Capability model

The capability model is the organisation’s map of what it can do, from broad bands down to individual steps. Each tile can be coloured by a heat map, such as how well applications cover that capability. Changes are made in a draft, compared with the published version, and then published, so people reading the model always see an approved version.

Compare versions

Compare shows exactly what differs between two versions of the model, so you can review a draft before publishing it or see what changed between releases.

1. Open Capability model and choose Compare versions.
2. Pick the version to start From and the one to end To, then choose Compare.
3. Read the lists: capabilities added, removed, moved (with the old and new parent), renamed, and flag changes. Application link changes follow in a table.

Each list shows the first 300 entries. If there is only one version so far, there is nothing to compare. Anyone who can see the model can compare versions.

Application links

This table lists the changes to which applications support which capabilities between the two versions you are comparing.

Each row shows the change (for example a link added, removed or changed), the capability, the application and the detail, such as a coverage or TIME disposition that moved. Use it to check that a draft changes only what you meant to change before it is published. For example, if an import re-linked an application unexpectedly, you will see it here.

Only the first 300 rows are listed. For the capability changes themselves, see the lists above this table on the same page.

Applications on this capability

On a capability’s detail panel and on its edit page, this is the list of applications linked to that capability, with the coverage state, TIME disposition, annual cost and contract end where they are known.

• Coverage says how well the application supports the capability: core, latent, partial, target, legacy, or gap (no application at all).
• TIME is the disposition: Invest, Tolerate, Introduce, Assess, Migrate or Eliminate.
• A link with no application records a gap on purpose.

To change the links, an architect edits the capability in a draft. In the edit page you can Remove a link, or add one by choosing the application, coverage and TIME disposition and then Add link. Click an application name in the detail panel to open its record in Applications and technology.

Remove this capability

This takes a capability out of the draft. It also removes everything below it and all of their application links.

1. Open the capability in a draft and choose Edit.
2. Scroll to Remove this capability.
3. Tick the box to confirm you understand what goes with it, then choose Remove from draft.

Only the draft is changed. The published version stays as it is until the draft is published, and you can discard the whole draft if you change your mind. Removing is available to architects. Use Compare versions before publishing to check that nothing unexpected was removed.

Capability model

This page shows the published capability model as a tree of coloured tiles, from bands (L0) down to steps (L5). Each tile is a capability. The colour comes from the heat map you choose, and the legend above the tree names each colour.

Along the top you can:

• choose the Version (published versions and the open draft),
• choose the Heat map: application coverage, TIME disposition, digital alignment, architecture alignment, annual cost or contract end,
• choose how deep to show the tree, and filter to items flagged New (deck) or Review / contradiction,
• Export CSV, Compare versions, and start, open or discard a draft.

Click the arrow on a tile to open or close it, hover for a summary card, and click a tile to open its detail panel. The zoom buttons, Fit width and Fit all help with a large tree. See The detail panel and Heat maps and colours.

Heat maps and colours

A heat map colours every tile by one measure. Each tile shows the most common state among everything at or below it, and says what that state is in words, so colour is never the only signal. A grey tile means there is no data. Cost counts each application once.

• Application coverage: core (utilised), latent, partial, target, legacy or gap. Core is green, partial amber, legacy and gap red, latent and target blue.
• TIME disposition: Invest, Tolerate, Introduce, Assess, Migrate, Eliminate.
• Digital alignment and Architecture alignment: a score from 0 to 3.
• Annual cost and Contract end: money and renewal dates, so you can spot expensive or expiring areas.

Pick the map in the Heat map list and choose Apply. The legend shows the colours for the map you chose.

The detail panel

Click a tile and a panel opens beside the tree with everything recorded about that capability. The panel scrolls and can be dragged taller from its bottom corner.

It shows the path to the capability, its level and reference (coloured like the legend), any review flag, the definition, owner, provenance, source and comments, and the applications linked directly to it. Applications on capabilities further below are listed in full underneath, in alphabetical order, each as a link to its record.

If you can edit the draft you also see Edit and Add a child (up to level 5). Close shuts the panel.

No capability model yet

This message appears when nothing has been published and there is no draft to look at.

• If you are an architect, choose Import from Excel to create the first draft from a workbook, or Start an empty draft and add capabilities by hand. See Import and match.
• If you are not an architect, ask one to import or start the model.

Nothing is visible to general readers until a capability model owner publishes a draft, so there is time to review the first import first. The model view fills in as soon as a version is published.

Publish a draft

Publishing turns the open draft into the current published capability model. The page shows how many capabilities the draft holds, a count of what was added, removed, moved and renamed compared with the current version, and a link to every difference.

1. Review the differences using the link, or open Compare versions.
2. Optionally give the version a label and a note, for example “Spring review”.
3. Choose Publish.

The version it replaces is kept in the history, and you can still choose it from the Version list. Publishing needs the capability model owner role. Architects can edit the draft but cannot publish it.

Add or edit a capability

This form changes one capability in the open draft. Nothing here is visible to general readers until the draft is published.

• Name is required.
• Sits under places it in the tree. Choose nothing to make it a band (L0). Capabilities go down to level 5.
• Definition, Owner and Comment describe it.
• Review flag marks it New (deck) or Review / contradiction, so you can filter for those.
• When editing, you can also change Provenance and Source / evidence.

Choose Save, then use Back to the model. On an existing capability the page also lets you link applications and remove the capability. Adding and editing needs the architect role.