The Cargo cult of Business Capability Models.

Now, while that’s a catchy title, this article is far from a takedown of BCM's - I find them incredibly valuable, and I have had my hand in more than one and work with a number of experts in this field who are doing amazing work. Its a fascinating subject, indeed, along with the entire field of Business Architecture.??

One thing that I've always seen as a north star in this field is the goal of observing a singular BCM pinned up on the wall around the organisation.?? It means that teams have found it useful to anchor their work, and can describe it in the context of the enterprise.? The model can become a Rosetta Stone to help conversions from risk to transformation, from front office to back office.

?So build a model, get it laminated at A2, invest in blue tack and get ready to receive mana from heaven, as things fall into place. Chances are this is a sign that your EA function is delivering. right?

The moment I questioned this belief.

A few days ago at work, a I was discussing BCMs with a couple of EA's and one of them, let's call them "Gerry", said - I wonder if we are seeing "Cargo cult" behaviour??? I had him define to me a Cargo cult which I will also define for you.

What is a Cargo Cult.

A?cargo cult?is a?belief system in which a group of people in an less technically mature society imitate the behaviours, rituals, and symbols associated with technologically advanced societies, particularly those characterized by transportation and material wealth, in the apparent hope of attracting similar benefits.

?Adapted From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult>? - worth a read if you are into rabbit holes (see you in an hour or so)

Initially I was a little offended by this possible slight on BCMs, it stayed on my mind for the whole weekend and then it hit me.

What if evidence of a functioning Business Capability Model in a business is a lagging indicator of great organisational performance, not a leading one???

i.e. BCMs are an output, a pan organisation, a sometimes pan-industry agreement that demonstrates maturity, collaboration, good communication Executive leadership, and good Enterprise Architecture, rather than an input to achieve any of those things.

And,

What if I have been guilty of imitating the symbols associated with great organisational performance, rather than addressing the actual challenges on the path ahead?

Perhaps a Business Capability Model hanging on the wall of your offices means you made it, rather than being the?technology that gets you there?

He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata (the people)

Getting there, well that’s always about the people, the people, the people (and their processes, supported by the data they have access to and finally enabled by some technology or other)

?So focus on executive leadership, communication, open sharing, great collaboration, building bridges and removing barriers to these things, and when you build your BCM, ensure that it’s a collaborative effort, can be robustly debated, iterated on and developed over time.? If you reach an level where you are working cross industry you've built something really special, but its build out of people and relationships.

And that means, be wary of a Business Capability Model from a consultant, as it's less the artifact and more the journey that matters.

?I won't be worshiping at the altar of a Business Capability Model, I'll be spending my time setting environments in which one can emerge.

?Want to see a model that emerged this way - check out the CAUDIT HERM BCM