Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Guide

Business Capability Maps, Value Streams, Strategy Maps, Solution Architectures for Enterprise Architects, and a Catalog of Resources for Public Health Practice

Analyst Perspective

In the age of digital transformation toward data and analytics modernization, IT must align with the business of public health practice and focus on future enabling value realization at a time when AI and machine learning are poised to disrupt every industry.

An industry reference architecture helps accelerate your strategy design process and enhances the IT leadership team’s ability to align people, processes, and technology with key business priorities.

Public health professionals require a unified and validated view of their business capabilities that aligns core functions, essential services, and strategy to provide value to diverse populations served.

Public health is tasked with protecting the public, promoting health and well-being, and increasing health equity. Public health IT professionals have a role to play in empowering the workforce and enhancing service delivery through optimized data and technology.

Public health budgets are under constant strain due to pressures from government appropriations and funding allocation directives and limits, procurement requirements, and workforce costs, among other pressures.

The technical environment supporting the provision of public health services is rapidly changing with myriad new solutions and platforms to digitally transform and future enable the foundation and core functions of public health practice: assessment, policy development, and assurance.

This reference architecture guide is designed to help healthcare and government industry members align with the business of public health practice, and it provides tools to identify and assess core function health information management (HIM) and health information technology (HIT) capabilities and capacity, including business capability maps, value streams, strategy maps, solution architectures for enterprise architects, and a catalog of resources for public health practice.

Neal Rosenblatt

Principal Research Director, Public Health

Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Info-Tech Insight

Using an industry-specific reference architecture is central, and has many benefits, to organizational priorities. It is critical to understanding, modeling, and communicating the operating environment and the direction of the organization, but, more significantly, to enabling measurable top-line organizational outcomes and unlocking direct value.

Industry overview: public health

Public health departments are engaged in the science and art of preventing disease and promoting health through informing society, including public and private institutions, communities, and individuals. Additionally, public health is tasked with helping people prevent injury, illness and premature death. Public health programs are supported by federal, state/provincial, and local governments and aims to reduce the incidents and prevalence of disease, disability, and mental health conditions. Public health is interdisciplinary and involves professionals from a range of fields including epidemiology, biostatistics, behavioral health, mental health, oral health, environmental health, nutrition, health education, health promotion, community medicine, social sciences, and management of health services.

Public health challenges are on the rise, and increasing weather-related emergencies and global pandemics like COVID-19 have put the importance of competent public health practice into sharp focus. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a framework that describes the public health activities that all communities pursue called the 10 Essential Public Health Services. Originally released in 1994, this framework was revised in 2020 and promotes the health of all people. “The Essential Public Health Services actively promote policies, systems, and overall community conditions that enable optimal health for all and seek to remove systemic and structural barriers that have resulted in health inequities,” (CDC, 2020). Barriers that result in health inequities include poverty, racism, gender discrimination, ableism, and other forms of oppression.

Public health technologists are engaged in initiatives to improve outcomes for populations, and this guide outlines the various defining, shared, and enabling capabilities that will support the three core public health functions – assessment, policy development and assurance.

Figure above: Value stream for the public health industry

Public value realization

Public value defines the success criteria of an organization as manifested through organizational goals and outcomes, and it is interpreted from four perspectives:

• Public safety: Initiatives that result in an informed populace that are generated from a business capability enabled by modern technologies.
• Cost reduction: The cost reduction when performing business capabilities with a product that is enabled with modern technologies.
• Service enablement: The productivity and efficiency gains of internal business operations from products and capabilities enhanced with modern technologies.
• Community outreach: Improving outreach efforts and providing insights related to public health initiatives in existing or new communities.

Value, goals, and outcomes cannot be achieved without business capabilities

Break down your business goals into strategic and achievable initiatives focused on specific value streams and business capabilities.

Public health business capability map

Source: CDC, 2020

Business capability map defined...

In business architecture, the primary view of an organization is known as a business capability map.

A business capability defines what a business does to enable value creation, rather than how. Business capabilities:

• Represent stable business functions.
• Are unique and independent of each other.
• Typically will have a defined business outcome.

A business capability map provides details that help the business architecture practitioner direct attention to a specific area of the business for further assessment.

