Capability Categorization Models

Context

Where’s the list?

When thinking about what the list of all common components are, it might be helpful to consider that there are multiple ways to group things to create this list.

  1. You can look at the list of services from a user’s point of view in order to complete a specific goal.

  2. You could think about the list from an architectural perspective about how all components could be used within an interoperable ecosystem

  3. You could look at each digital service and break down a list of capabilities that it is requires in order to deliver value

User Focused

This model looks at the journey of a user:

A. discovering a service is available,
B. requesting or activating the service
C. the service being performed or the transaction being processed

Discovery

  • Products

  • Services

  • Careers

  • Procurements

  • Data

  • Subscriptions

Submission

  • Enquiries for information: Asking for guidance

  • Requests to create, update or delete something: Asking for coordination

  • Applications for a decision to be made: Asking for support

  • Messaging to provide comments: Feedback elicited and voluntary

Processing (Operation)

  • Status: recording, tracking and displaying the state of a users submission

  • Comments

  • History

  • Assignment

  • Notification

  • Automation

Ecosystem Architecture and Scaling

Foundational

When you start your project focused on the foundational capabilities it will ensure there is demand and that you are solving problems for users.

  • collect/submit information

Enabler

Factor out the enabler capabilities as new common components.

  • design forms

  • store information

Additive

Looking at the user journey where there are system handoffs work to add connections to solutions for the next chunk of work in the user journey.

  • evaluate applicant’s submissions

  • send notifications

Multiplicative

As it will not be possible to scale with just additive approaches, we will need to implement event triggered messaging and subscription services that can enable many systems to connect with each other without those services being tightly coupled.

  • system A is subscribed to certain events that get posted by system B

  • a process for the evaluation of grant applications may start when a new grant application is received

  • example component: event streaming, or message queues

Product Focus, Decomposition and Alignment

This model looks at the logical breakdown of the capabilities of a software product. Each of these capability areas may contain many functions. When you complete the exercise to itemize your product’s capabilities, it will give you a viewpoint to see whether your product is focused on one “Core” capability, or whether it is a platform for performing many core capabilities. If you have a product that is a platform, you may consider reviewing the architecture for opportunities to leverage common components.

Capabilities

Enablement Type(s)

Service Delivery Step(s)

Capabilities

Enablement Type(s)

Service Delivery Step(s)

Form Builder Tool

Form Versioning

Form Publishing

Form Submission Lists and Details

Form Settings Management

Form Permissions and Security

Submission Status

Data Export and API Access

Event Triggered Service Extensions

Foundational, Enabler

Submission

Payment and Reconciliation

 

 

Login, Identity and Digital Trust

 

 

Template and File Mgmt

 

 

Subscription/Notification

Additive

Discovery

Workflow and Event Streaming

Multiplicative

Processing

API Access Management

 

 

Visualization Dashboards

 

 

Password Management & Automation

 

 

Registry Aggregation (Backstage)

 

 

Prototyping Kits

 

 

DevOps and Hosting