Not all teams approach code maintenance the same way. Some are in constant firefighting mode. Others have sophisticated automation and proactive quality management. Understanding where your team falls on this spectrum - and what it takes to advance - helps you chart a path to better code health.
The maintenance maturity model describes five levels of maintenance capability, from reactive chaos to optimized excellence. Each level has distinct characteristics, challenges, and benefits. Knowing your current level reveals what's possible at the next level and how to get there.
Level 1: Reactive
Maintenance happens only when forced.
Characteristics
Firefighting mode:
Level 1 symptoms:
- Maintenance only when problems occur
- Technical debt grows unchecked
- Production incidents trigger fixes
- No proactive quality management
- "We'll fix it when it breaks"
Reactive teams are always behind.
Metrics
What Level 1 looks like in numbers:
Level 1 metrics:
- Maintenance allocation: 0-5%
- Issues found by users: 60%+
- Incident frequency: High
- Technical debt: Growing rapidly
Numbers reflect reactive posture.
Challenges
What makes Level 1 hard:
Level 1 challenges:
- No time for improvement
- Constant firefighting
- Team burnout
- Technical debt compounds
Challenges reinforce themselves.
Path Forward
Moving from Level 1 to Level 2:
@devonair level 1 to 2:
- Allocate 10% to non-firefighting
- Track incident root causes
- Fix root causes, not just symptoms
- Begin visibility into code health
Small allocation breaks the cycle.
Level 2: Managed
Maintenance is acknowledged and minimally planned.
Characteristics
Basic management:
Level 2 symptoms:
- Some maintenance time allocated
- Backlog of known issues exists
- Periodic maintenance sprints
- Basic quality visibility
- "We know we should do maintenance"
Awareness without systematic action.
Metrics
What Level 2 looks like:
Level 2 metrics:
- Maintenance allocation: 10-15%
- Issues found by users: 40-50%
- Incident frequency: Moderate
- Technical debt: Stable (not growing fast)
Debt stops accelerating.
Challenges
What makes Level 2 hard:
Level 2 challenges:
- Maintenance gets deprioritized
- Periodic focus, not continuous
- Quality varies by team
- Manual processes don't scale
Good intentions, inconsistent execution.
Path Forward
Moving from Level 2 to Level 3:
@devonair level 2 to 3:
- Protect maintenance allocation
- Begin automation of routine tasks
- Establish quality metrics
- Make maintenance continuous, not periodic
Consistency and automation enable advancement.
Level 3: Defined
Maintenance processes are established and consistent.
Characteristics
Systematic approach:
Level 3 symptoms:
- Consistent maintenance allocation
- Defined processes for common tasks
- Quality metrics tracked
- Some automation in place
- "Maintenance is part of how we work"
Maintenance is institutionalized.
Metrics
What Level 3 looks like:
Level 3 metrics:
- Maintenance allocation: 15-20%
- Issues found by users: 20-30%
- Incident frequency: Low
- Technical debt: Stable or decreasing
Quality is managed.
Challenges
What makes Level 3 hard:
Level 3 challenges:
- Manual processes are burden
- Consistency across teams
- Scaling with growth
- Breaking through to proactive
Good processes, manual execution.
Path Forward
Moving from Level 3 to Level 4:
@devonair level 3 to 4:
- Automate most routine maintenance
- Proactive detection and prevention
- Quality gates prevent new issues
- Shift from periodic to continuous
Automation enables proactive stance.
Level 4: Proactive
Maintenance prevents issues before they cause problems.
Characteristics
Prevention-focused:
Level 4 symptoms:
- Proactive issue detection
- Automated routine maintenance
- Quality gates prevent new problems
- Continuous improvement
- "We prevent problems, not just fix them"
Prevention rather than reaction.
Metrics
What Level 4 looks like:
Level 4 metrics:
- Maintenance allocation: 15-20% (more efficient)
- Issues found by users: 10-15%
- Incident frequency: Very low
- Technical debt: Decreasing
Quality improves continuously.
Challenges
What makes Level 4 hard:
Level 4 challenges:
- Maintaining momentum
- Optimizing further
- Measuring prevention value
- Scaling excellence
Success creates new challenges.
Path Forward
Moving from Level 4 to Level 5:
@devonair level 4 to 5:
- Optimize maintenance ROI
- Predictive maintenance
- Continuous process improvement
- Industry leadership
Optimization beyond good to excellent.
