Navigating Continuous Improvement: An In-Depth Analysis of Lean-Agile and DevOps Maturity Models

Abstract

Introduction : DevOps maturity models help organizations benchmark their engineering capabilities, yet the empirical grounding of most models remains fragmented in scholarly literature. Methods : We conducted a mixed-methods study consisting of (i) a systematic literature review (SLR) of 78 peer-reviewed papers from IEEE, ACM, SpringerLink, and ScienceDirect (2013-2024) and (ii) multiple embedded case studies of three large enterprises (finance, media, telecom) following Yin’s five-step protocol. Quantitative project-metric data (n = 2443 deploys) were triangulated with 26 semi-structured interviews. Results : The SLR synthesized 27 core capability dimensions across existing maturity models and identified four evidence-backed outcome clusters (deployment frequency, change failure rate, MTTR, lead-time). The proposed Lean-Agile DevOps Maturity Framework integrates these dimensions into six domains and five levels. Case studies confirm a significant correlation between maturity score and deployment frequency ( ρ = 0.67, p < 0.01) and a 31% reduction in MTTR when moving from “Intermediate” to “Advanced”. Discussion : Our framework extends prior models by adding Security Integration and Architecture & Design as first-class domains, addressing gaps reported by earlier studies. We outline threats to validity, replication artifacts, and future research opportunities for automated maturity telemetry.