Capability based architecture

At this level of the EA project lifecycle, We agreed on the following:

1. Business vision and objectives

2. Data/Application/Technology architecture that meets this architecture

Now, we should ask:

 What are the required capabilities for the enterprise that support the successful transformation to meet organizational objectives?

 So, here, we will talk about capabilities from the enterprise architecture perspective. 

2.What is Capability?

 An ability that an organization, person, or system possesses. Capabilities are typically expressed in general and high-level terms and typically require a combination of organization, people, processes, and technology to achieve.

 Capability is what you can do independent of why and how which can be utilized later to serve the organization's vision.

 The definition of a capability is something that a person or thing is able to do. When a person can cook, this is an example of a situation where he has the capability to cook. When a computer can open a file, this is an example of a situation where the computer has the capability to open the file.

A capability statement is a document that shows prospective clients the capabilities that one can provide, whether in terms of goods, services or both. It also shows one's differentiators or what makes you special and better than any of the other competitors.

In the opposite graph, you can see the required capability model for human resource function.

What is Capability-based planning 

It focuses on the planning, engineering, and delivery of strategic business capabilities to the enterprise instead of focusing on individuals or systems.

• It is business-driven and business-led and combines the requisite efforts of all lines of business to achieve the desired capability.

• From an IT perspective, capability-based planning is particularly relevant. For example, setting up a data center is really about consolidating corporate data and providing the related services.

• Capability-based planning frames all phases of the architecture development in the context of business outcomes, clearly linking the IT vision, architectures (ABBs and SBBs), and the Implementation and Migration Plans with the corporate strategic, business, and line-of-business plans. 

Capability Dimensions

Capabilities are engineered/generated taking into consideration various dimensions that straddle the corporate functional portfolios.

Every organization has a different but similar set of dimensions.

Capability Increments

A capability will take an extended time to deliver (specifics will be a function of the organization and industry vertical) and will normally involve many projects delivering numerous increments. In addition, the capability needs to provide real business value to stakeholders as soon as possible and maintain momentum to achieve the Target Architecture as well as the associated executive support and corporate funding. 

Capabilities in an Enterprise Architecture Context

The capabilities are directly derived from the corporate strategic plan by the corporate strategic planners that are and/or include the Enterprise Architects and satisfy the enterprise goals, objectives, and strategies. Most organizations will also have an annual business plan that describes how the organization intends to proceed over the next fiscal period in order to meet the enterprise strategic goals. 

• A framework that describe the organization existing and required capabilities for enterprise architecture to deliver values to customers, achieving outcomes defined by business objectives.

• It can be related to the following areas with examples:

  1. Products : Develop new mobile apps

  2. Services : Provide online features 

  3. Functional Units: Create new function for developing digital content

  4. Process: Create software development process

  5. Policies: Establish cloud policy, to force the transformation to cloud

  6. Training programs: Give training to internal IT staff in order to be enabled to manage our cloud platform

I believe, design of organization business models, value chain, and business capability model, all collaborate in well formulation of the term

The opposite diagram should you the different capabilities level from different perspective, to reach the final business requirements.

In order to move with agility, We can build it vertically and horizontally according to the business needs.

Gapology is a performance improvement framework that helps leaders identify and close gaps between desired outcomes and actual results by focusing on three root causes of underperformance.

Nine Evaluation Points to find the gaps, which cover 3 Core areas:

• Knowledge GAP: At this stage, We ask ourselves the following questions:

  • Recruitment: Do We recruit the right talent?

  • Onboarding: Have I been onboarding them the right way?"

  • Ongoing Training: Do I conduct ongoing train them?"

• Importance GAP

  • Prioritization: Do I prioritize their list correctly?

  • Communication: Do I communicate that effectively?

  • Expectations: Do I set clear expectations?

• Action GAP

  • Culture Building: Have I built a culture for them to thrive in?

  • Commitment: Have I gained their commitment?

  • Accountability: Do I hold them accountable?

Organization should support building this model, in order to close the gaps, which is shared responsibility between HR team, section heads, department managers, and senior management