Measurement principles

What the model asks

Measurement of governance maturity should follow nine principles: integration (governance is carried out by governing groups at every level, so results depend on what the evaluation covers); intent (the reasons given for each maturity aspect are recorded); completeness (the approach is structured and thorough, so results are consistent and can be compared); inclusivity (stakeholders are involved suitably and in good time, so their knowledge, views and perceptions are taken into account); dynamic (governance activity changes as requirements change); information (information on the past and present, and expectations for the future, is clear, available and timely); human and cultural factors (behaviour and culture affect what is measured); uncertainty (how certain each measurement is gets taken into account); and continual improvement (measuring gives the foundation for improving governance continually and keeping it appropriate).

What it means when one board controls another

Two of the nine measurement principles do the most work in a group: integration, because the result depends on which entities the evaluation covers, and inclusivity, because the controlled entities and their stakeholders are the people most affected. Record how each principle was applied, not only that it was adopted.

Evidence an evaluator asks for

A maturity rating is a claim about how the group governs. The evidence is what proves it operated. Keep both, and keep them together.

• Measurement principles: Evaluation design documenting how each principle is applied

Where evaluations commonly find gaps

• Stakeholders excluded from the evaluation
• Uncertainty in judgements not acknowledged

How this requirement enters the rating

This unit sets the quality of the whole measurement. Record how the requirement was met before the ratings are taken; an evaluation that meets it afterwards is a rationalisation.

It carries 1 evidence item and 2 common gaps in the model. One item is enough only if it is the artefact that proves the practice operated, not a policy that says it should. Both gaps are seen often enough in first evaluations that the evaluation design should test for them explicitly. The group application on this page is ours; the requirement and evidence are the model's, stated in our own words.

Requirements that sit beside it

• 4.1 General: the purpose of evaluating governance maturity and its three aspects
• 4.2 Governance behaviour
• 4.3 Governance effectiveness

The three aspects The six-point scale All 35 requirements

Note on the draft: The requirement, evidence and gaps on this page are read from ISO 37004:2023, which the draft states it builds on. The draft's own clause body is not public, so this page does not state it. The clause reference at the top is the draft's public contents heading that this requirement sits under.