Soon to be available in ArchiMate Metamodels for enterprise architects. Download theSolution Architectures Tool

PowerPoint version available here

Glossary of key concepts

A business reference architecture consists of a set of models to provide clarity and actionable insight and value. Typical techniques and terms used in developing these models are:

Source: The Open Group, 2009

Tools and templates to compile and communicate your reference architecture work

• The Public Health Industry Reference Architecture Template is a place for you to collect all the activity outputs and outcomes you’ve completed for use in next steps.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Info-Tech's methodology for reference architecture

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

Guided Implementation

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization. A typical GI is between 6 to 9 calls over the course of 1 to 4 months.

Additional Support

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

Model Level 1, 2 & 3 business capability maps. Using the business capability map as an accelerator, Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to modify and validate the business capability map to suit your organization’s context.	Review capability assessment map(s). Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to review the various capability assessment maps and identify value opportunities within your organization.

Phase 1

Build Your Organization's Capability Map

Public Health Industry Reference Architecture

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

• Identify & assemble key stakeholders
• Determine how the organization creates value
• Define & validate value streams
• Determine which business capabilities support value streams
• Accelerate the process with an industry reference architecture
• Validate the business capability map
• Establish Level 2 (& 3) capability decomposition priorities
• Decompose Level 2 (& 3) capabilities

This phase involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Step 1.1

Define the organization's value stream

Activities

1.1.1 Identify & assemble key stakeholders

1.1.2 Determine how the organization creates value

1.1.3 Define & validate value streams

This step will walk you through the following activities:

• Identify & assemble key stakeholders
• Determine how the organization creates value
• Define & validate value streams

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• Defined & validated value streams specific to your organization

1.1.1 Identify & assemble key stakeholders

1-3 hours

Build an accurate depiction of the business.

1. It is important to make sure the right stakeholders participate in this exercise. The exercise of identifying capabilities for an organization is very introspective and requires deep analysis.
2. Consider:
1. Who are the decision makers and key influencers?
2. Who will impact the business capability work? Who has a vested interest in the success or failure of the outcome?
3. Who has the skills and competencies necessary to help you be successful?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't focus on the organizational structure and hierarchy. Often stakeholder groups don't fit the traditional structure.
2. Don't ignore subject-matter experts on either the business or IT side. You will need to consider both.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Define the organization's value streams

Value streams connect business goals to the organization’s value realization activities. They enable your organization at all levels – enterprise, agency, department, and program – to create and capture value by engaging in a set of interconnected activities. Those activities are dependent upon the specific core functions and essential services your organization seeks to improve. Value streams can extend beyond the organization into the supporting ecosystem, whereas business processes are contained and controlled within the organization at the level of value realization activity. There are two types of value streams: core value streams and support value streams. Core value streams are mostly externally facing: they deliver value to either an external or internal stakeholder, program, or end user(s), and they are tied to the organization’s strategy map. Support value streams are internally facing and provide the foundational support for an organization to operate. An effective method for ensuring all value streams have been considered is to understand that there can be different end-value receivers. Info-Tech recommends identifying and organizing the value streams with stakeholders, business units, programs, and end users as end-value receivers.

What is a value stream?

What is a value stream in public health practice?

Value stream descriptions for public health defining capabilities

Tier 1 core value stream: connect business goals to the organization’s defining value realization capabilities. Defining capabilities: the activities that define the business of public health practice. They support specific core function value streams.

Source: CDC, 2020

Value stream descriptions for public health shared capabilities

Tier 2 support value stream: connect business goals to the organization’s defining core functions, essential services, and value realization capabilities. Shared capabilities: business-aligned capabilities that realize the organization’s defining core functions and essential services.

Determine how the organization creates value

Begin the process by identifying and locating the business mission & vision statements.

• Websites
• Streategy Documents
• Leadership

What is Business Context?

"The business context encompasses an understanding of the factors impacting the business from various perspectives, including how decisions are made and what the business is ultimately trying to achieve. The business context is used by IT to identify key implications for the execution of its strategic initiatives."

Source: Businesswire, 2018

1.1.2 Determine how the organization creates value

1-3 hours

The first step of delivering value is defining how it will happen.

