New key concept in TOGAF 9 presented by the CEO of Architecting the Enterprise and awarded contributor to the TOGAF, Serge Thorn. http://www.architecting-the-enterprise.com/index.php

1. Architecting the Enterprise
A TOGAF Services Provider
TOGAF 9 introduces a very appealing concept of Capability-based planning for Business People
TOGAF 9 promotes a very interesting concept related to Capability-based planning which is an approach more
focused on business issues and outcomes. TOGAF 9 defines a capability as “An ability that an organization,
person, or system possesses. Capabilities are typically expressed in general and high-level terms and typically
require a combination of organization, people, processes, and technology to achieve. For example, marketing,
customer contact, or outbound telemarketing. “
Capabilities are in fact the building blocks of business. A business capability typically defines what a business
unit‘s purpose is (goals and objectives), its core competencies, and is therefore directly bound to business
objectives and strategy. Capabilities provide a black-box view of those things the business can do, i.e. working
on business artifacts (e.g. Business Processes, Catalogs).
The business processes and resources involved in providing the capabilities are not exposed (business service
orientation). Capabilities aren‘t isolated but form hierarchical value-networks with relationships that materialize
the business processes. At a lower level, capabilities are modeled using traditional activity diagrams used for the
design and implementation of IT solutions.
The key elements of capabilities-based planning are a conceptual framework, an analytical framework and a
building block approach to applying the frameworks.
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2.  A conceptual framework allows for business planning under uncertainty by emphasizing flexibility,
robustness and adaptive capability
 The analytical framework provides a way to assess business capability options at the operational level
and choose among capability alternatives
 A building block approach allows us to define, develop and test individual capabilities within their own
business domains
Capabilities them can be developed and evaluated within smaller architecture domains from phase B to phase
D, and then later combined to describe joint forces capabilities in Transition Architectures identified in phases E-
F.
Capability Based Planning also revolves around the establishment of the capacity and ability to execute a
designated set of generic tasks, bringing enormous help when entering the Opportunities & Solutions and
Migration Planning phases. It is an effective way of selling the value of Enterprise Architecture to the business,
without being too much theoretical…
Serge Thorn, CIO
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Architecting the Enterprise Education
 New TOGAF 9 course http://www.architecting-the-enterprise.com/training--
TOGAF_for_Practitioners_2009.php
 New TOGAF 8 to TOGAF 9 bridging course http://www.architecting-the-enterprise.com/training--
TOGAF8_to_TOGAF9_Bridging_Course.php
 Training initiatives http://www.architecting-the-enterprise.com/training--TOGAF9.php
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