The MomentumSI SOA Maturity Model takes elements of the level descriptors from both the CMMI and COBIT models and applies them to the domain of SOA Adoption.  The MomentumSI model is comprised of six levels. 

Level 0: Ad Hoc Services

 Level 1: Common Goals / Plan

Level 2: Foundation Established / Pilot

Level 3: Method and Governance / Extend

Level 4: Service Oriented Enterprise / Standardize

Level 5: Optimized / Optimize

Level 0 (Ad Hoc Services) is where the enterprise does not have a stated goal of SOA adoption.  It is important to distinguish ad hoc service developed from SOA.  Several pundits in the industry use the acronym JBOS or JBOWS to describe the end result of ad hoc service: Just a Bunch Of (Web) Services.  While both the CMMI and COBIT Level 1 call out ad hoc processes as part of it, those processes are based upon a shared recognition of the problems at hand.  Until there is a stated desire for the organization to adopt SOA, any service development can only be classified as ad hoc. 

Level 1 (Common Goals / Plan) is where the enterprise makes a commitment to the adoption of SOA.  The action associated with this level is planning.  This can start simply with the CIO stating that SOA is a core part of the IT strategy and starting the wheels in motion to make it a reality.  It is certainly likely that ad hoc service development is still occurring, but at least the organization has committed to more than “just a bunch of services.”

At Level 2 (Foundation Established / Pilot), the core groundwork has been laid for building and utilizing services.  The action associated with this level is piloting within a highly controlled environment.  This includes both the technology foundation, as well as the organization foundation.  It is very similar to level 2 of the CMMI and COBIT models in that services can now be built and there should be some degree of consistency in the efforts.  Like COBIT, however, the organization lacks the oversight to ensure this consistency.  

At Level 3 (Method and Governance / Extend), the organization has a formal governance process for the SOA efforts, documented guidelines, and a formal training and communication effort should be underway.   The actions associated with this level are about extending this out to the broader IT organization.  Unlike CMMI and COBIT, governance comes at an earlier level in the MomentumSI model.  While there can be new technologies associated with the adoption of SOA, most pundits will agree that the cultural changes required are the far greater challenge.  These changes must be led through strong oversight and governance of the process.  If governance is not introduced early in the SOA adoption effort, it is likely that the organization will never become a service-oriented enterprise.  For this reason, governance is introduced at Level 3.

Level 4 (Service Oriented Enterprise / Standardize) is the first level where an enterprise can be deemed a service-oriented enterprise.  The actions associated with this level are all about standardization- making it a standard practice, innate not just to IT, but the entire organization.  At this stage, the organization should be working as a seamless unit, rather that with a distinct separation between business units and IT. 

Finally, like the CMMI and COBIT models, there is a level 5 (Optimized / Optimize) that is associated with continued improvement of the efforts associated with technology adoption (SOA became innate at Level 4, so these optimizations may go beyond SOA).  The actions associated with organizations at this level are concerned with optimization- making things even better.  Both the services and the underlying infrastructure should be providing business metrics that feedback into the planning process, allowing for continual improvement, whether in how services are leveraged, or in how services are constructed.  Organizations at this level are clearly seen as leaders in the industry, and may likely have the power to leverage their capabilities within business relationships.