child relation of a capability

In the world of business capabilities, a child relation (also sometimes referred to as a sub-capability) isn't as common as a straightforward listing of capabilities. However, there are two main interpretations of how this concept might be used:

1. Capability Breakdown (Uncommon):

• This approach suggests a hierarchical structure where a parent capability represents a broader function, and child capabilities represent more specific sub-functions that contribute to the parent's overall goal.

  • For instance:

    • Parent Capability: Customer Management

    • Child Capabilities:

      • Customer Onboarding

      • Customer Service

      • Customer Retention

  • Here, "Customer Management" is the umbrella term, encompassing all activities related to interacting with customers. The child capabilities ("Customer Onboarding," "Customer Service," and "Customer Retention") are the specific stages or aspects of that interaction.

It's important to note that this hierarchical approach to business capabilities is not widely adopted. Most organizations prefer to focus on capabilities as independent building blocks to avoid complex hierarchies.

2. Capability Dependencies (More Common):

• A more prevalent way to understand relationships between business capabilities is through dependencies. This acknowledges that some capabilities rely on the outputs or functionalities of others to function effectively.

  • Example:

    • Capability: Product Development

    • Dependent Capability (Child in this context): Research and Development

  • In this scenario, "Product Development" depends on the findings and expertise of "Research and Development" (the child capability) to create new products.

  • Here, terms like "upstream" and "downstream" are sometimes used to describe these dependencies. "Upstream" capabilities (like R&D in this case) provide essential groundwork or inputs for "downstream" capabilities (like product development).

Key Points:

• The concept of a child relation for business capabilities is not universally used.

• When used, it typically refers to a breakdown of a broad capability into more specific sub-functions.

• A more common approach is to identify dependencies between capabilities, where some capabilities rely on the outputs of others.

It's important to choose the approach that best suits your organization's needs. If you do decide to utilize a hierarchical structure with child relationships, ensure it remains clear and avoids creating overly complex dependency chains.