1. Use the organization’s industry segment to start a discussion about how value is created for customers. Working back from the moment value is realized by the customer, consider the sequential steps required to deliver value in your industry segment.
2. Consider:
1. Who are your customers?
2. What tasks are your customers looking to accomplish?
3. How does your organization's set of products and services help them accomplish that?
4. What are the benefits the organization delivers to them?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't boil the ocean. Focus on your industry segment and how you deliver value to your partners and customers specifically.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

1.1.2 Determine how the organization creates value

1.1.3 Define & validate value streams

1-3 hours

Unify the organization's perspective on how it creates value.

1. Write a short description of the value stream that includes a statement about the value provided and a clear start and end for the value stream. Validate the accuracy of the descriptions with your key stakeholders.
2. Consider:
1. How does the organization deliver those benefits?
2. How does the customer receive the benefits?
3. What is the scope of your value stream? What will trigger the stream to start and what will the final value be?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't start with a blank page. Use Info-Tech's value stream definitions on the previous slide as a starting point and customize from there.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Step 1.2

Develop a business capability map

Activities

1.2.1 Determine which business capabilities support value streams

1.2.2 Accelerate the process with an industry reference architecture

1.2.3 Validate the business capability map

1.2.4 Establish Level 2 (& 3) capability decomposition priorities

1.2.5 Decompose Level 2 (& 3) capabilities

This step will walk you through the following activities:

• Determine which business capabilities support value streams
• Accelerate the process with an industry reference architecture
• Validate the business capability map
• Establish Level 2 (& 3) capability decomposition priorities
• Decompose Level 2 (& 3) capabilities

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• A validated Level 1 business capability map
• Decomposed Level 2 (& 3) capabilities

Develop a business capability map by levels

• Business architecture consists of a set of techniques to create multiple views of an organization; the primary view is known as a business capability map.
• A business capability defines what a business does to enable value creation and achieve outcomes, rather than how they do it. In the private sector, business capabilities are typically business terms defined using descriptive nouns such as “marketing” or “research and development.” They represent stable business functions, are unique and independent of each other, and will usually have a defined business outcome. In the public sector, however, business capabilities can sometimes be articulated as business services. In public health practice, for example, the 10 essential services can be thought of as business capabilities that define or realize core functions. In both private and public sector approaches, business capabilities should not be defined as organizational units and are typically longer lasting than organizational structures.
• A business capability mapping process should begin at the highest-level view of an organization, Level 1, which presents the entire business on a page. Level 2 and Level 3 capabilities, if needed, provide additional levels of detail that realize and further define Level 1 functions.
• An effective method of organizing business capabilities is to split them into logical groupings or categories. In public health practice, at the highest level, capabilities are either “core” (externally or internally facing functions), “supporting” (internally facing functions), or “enabling” (cross-cutting functions).
• As a best practice, Info-Tech recommends dividing business capabilities into the categories illustrated below:

Business capability map for public health

Source: CDC, 2020

1.2.1 Determine which business capabilities support value streams

1-3 hours

Deconstruct value streams into their component capabilities.

1. Analyze the value streams to identify and describe the organization's capabilities that support them. This stage requires a good understanding of the business and will be a critical foundation for the business capability map.
2. Consider:
1. What is the objective of your value stream? This can highlight which capabilities support which value streams.
2. What are the activities that make up the business?
3. Segmenting your value stream into individual stages will give you a better understanding of the steps involved in creating value.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't do this alone. Make sure the right stakeholders participate. The exercise of identifying capabilities for an organization is very introspective and requires deep analysis. It is challenging to develop a common language that everyone will understand and be able to apply. Don't waste your efforts building an inaccurate depiction of the business.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

1.2.1 Determine which business capabilities support value streams

1.2.2 Accelerate the process with an industry reference architecture

1-3 hours

It's never a good idea to start with a blank page.

1. The business capability map on the previous slide can be used as an accelerator. Assemble the relevant stakeholders – business unit leads and product/service owners – and modify the business capability map to suit your organization's context.
2. Consider:
1. What are the activities that make up your business?
2. Can these activities be tied to outcomes? If not, they might not apply to your organization.
3. Are there any capabilities on the map that don't fit the organization? Deselect them if yes.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't repeat capabilities. Capabilities are typically mutually exclusive activities.
2. Don't include temporary initiatives. Capabilities should be stable over time. The people, processes, and technologies that support capabilities will change continuously.

