Microsoft Consulting
Strategy, governance and hands-on delivery across Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Teams, Power Platform and Copilot readiness.
- Microsoft 365 strategy
- Power Platform and automation
- Copilot readiness
Microsoft 365 Maturity and Adoption
See where Microsoft 365 stands today, and how to move it forward.
We help you apply the Maturity Model for Microsoft 365 to evaluate your current capabilities, then create a practical, phased roadmap that connects technology decisions to business outcomes.
Why it matters
A shared baseline turns opinions into a plan.
Every organization has views on what's working in Microsoft 365. An assessment replaces competing anecdotes with evidence, so leaders can prioritize with confidence and measure progress over time.
Establish a baseline
An evidence-based picture of your current capabilities, competency by competency.
Find the gaps
Identify where governance, adoption or skills are holding you back.
Prioritize with confidence
Focus effort where it delivers the most value for the least risk.
Align investment to outcomes
Connect technology spending to the business results it should support.
Improve how people work
Strengthen collaboration and communication practices, not just configuration.
Track progress over time
Reassess periodically to show improvement and adjust the roadmap.
The maturity journey
Five levels, assessed competency by competency
Maturity is assessed competency by competency. An organization might be well defined in collaboration and just getting started with search. The goal is the right level for your needs, not the top level everywhere.
Level 100
Initial
Tools are available, but use is ad hoc and depends on individual effort.
Typical signal: “People aren't sure which tool to use, or who to ask for help.”
Level 200
Managed
Some teams have established practices, but approaches vary across the organization.
Typical signal: “Pockets of good practice exist, but they aren't shared or consistent.”
Level 300
Defined
Standard practices are documented, agreed and supported, with clear ownership.
Typical signal: “There's an agreed way of working, and people know where to find it.”
Level 400
Predictable
Practices are measured, and outcomes are consistent and reliable.
Typical signal: “Decisions are informed by metrics, not just anecdotes.”
Level 500
Optimized
Capabilities are refined continuously as needs and technology evolve.
Typical signal: “Improvement is routine, and the organization adapts quickly.”
The Maturity Model for Microsoft 365 is an open framework developed and maintained by the Microsoft 365 community and published on Microsoft Learn. CanoeUX is not its author; we apply it as practitioners. Level names follow the published model; descriptions are our plain-language summaries. Read about the model on Microsoft Learn (opens in a new tab).
Competencies
Business competencies, not just features
The model describes capabilities in terms of real business activity. We help you choose the competencies that matter most right now, rather than assessing everything at once.
AI and Cognitive Business
Using AI, including Copilot, responsibly and to real effect.
Business Process
Improving and automating how work flows between people and systems.
Collaboration
How people work together on shared content and goals.
Communication
How information is shared across the organization.
Customization and Development
Extending the platform in a managed, supportable way.
Employee Experience
How the digital workplace supports people's day-to-day work.
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Policies and controls that protect the organization.
Infrastructure
The technical foundations that keep services running well.
Management of Content
Organizing, retaining and disposing of content through its lifecycle.
People and Communities
Connecting people with expertise, and with each other.
Search
Finding the right information and people quickly.
Security
Protecting identities, devices and data.
Staff and Training
Building the skills to use and support the platform.
Not sure which competencies to start with?
A focused assessment usually starts with a handful. We'll help you choose the ones that matter most right now.
Talk through your scope
How a CanoeUX assessment works
From scope to roadmap in six clear steps
Focused, evidence-based and respectful of your team's time. Senior consultants run every stage.
- 1
Scope
Choose the competencies that matter most right now and identify the right stakeholders.
- 2
Discover
Run interviews and workshops, and review your Microsoft 365 environment and usage.
- 3
Assess
Rate current and target levels for each competency, with evidence for every rating.
- 4
Prioritize
Weigh gaps by value, effort and risk to find the improvements worth making first.
- 5
Roadmap
Build a phased plan that balances quick wins with foundational work.
- 6
Track
Revisit the assessment to measure progress and refine priorities.
What you receive
Findings you can act on
- Current and target maturity ratings for the competencies in scope
- Plain-language findings, supported by evidence
- A prioritized, phased improvement roadmap
- Recommendations for governance, adoption and training
- A baseline to measure future progress against
Adoption and change enablement
A roadmap only matters if people change how they work. We pair technical improvements with practical adoption support.
Champions networks
Enthusiastic colleagues who help peers adopt new ways of working.
Role-based training
Learning built around real tasks for owners, authors and everyday users.
Communications plans
Clear, timely messages that explain what's changing and why it matters.
Feedback and measurement
Usage insights and feedback loops that show what's working.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to reach Level 500 in every competency?
No. Most organizations don't need, or want, to be optimized everywhere. We help you set target levels that reflect your priorities, risk profile and capacity.
Is the Maturity Model a Microsoft certification or audit?
No. It's an open, community-developed framework for self-assessment and planning. It helps you describe where you are and where you want to be. It isn't a compliance audit or a certification.
How much of our team's time does an assessment need?
We keep it focused. Typically we need access to key stakeholders for interviews and a small number of workshops, plus read access to relevant parts of your environment. We'll agree the details when we scope the work.
What happens after the assessment?
You keep the findings and roadmap regardless. We're happy to help deliver the first phase, and you're equally free to act on the recommendations with your own team or other partners.
Related services
Often paired with
SharePoint and Digital Workplace
SharePoint Online planning, modern intranets, information architecture, governance, migration and adoption.
- Modern intranets
- Information architecture
- Migration and governance
Digital Transformation
Technology strategy, process improvement, workflow automation and experience design, delivered in phases teams can adopt.
- Technology roadmaps
- Process automation
- Adoption and measurement
Start a conversation
Get an honest view of your Microsoft 365 environment.
Tell us which areas concern you most, whether that's governance, adoption, search, Copilot readiness or something else. We'll suggest a focused assessment scope.