Establishing 'Making it Happen' as a 'Formal & Predictable' Discipline

Capabilities Mapping and Assessment Model	Financial Capabilities

Execution-MiH ENCYCLOPEDIA → Execution Making-it-Happen → SECTION - 'Capabilities' management →

CHAPTER -

Capabilities life-cycle management

The capability mapping and assessment model provides the basis for organization to progress on capability building, capability life-cycle management gets into how to manage an individual capability. This includes capability modularization, phasing, tenure and scope.

Topics

Capability Life-Cycle Overview

Just like life, nothing is permanent. A capability also has a life-cycle. Capabilities are created, augmented, changed and phased out as driven by changes in the technology, cultures, needs and social-business environment. As one works on building a capability, one has to look at potential life-cycle of capability, so that one can invest prudently.

Capability 'What' modularization and phasing

There are two parts to capability life-cycle. The first is 'what?', 'when?' and 'how-much?' you want to build. The second is on 'How' to achieve the capability. This page talks about the first part. The 'what' for a capability is driven by 'what is critical' to achieve results, 'when' is driven by 'when it will become critical' and how-much is driven by the magnitude of results you want to achieve. We all know that it is not possible to modularize and phase every capability. Sometimes organizations have to invest into big-bang capability platforms (like data-warehouse, ERP, flag-ship offices...), but within that also one can find ways to postpone items, which can wait.

Capability 'How' modularization and phasing

For a given order of capability, one can have many ways to achieve the same. Capability life-cycle looks at creating an optimum level of automation, level of robustness and level of permanence, to ensure that investment behind a capability is just right.

Managing Capability Tenure

A capability generally is never phased out but the methods of achieving & maintaining a capability do get changed. Capability tenure is managed by ensuring that a capability is in line with the change times and needs. Capability tenure is maximized by making the best out of the assets and infrastructure which are delivering the capability.

Managing Capability Scope

Any enterprise has to define the scope of capabilities. The scope can both expand or contract. Sometimes organizations keep on carrying a capability, even though it is under-utilized. The capability scope management will keep a track on the existing relevance, the future need, the possibility of consolidating the capabilities and preparing pipeline for capabilities without blocking too much monies.