Metamodel

Introduction

This is a detailed overview of the Orthogramic Business Architecture Metamodel. The metamodel is comprised of business architecture domains. These domains are essential for developing strategic plans, managing organizational policies, defining capabilities, optimizing value streams, engaging stakeholders, managing initiatives, overseeing product development, and tracking performance. By understanding and utilizing the metamodel and the domains it contains, users can enhance organizational alignment, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Metamodel Domains

Organization

An organization represents the structured entity within which activities and value delivery occur to achieve strategic objectives. It encompasses the interconnected units, roles, and responsibilities that enable the flow of value to customers, stakeholders, or outcomes. By analysing the organization's structure and its alignment with stakeholder needs, inefficiencies can be identified, improvements prioritised, and processes optimised to meet strategic priorities.

Strategy

Strategies are sections or statements that describe planned or ongoing initiatives, objectives, or frameworks aimed at achieving specific outcomes.

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Stakeholders

Stakeholders represent the individuals, groups, or entities that influence or are influenced by the value delivered within an organization. They are central to defining outcomes, shaping priorities, and driving alignment with organizational objectives. By focusing on stakeholder needs and expectations, organizations can identify inefficiencies, optimise engagements, and ensure strategic goals are met.

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Capabilities

Capabilities are core organizational functions that serve as a bridge between strategy and execution, enabling organizations to align their goals with day-to-day operations.

Value Streams

Value Streams transform inputs into valuable outcomes for stakeholders. A Value Stream represents an end-to-end series of activities that creates value, whether for external customers (like patients and communities) or internal stakeholders.

Products

Products are distinct, tangible or intangible offerings created, developed, or delivered by an organization to address specific customer or stakeholder needs. Unlike services, which are activities or processes performed to deliver value, products are self-contained items or solutions that provide value independently or as part of a broader portfolio. Products are typically characterised by defined features, lifecycle stages, and measurable performance, whereas services are ongoing engagements or processes. To differentiate a product from a service: Product: Refers to a tangible or intangible deliverable that serves as a standalone solution to meet specific needs. Products are defined by their features, lifecycle stages, and ability to deliver measurable outcomes independently of ongoing interaction. Examples include software applications, physical goods, or digital tools. Service: Represents an activity or process performed to create or enhance value, often involving direct interaction and collaboration with customers or stakeholders. Services are dynamic, relying on real-time execution or customisation to address specific requirements. Examples include consulting, technical support, or training sessions. This distinction emphasises that products provide self-contained value, while services are centred around interactions and processes that generate or support value.

Information

Information represents the critical data and insights that enable and support the flow of value within a value stream. It encompasses the structures, relationships, and contexts that connect strategic objectives to actionable outcomes. By focusing on the management and utilisation of information aligned with stakeholder and organizational needs, organizations can identify gaps, enhance data quality, and ensure alignment with strategic priorities.

Performance

Performance represents the measurable outcomes and effectiveness of activities within a value stream that contribute to delivering value to a customer, stakeholder, or organizational outcome. It evaluates how efficiently value is generated and flows through an organization, connecting strategic objectives to tangible deliverables. By focusing on performance metrics and stakeholder expectations, organizations can identify inefficiencies, improve operational effectiveness, and ensure alignment with strategic priorities. Within Performance are Performance KPIs.

Initiatives

Initiatives represent the focused efforts or projects undertaken to deliver value to a customer, stakeholder or organizational outcome. They illustrate how value is created and delivered within specific areas of an organization, connecting strategic objectives to tangible outcomes. By focusing on results and stakeholder needs, initiatives enable organizations to identify inefficiencies, prioritise efforts, and ensure alignment with strategic priorities. Within Initiatives is a hierarchy of Initiatives > Programs > Projects.

Policy

Policies are formal statements or principles established by an organization to guide decision-making and operational behaviour. They serve as the foundation for governance and compliance, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and regulatory requirements. Unlike processes, which detail how activities are performed, policies establish the rules and frameworks under which those processes operate. A strategy describes 'what we want to achieve and how we plan to achieve it' while a policy describes 'what rules must be followed during strategy execution'. Strategies drive change and future outcomes while policies ensure consistent governance and compliance.