Capability Categorization Models

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.

You can look at the list of services from a user’s point of view in order to complete a specific goal.
You could think about the list from an architectural perspective about how all components could be used within an interoperable ecosystem
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

1. Service Delivery Cycle

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

2. Capability Enablement Level

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

3. Product Model

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)
Form Design and Submission 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