IT Function critical capabilities are key areas where the IT function needs to maintain significant levels of competence, skill and experience and practise in order to operate and deliver a service. There are several different IT capability frameworks. The objective of these notes is to assess the suitability and applicability of these frameworks. These models can be used to identify what is important for your IT function based on your current and desired/necessary activity profile.
Capabilities vary across organisation – not all capabilities have the same importance for all organisations. These frameworks do not readily accommodate variability in the relative importance of capabilities.
The assessment approach taken is to identify a generalised set of capabilities needed across the span of IT function operations, from strategy to operations and delivery. This generic model is then be used to assess individual frameworks to determine their scope and coverage and to identify gaps.
The generic IT function capability model proposed here consists of five groups or domains of major capabilities that can be organised across the span of the IT function:
1. Information Technology Strategy, Management and Governance
2. Technology and Platforms Standards Development and Management
3. Technology and Solution Consulting and Delivery
4. Operational Run The Business/Business as Usual/Service Provision
5. Change The Business/Development and Introduction of New Services
In the context of trends and initiatives such as outsourcing, transition to cloud services and greater platform-based offerings, should the IT function develop and enhance its meta-capabilities – the management of the delivery of capabilities? Is capability identification and delivery management the most important capability? Outsourced service delivery in all its forms is not a fire-and-forget activity. You can outsource the provision of any service except the management of the supply of that service.
The following IT capability models have been evaluated:
• IT4IT Reference Architecture https://www.opengroup.org/it4it contains 32 functional components
• European e-Competence Framework (ECF) http://www.ecompetences.eu/ contains 40 competencies
• ITIL V4 https://www.axelos.com/best-practice-solutions/itil has 34 management practices
• COBIT 2019 https://www.isaca.org/resources/cobit has 40 management and control processes
• APQC Process Classification Framework - https://www.apqc.org/process-performance-management/process-frameworks version 7.2.1 has 44 major IT management processes
• IT Capability Maturity Framework (IT-CMF) https://ivi.ie/critical-capabilities/ contains 37 critical capabilities
The following model has not been evaluated
• Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) - http://www.sfia-online.org/ lists over 100 skills