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Learn moreA business capability map is a visual representation or diagram that illustrates the various capabilities of an organization and how they interrelate to support the overall business objectives.
Download best practices to define business capability maps!
A business capability map is a visual representation or diagram that illustrates the various capabilities of an organization and how they interrelate to support the overall business objectives.
It provides a structured view of an organization’s capabilities and helps stakeholders understand how different aspects of the business work together to deliver value.
An essential step of the business capability model involves creating a map typically consisting of a hierarchical structure, with higher-level capabilities decomposed into more detailed sub-capabilities.
A simplified three-level example of a business capability map for an e-commerce company could look like this:
Business capability maps, such as the one above, allow organizations to analyze, prioritize, and align their capabilities with strategic goals, enabling effective planning and decision-making.
📚 Related: 2023 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Enterprise Architecture Tools
When an organization undergoes change, such as a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or strategic shift, it's crucial to understand the existing capabilities and identify the desired capabilities needed to achieve the new objectives.
A business capability map provides several value propositions for an organization:
Understanding the concept of business capability mapping is the first step, but visualizing and applying this tool effectively requires practical examples and flexible templates.
In this section, we'll provide several examples of business capability maps across different industries, alongside adaptable templates to guide you in creating your own.
However, it's crucial to note that these examples and templates should be viewed as starting points rather than prescriptive solutions.
Every organization is unique, with its own set of abilities, challenges, and goals. Therefore, while these resources can offer helpful guidance and inspiration, they may not accurately reflect the specific capabilities or structure of your organization.
Each company must define its own business capability map, customizing it to align with its unique strategy, structure, and operations. This individualized approach ensures your map accurately captures the essence of your organization, providing meaningful insights and a foundation for strategic decision-making.
With this in mind, let's explore some business capability map examples and templates that can provide a solid starting point for your mapping journey.
This map encompasses key areas such as production, supply chain management, quality control, research and development, and customer service.
In the highly competitive manufacturing sector, capability maps enable organizations to align their capabilities with strategic objectives, optimize operational efficiency, and ensure effective resource allocation.
In the dynamic and rapidly evolving energy industry, capability maps enable organizations to align their capabilities with strategic objectives, optimize operational efficiency, and ensure effective resource allocation.
They drive sustainable energy production, grid reliability, environmental stewardship, and customer satisfaction in an increasingly complex energy landscape.
These maps could encompass key capabilities such as energy generation, transmission, distribution, management, trading, or energy services.
In this sector, where regulatory compliance, risk management, and operational efficiency are paramount, capability maps enable banks and financial institutions to align their capabilities with strategic goals, optimize processes, and ensure effective resource allocation.
In the finance industry, important capabilities are often retail banking, investment banking, commercial banking, regulatory compliance, and claims management.
Business capability maps within the pharmaceutical industry facilitate effective decision-making, resource allocation, and collaboration, leading to improved patient outcomes and sustained competitive advantage.
They provide a comprehensive visual representation of an organization’s core capabilities, including drug discovery, process research and development, product manufacturing, regulatory management, and supply & logistics.
In the highly competitive SaaS industry, capability maps drive product excellence, customer satisfaction, and sustainable growth in the dynamic and ever-evolving SaaS landscape.
These maps encompass key areas such as product development, platform and service operations, enterprise support, demand generation, people operations, and financial services.
Remember, the examples and templates we provided should be viewed as a starting point. Your organization's business capability map must be tailored to reflect your unique strategy, structure, and operational needs.
Once you understand business capabilities, we highly recommend exploring LeanIX's best practices when defining your own business capability map.
As your organization grows, consider adopting a robust solution like LeanIX's Enterprise Architecture Management to maintain a comprehensive and updated view of your organization's capabilities, supporting informed decision-making and strategic planning.
See mapping examples and model your own business capabilities!
See how IT and business align with a complete overview of your business capability landscape.
What is a business capability template?
A business capability template is a predefined structure or framework that helps organizations define and document their core business capabilities. It typically includes sections for describing the purpose, scope, resources, processes, and dependencies of each capability.
What are examples of business capabilities?
Accurate capabilities depend on the organization but some of the most common examples of business capabilities include product development, supply chain management, customer relationship management, financial analysis, and marketing and sales.
Can you provide an example of a business capability template?
An example of a business capability template could consist of sections such as "Capability Name," "Description," "Key Activities," "Resources," "Dependencies," "Performance Metrics," and "Owner." This template helps ensure consistency and clarity when documenting and analyzing business capabilities.
How can a business capability template be used?
A business capability template can be used as a standardized format to document and assess an organization's capabilities. It helps identify gaps, overlaps, and areas for improvement, and provides a foundation for strategic planning, resource allocation, and decision-making.
What are some examples of business capability assessments?
Examples of business capability assessments include evaluating the effectiveness of a company's customer service capabilities, assessing the efficiency of its supply chain management capabilities, analyzing the innovation and R&D capabilities, or reviewing the financial management capabilities.
How can business capability templates support organizational change?
Business capability templates facilitate change by providing a clear overview of an organization's current capabilities and identifying areas that need improvement or restructuring. They help prioritize change initiatives, allocate resources effectively, and measure progress in building the desired capabilities.