Customize generic capability maps with the assistance of our industry analysts.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

1.2.2 Accelerate the process with an industry reference architecture

1.2.3 Validate the business capability map

1-3 hours

Crowdsource the capability map validation.

1. Validate the capability map with the executive team (those who were not included) and other key stakeholders. Use validation of your business capability map as an excuse to start a conversation regarding the organization's overall strategy.
2. Consider:
1. Are there any sensitive areas of the organization that may take this effort the wrong way? Engage them to get their input as early as possible to ensure they don't feel left out or alienated.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't delay validating the maps with top-level executives. Without their support, your architecture practice won't be taken seriously.
2. Don't leave anyone out on the assumption that they won't be interested. This process will foster alignment between organizational silos

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Develop a business capability map – Level 2

• Level 2 business capabilities define individual Level 1 capabilities at a more granular level of detail. Level 2 capabilities typically represent individual stable business functions that, while unique and independent of each other, typically will have a collection of processes with overall contribution and enablement of Level 1 capability. If Level 3 capabilities are included, they further define Level 2 capabilities.

1.2.4 Establish Level 2 capability decomposition priorities

1-3 hours

Deconstruct Level 1 capabilities into their component capabilities.

1. Analyze the Level 1 business capabilities to identify and describe at a deeper, more granular level the organization's capabilities that support them. This stage requires a good understanding of the business and will be a critical foundation for the Level 2 business capability map.
2. Consider:
1. Which Level 1 capabilities enable the most critical stage of my value stream?
2. Which Level 1 capabilities enable the most stages of the value stream?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't try to cut corners. Although it may seem tempting to jump right to this step and avoid doing your Level 1 mapping, you will run the risk of model pollution. Starting with Level 1 helps ensure you have a unified view of your organization's capabilities and will help you avoid having to redo the work later.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

1.2.4 Establish Level 2 capability decomposition priorities

1.2.5 Decompose Level 2 capabilities

1-3 hours

Deconstruct Level 1 capabilities into their component Level 2 capabilities.

1. Using the Level 1 capability map as a baseline, hold working sessions with line of business represented for each (or selected) Level 1 capability or set of related capabilities and decompose them.
2. Consider:
1. Will you want to go deeper to Level 3? If so, then confirm if the same team for Level 2 has knowledge of Level 3+ and decompose to Level 3 concurrently.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't do this alone.Make sure the right stakeholders participate. The exercise of identifying Level 2+ capabilities for an organization is very introspective and requires deep analysis and understanding of business functions and processes. It is challenging to develop a common language that everyone will understand and be able to apply. Don't waste your efforts building an inaccurate depiction of the business.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Level 2 capability decomposition

Develop a business capability map – Level 3

• Level 3 business capabilities define individual Level 2 capabilities at a more granular level of detail. Level 3 capabilities typically represent individual stable business functions that, while unique and independent of each other, typically will have a collection of processes with overall contribution and enablement of corresponding Level 2 capabilities.

1.2.6 Establish Level 3 capability decomposition priorities

1-3 hours

Deconstruct Level 3 capabilities into their component capabilities.

1. Analyze the Level 2 business capabilities to identify and describe at a deeper, more granular level the organization's capabilities that support them. This stage requires a good understanding of the business and will be a critical foundation for the Level 3 business capability map.
2. Consider:
1. Which Level 2 capabilities enable the most critical stage of my value stream?
2. Which Level 2 capabilities enable the most stages of the value stream?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't try to cut corners. Although it may seem tempting to jump right to this step and avoid doing your Level 2 mapping, you will run the risk of model pollution. Starting with Level 2 helps ensure you have a unified view of your organization's capabilities and will help you avoid having to redo the work later.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

1.2.6 Establish Level 3 capability decomposition priorities

1.2.7 Decompose Level 3 capabilities

1-3 hours

Deconstruct Level 2 capabilities into their component Level 3 capabilities.