Level 5: Optimized
Maintenance is continuously optimized for maximum effectiveness.
Characteristics
Excellence achieved:
Level 5 symptoms:
- Highly automated
- Data-driven optimization
- Predictive maintenance
- Industry best practices
- "We continuously improve our improvement"
Optimization of the optimization.
Metrics
What Level 5 looks like:
Level 5 metrics:
- Maintenance allocation: Optimal for context
- Issues found by users: <5%
- Incident frequency: Rare
- Technical debt: Minimal and managed
Quality is excellent.
Sustaining Level 5
Maintaining excellence:
@devonair sustain level 5:
- Continuous measurement
- Continuous improvement
- Adapt to changes
- Share learnings
Excellence requires ongoing attention.
Assessing Your Level
How to determine where you are.
Level Indicators
Check which level matches:
@devonair assessment:
- How is maintenance triggered? (Reactive vs proactive)
- How much is automated? (None to most)
- How are issues found? (Users vs team)
- What's the incident frequency? (High to rare)
Patterns indicate level.
Honest Assessment
Be realistic about current state:
Assessment honesty:
- Don't overestimate current state
- Look at actual behavior, not aspirations
- Consider worst areas, not best
- Ask team members
Honest assessment enables improvement.
Multi-Dimension View
Teams may be at different levels in different areas:
Multi-dimension assessment:
- Security maintenance: Level X
- Dependency management: Level Y
- Code quality: Level Z
Different areas may be at different levels.
Advancing Through Levels
What it takes to move up.
Level 1 → Level 2
Break the firefighting cycle:
@devonair advancement:
Investment: Low
Timeline: 1-2 months
Key actions:
- Allocate maintenance time
- Track issues and causes
- Begin fixing root causes
Awareness and allocation are the start.
Level 2 → Level 3
Establish consistency:
@devonair advancement:
Investment: Medium
Timeline: 2-4 months
Key actions:
- Define maintenance processes
- Establish metrics
- Begin automation
Process and measurement enable consistency.
Level 3 → Level 4
Achieve proactive posture:
@devonair advancement:
Investment: Medium-High
Timeline: 3-6 months
Key actions:
- Automate routine maintenance
- Implement quality gates
- Shift from periodic to continuous
Automation enables proactive stance.
Level 4 → Level 5
Optimize for excellence:
@devonair advancement:
Investment: High (but high ROI)
Timeline: 6-12 months
Key actions:
- Data-driven optimization
- Predictive approaches
- Continuous improvement culture
Optimization is ongoing refinement.
Benefits by Level
What each level provides.
Level 1 Benefits
- None (survival mode)
Level 2 Benefits
- Fewer surprises
- Some predictability
- Awareness of issues
Level 3 Benefits
- Consistent quality
- Manageable debt
- Sustainable pace
Level 4 Benefits
- Few production issues
- Fast feature delivery
- Developer satisfaction
Level 5 Benefits
- Maximum velocity
- Minimal waste
- Industry leadership
Getting Started
Begin your advancement.
Assess current level:
@devonair assess:
- Review characteristics
- Check metrics
- Identify level
Plan next level:
@devonair plan:
- Review advancement requirements
- Identify key actions
- Estimate investment
Begin advancement:
@devonair advance:
- Implement key actions
- Measure progress
- Adjust as needed
Wherever you are in the maintenance maturity model, there's a path forward. Each level builds on the previous one, and each advancement brings real benefits. Start by honestly assessing your current level, then take the specific actions needed to advance.
FAQ
Is Level 5 realistic for most teams?
Level 4 (Proactive) is achievable for most teams with dedicated effort. Level 5 (Optimized) requires significant investment and is typically reached by teams for whom code quality is a strategic priority. Many teams operate successfully at Level 3-4.
How long does it take to advance a level?
Typically 2-6 months per level, depending on starting point, investment, and organizational complexity. Advancement from Level 1 to Level 2 can be faster; later levels take more time.
Can we skip levels?
Not really. Each level builds capabilities needed for the next. Teams that try to jump straight to automation without establishing basics often struggle. Foundation matters.
What's the minimum viable level?
Level 3 (Defined) is often considered the minimum for sustainable engineering. Level 2 is survivable but stressful. Level 1 is technical debt emergency. Aim for at least Level 3.