'''Big data maturity models''' (BDMM)''' are the artifacts used to measure big data maturity.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Braun|first=Henrik|date=2015|title=Evaluation of Big Data Maturity Models: A benchmarking study to support big data assessment in organizations|journal=Masters Thesis – Tampere University of Technology}}</ref> These models help organizations to create structure around their big data capabilities and to identify where to start.<ref>Halper, F., & Krishnan, K. (2014). ''TDWI Big Data Maturity Model Guide.'' TDWI Research.</ref> They provide tools that assist organizations to define goals around their big data program and to communicate their big data vision to the entire organization. BDMMs also provide a methodology to measure and monitor the state of a company's big data capability, the effort required to complete their current stage or phase of maturity and to progress to the next stage. Additionally, BDMMs measure and manage the speed of both the progress and adoption of big data programs in the organization.<ref name=":1" />
