Value Package #1: Capability map as a tool for organizing business descriptions

Written on 06/17/2019
Patrik Hallén

Situation

Architecture Fellowship (AF), which is organized by SKL and Inera, has introduced a capability map which should be taken as the structure for presenting business descriptions.

The reason is that it is hard to get a cohesive image of which descriptions exist without risking that the user gets drowned in details. The map structure of the EA tool offers only one option to choose when it comes to how the different descriptions should be sorted, usually it is divided per dimension (process, information, application) but it is also common that it happens based on organizational unit. 

Through sorting out per dimenstion, it provides a good overview of the whole which is specially important for information and application. The disadvantage is that it is hard for a specific business to find what is particularly relevant which is time taking and frustrating. 

The capability map is considered go be the structure for taking care of this problem.

Problem

The capability map exist in the Architecture library and is available for all the members. But the following problem/questions are raised:
  1. How should the capability map modeled in the EA tool? A capability is a combination of process, organization, information, application and others.
  2. How does the capability map influence the structure of the EA tool?
  3. How do we create a beautiful packaging for the intranet so that it is easy to navigate the right business description with the capability map as the starting point?
  4. It takes time to sort all the descriptions per capability.

Complication

There are different ways to absorb the capability map as a part of the business description. But since it takes time to plan how it could be done perfectly and practically, the risk is huge that it does not come off right or that it is carried out in a way that the capability map does not provide that value we expect.

Solution

aRway has collaborated with Sundsvall Municipality to come up with a solution which makes the capability map integrated as a part of the business descriptions consisting of the starting point for navigating among EA diagrams on the intranet. The solution consists of:
  • Confguration of the EA tool for using Capabilities
  • The capability map is modeled in the EA tool.
  • Navigation diagram for capabilities in the capability map.
  • Sorting of the existing EA diagram.
  • Publication of the capability map on the intranet. 

Interested?

It is a package of best practices and appliances in other organizations. Read more about Prime Arch Value Package.

Contact Patrik Hallén in aRway if you want to get complementary information, a demo or a cost estimation.