Mapping is the process that turns a set of business capabilities into a structure that communicates the right amount of detail to different stakeholder groups. Here’s a detailed explanation:

Definition of Mapping:

Mapping: In the context of business architecture, mapping refers to the process of visually representing the relationships between business capabilities and other elements such as processes, value streams, and organizational units. This helps in communicating the structure and interactions within the business.

Purpose:

Communication: Mapping provides a clear and structured way to communicate the details of business capabilities to different stakeholder groups. It ensures that each group receives the appropriate level of detail needed for their role and decision-making.

Alignment: Helps in aligning business capabilities with strategic goals, processes, and organizational structure, ensuring that the architecture supports the overall business strategy.

TOGAF References:

Phase B: Business Architecture: During this phase, mapping is used to represent business capabilities and their relationships with other business elements. This helps in creating a coherent and comprehensive business architecture.

Capability Mapping: TOGAF emphasizes the use of capability mapping to understand and analyze how different capabilities support business processes and value streams.

Benefits:

Clarity and Understanding: Mapping provides a visual representation that enhances clarity and understanding of the business architecture. It helps stakeholders see the big picture and understand how different parts of the business fit together.

Stakeholder Engagement: By providing the right amount of detail to different stakeholders, mapping ensures effective engagement and collaboration across the organization.

In summary, mapping is the process that turns a set of business capabilities into a structure that communicates the right amount of detail to different stakeholder groups, facilitating clarity, understanding, and alignment.