not yet been achieved.)

What’s changing?

• Scorecard creators can organize criteria into levels, providing clear guidance for teams on how to progress.

• Teams can see their current level and what’s needed to move up, right from the component view.

• Platform engineers can view progress across levels for all components, making it easier to spot trends and opportunities.

• Reporting and history are updated to reflect levels, so you can track your journey from “None” to “Gold” over time.

You’ll see new UI elements throughout Compass to support this model, including updated overviews and history charts.

Here's an example of the updated scorecard creation UI:

How to get started

Ready to try maturity levels in your own scorecards? Here’s how to begin:

1. Create a new scorecard
   When creating a new scorecard, select the Maturity Levels scoring system. You’ll be able to define criteria for each level (Bronze, Silver, Gold) so teams can see clear milestones and what’s required to progress.

2. Assign criteria to levels
   Organize your requirements into the appropriate levels. For example, set basic standards for Bronze, more advanced practices for Silver, and your highest standards for Gold. This helps teams focus on incremental improvement.

3. Track progress and celebrate wins
   Use the updated Compass UI to monitor progress across levels, view history, and celebrate as teams move from None to Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Incorporate these milestones into your team rituals and retrospectives.

4. Iterate and improve
   As your organization’s standards evolve, update your scorecard criteria and levels. Compass makes it easy to adapt as you grow.

[__ Jimi Wikman]

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