Digital Maturity Model: Degree of digitalization maturity & MES

What Is a Digital Maturity Model?

A Digital Maturity Model is a structured framework used to assess how advanced a company is in its digital transformation. It describes how far digital technologies, processes, organization, and culture have evolved—typically across clearly defined stages, from “analog and siloed” to “fully integrated and adaptive.”

The associated Digital Maturity Index converts this assessment into a score. This score allows companies to compare plants, sites, or business units and to track progress over time on their digital transformation journey.

Typical Dimensions and Maturity Levels

Most digital maturity models for Industry 4.0 and manufacturing evaluate multiple dimensions, such as:

• Technology and IT/OT integration (system landscape, MES/MOM, cloud, data platforms)

• Processes and automation (standardization, digital workflows, end-to-end integration)

• Data and analytics (data transparency, KPIs, real-time insights, advanced analytics)

• Organization and culture (skills, governance, change readiness)

Many frameworks define four to six maturity levels, for example:
from “computerization and isolated solutions” through “connected and transparent” to “predictive and adaptive,” where systems optimize themselves based on data and analytics.

Why Digital Maturity Models Matter for Manufacturing and MES

For manufacturing companies, a Digital Maturity Model answers three critical questions:

Where are we really today?
It provides an objective view of the current state instead of gut feeling (“we are already quite digital”).

Where should we invest next?
Gaps become visible by dimension—for example, strong automation but weak data foundations or no integrated MES.

How do we compare to others?
A maturity index enables benchmarking against peer plants, sister sites, or industry standards, often forming the basis for Smart Factory or Industry 4.0 programs.

This is why Digital Maturity Indices are widely used to evaluate Industry 4.0 readiness, data capabilities, and organizational maturity—and to derive transformation roadmaps.

Linking Digital Maturity to MES Strategy

A Digital Maturity Model is tightly connected to MES and MOM strategies:

• Low maturity: isolated solutions, manual feedback, Excel-based reporting. MES (if present) is often local and fragmented.

• Mid maturity: an MES exists as a core system, usually on-premise, with limited IT/OT integration and weak cloud and analytics connectivity.

• High maturity: a cloud-based MES or MOM combined with a Manufacturing Integration Platform forms the backbone for Digital Shopfloor, OEE, predictive maintenance, and end-to-end traceability.

A Digital Maturity Index can be used to:

• assess plants before an MES rollout (business case and priorities),

• compare sites after rollout (who is really using the MES effectively?),

• define a roadmap (start with transparency, then automation, then advanced analytics).

Digital Maturity Assessment with a Cloud MES like SYMESTIC

For a Cloud MES such as SYMESTIC, a Digital Maturity Model becomes a practical assessment and transformation tool:

Current-State Assessment

Evaluation of transparency, shopfloor integration, OEE usage, paperless workflows, data transparency, and real-time insights per plant.

Target State

Definition of a desired maturity level, for example:
“real-time transparency plus digital workflows and first predictive maintenance use cases.”

Roadmap by Maturity Level

SYMESTIC use cases are mapped to maturity stages, for example:

• Levels 1–2: machine and production data (MDE/BDE), OEE, manufacturing visibility, Digital Shopfloor basics

• Levels 3–4: digital work instructions, manufacturing process automation, smart maintenance

• Levels 4–5: advanced process analytics and AI-driven optimization

This turns the Digital Maturity Model and Index from an abstract consulting concept into a hands-on benchmarking and decision tool—helping manufacturers measure their digital readiness and invest in Cloud MES capabilities like SYMESTIC in a targeted, value-driven way.