Is Business Capability Mapping like to Grow A Tree.....

An optimal capability embraces 3As: Altitude, Attitude and Aptitude. 

Business Capability is the ability to achieve a desired effect under specified performance, standards and conditions through combinations of ways and means [activities and resources] to perform a set of activities. Capabilities describe the desired functionality of architecture.

However, what is exactly business capability mapping process?  Is it about what business is doing to reach capabilities; or is it upon how it reaches its capabilities? Metaphorically, is it like to grow a tree, nurture its blossom and bear its fruition?

• Business capability mapping is the activity of making "reference links" between each capability in a "relevant subset" to specific processes, people (roles or teams), tools, and information. After completing mapping, you then take information about those mapped elements and brings them together in one or more formulas in order to make a generalization about the capability. Where that information doesn't exist, you may have to create evaluation criteria in order to generate that information. 

• Business capability mapping is also about measures of "importance" "maturity" and "performance" attached to EACH capability. Each would invoke a formula that requires input of data attached to those underlying "mapped" things (people, process, tools, and information) 

• Business capability mapping is more as how the business reaches its capabilities; because what the business does is actually business process. Capabilities are at a much higher level, and typically are easier to get consensus on. Mapping those capabilities to any other architectural entity (components, services, systems, resources, etc...) is what mapping is REALLY concerned with. Mapping them and then determining formulas for determining maturity, importance and performance in order to make a generalization. 

• Business capability mapping answers 5W+H questions such as ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘how’., etc. A particular capability in an EA model might not have been automated as such and still have manual processes associated with it. Although not automated, it is still a capability. The mapping would have to include the activity, the resource and the performer whether technology or a living entity to a certain degree:

1) Activity (“how”): Work, consisting of atomic or composite steps that transform resources to achieve an objective or provide a capability. Activities describe the processes and procedures carried out to actively change an effect object, a target resource.
2) Resource (“what”): Data, Information, Performers, Material, or Personnel Types that are produced or consumed.
3) Performer (“who”): Any entity - human, automated, or any aggregation of human and/or automated - that performs an activity and provides a capability.

There are two sets of business capabilities, competitive necessities and competitive uniqueness, how to shape a set of optimal business capability is key to business success in the long term. Indeed, Build a business is just like to grow a tree....

Posted in: Business Process Management,EA,Enterprise Capability