The following is a list of system maturity levels:

1. Pre-conceptual – no idea, no system, not even an idea that a system is needed.
2. Conceptual – an idea that a system is needed, nothing developed.
   • Customer: We need a system that does X.
   • Management: What they really say they need is a system that does Y.
   • Developer: What is most technically feasible is a system that does Z.
3. Not working – a system that doesn’t work, at all.
   • Customer/management: We have no system.
   • Developer: We’re working on a system!
4. Almost not working – a system that works, kind of.
   • Management: We have a system!!!
   • Customer: We wish we had a system…
   • Developer: Hey! We’re not done yet!
   • Support: Take the system out back and shot it, for the sake of pity and mercy!
5. Almost working – a system that works, in principle.
   • Management: Didn’t we finish this system months ago?
   • Customer: We have a system! On sunny days…
   • Developer: Just let us…
   • Support: Oh no! Not another update!
6. Working – a system that works.
   • Management: That was long before my time…
   • Customer: Oh, yeah, I remember that system… didn’t it use to do Z back in the days?
   • Developer: Done!
   • Support: Hands off our legacy system… or seas will turn red with blood and dogs will sleep with cats (or is it lions with lambs… whatever!) Hands off our system!