Business Capabilities Analysis
Business Capability Analysis, in simple terms, describes the distinct functions of the business. It can be performed to assess performance, determine the risk areas of the business, and prioritize investments, especially in terms of time, effort, and money.
This analysis is accomplished by first identifying the University’s set of core business capabilities and supporting systems and then determining how people, processes, and functions are integrated to enhance Northwestern’s values.
Northwestern Business Capabilities
Business capabilities is a term used to define the core functions of the University to execute and fulfill its mission. The capabilities are independent of the organization structure, processes, people, or domains. The Northwestern business capability model was defined in partnership with the Administrative Systems Advisory Committee governance organization. View the current business capabilities map with business capabilities definitions.
Northwestern Business Capability Application Mapping
Core enterprise application systems are used to support the Northwestern business capabilities. These core applications provide the primary functions required to execute the capabilities. All related local and unit specific applications are not included in the diagram linked below. The mapping of core enterprise application to business capability is managed by the Northwestern IT Administrative Systems team. View the list of related enterprise applications for each business capability.
Northwestern Administrative Systems Project Categorization
As part of the portfolio practice, individual projects are categorized to assess priority and provide balance across all requested projects. Critically required projects are categorized as Run, with optional enhancements defined as Differentiate or Innovate, depending upon the project’s impact. Definitions for these categories, based on business and technical impact, are provided in this project categorization guide.