Digital & Sustainability Maturity Assessment for SMEs (DMA)
What is DMA?
The digital transformation requires an ongoing evolvement of businesses to make the best out of new technologies and innovative digital solutions. The Digital Maturity and Sustainability Assessment (DMA) is a self-diagnostic tool on sustainable digital transformation of all activities within businesses. Based on the DMA- results, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) can establish measures and planning actions for continuous improvement.
The tool consists of eight modules:
- General information about SME
- Internet access and devices
- Digitalization in internal process
- Digital presence
- Digital transactions
- Cybersecurity
- Readiness status for the digital transformation
- Sustainable development
How does the DMA work?
The eight different modules of the DMA consist of questions which are ranked to get a final score, which is represented in levels, per module. The scores are expressed in low, medium, and high level.
In the end, an e-mail is sent to the SME with the results of the DMA and general recommendations per module and level. These are suggested actions to improve the maturity level of the SME.
It is recommended that the DMA is answered by at least three people in different roles in the organization. Otherwise, the results may not represent the actual situation of the SME.
Partners for solution design
The DMA has been developed as part of a joint program between the Digital Transformation Center Mexico and the Deutsch-Mexikanische Industrie- und Handelskammer (AHK)
Stakeholders
The involvement of local partners as well as Economic Development Ministries at state levels and business chambers has been crucial for the promotion and potential sustainability of the DMA.
Recommendations for implementation/experiences
- Benchmarking of existing tools: Mainly in the digital field, there is a huge number of tools to measure the maturity in SMEs and other organizations. What we recommend is looking for those existing tools and create synergies with the owners.
- Understand the target group: It is important to define the type of SMEs or organizations to which the tool will be directed. Due to the difference in their processes, the questions should be distinguished by activity (manufacturing and/or services companies), size and line of business.