1. Using the Level 2 capability map as a baseline, hold working sessions with the line of business represented for each (or selected) Level 3 capability or set of related capabilities and decompose them.
2. Avoid:
1. Don't do this alone. Make sure the right stakeholders participate. The exercise of identifying Level 3+ capabilities for an organization is very introspective and requires deep analysis and understanding of business functions and processes. It is challenging to develop a common language that everyone will understand and be able to apply. Don't waste your efforts building an inaccurate depiction of the business.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Level 3 capability decomposition

Additional Support

If you would like additional supportm have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

Model Level 1, 2 & 3 business capability maps. Using the business capability map as an accelerator, Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to modify and validate the business capability map to suit your organization’s context.	Review capability assessment map(s). Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to review the various capability assessment maps and identify value opportunities within your organization.

Phase 2

Use Business Capabilities to Define Strategic Focus

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

• Determine cost advantage creators
• Determine competitive advantage creators
• Define key future-state capabilities
• Identify the strategic objectives for the business
• Map strategic objectives to IT programs
• Validate the strategy map & program prioritization

This phase involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Step 2.1

Define the organization's key capabilities

Activities

2.1.1 Determine cost advantage creators

2.1.2 Determine competitive advantage creators

2.1.3 Define key future-state capabilities

This step will walk you through the following activities:

• Determine cost advantage creators
• Determine competitive advantage creators
• Define key future-state capabilities

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• Identification of Level 1 & 2 cost advantage creators
• Identification of Level 1 & 2 competitive advantage creators
• Defined future-state capabilities

Define the organization's key capabilities

• A discussion about the key or most critical capabilities is an excellent opportunity for IT leaders to review, refresh, and even reset expectations from the business as to what value IT should be providing to the organization. There is often misalignment as to whether, or to what extent, IT should be making strategic investments to help the business enhance its capabilities through technology. Some IT leaders believe they should be transforming the organization, while their agency or department leadership wants them to focus on operational efficiencies.
• Depending on the mandate from the business – whether at the agency, departmental, or lower business unit levels – an IT leader may focus on developing enhancements for the organization by directing technology efforts to capabilities that deliver efficiency gains. This is often the case for many IT leaders for whom the primary role of IT is to enable the business to deliver its programs and services to the communities and stakeholders it serves as efficiently as possible. In various industries, these capabilities are known as cost advantage creators. In health and human services, we might think of these capabilities as essential services delivery enablers that help drive operational efficiencies.
• Private sector organizations can develop a competitive advantage over their industry counterparts by creating a differentiated experience for the organization’s customers. Similarly, public sector organizations, like public health, can develop facilitators toward modernizing assessment, policy development, and assurance core functions by creating improvements in essential services delivery. Increasingly, this is facilitated and made possible through technology. IT units can direct investment into business-aligned capabilities that will improve their organization’s capacity as a service and focus on developing service optimization by directing efforts onto capabilities that are end-user facing. In various industries, these are known as the organization’s competitive advantage creators. In health and human services, we might think of these capabilities as health status or social services improvement facilitators.

Defining key capabilities for public health

2.1.1 Determine cost advantage creators

1-3 hours

Focus on capabilities that drive a cost advantage for your organization.

1. If your organization has a cost advantage over competitors, the capabilities that enable it should be identified and prioritized. Highlight these capabilities and prioritize the programs that support them.
2. Consider:
1. What is the source of your cost advantage? IT should support the capabilities that drive the cost advantage.
2. Is the industry you operate in sensitive to prices?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't focus on capabilities that create an unsustainable cost advantage. Take a long-term perspective and allocate your resources wisely.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

2.1.2 Determine competitive advantage creators

1-3 hours

Prioritize capabilities that give your organization an edge over rivals.

1. If your organization does not have a cost advantage over competitors, determine if it can deliver differentiated end-customer experiences. Once you have identified the competitive advantages, understand which capabilities enable them. These capabilities are critical to the success of the organization and should be highly supported.
2. Consider:
1. Are there any products or services your organization provides that customers consider superior to competitive offerings?
2. Which capabilities enable the competitive advantage?
3. How easy is it for competitors to neutralize your competitive advantage? Focus on the capabilities that are difficult to replicate by competitors to create a more sustainable advantage.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't determine the competitive advantages alone. Incorporate various perspectives from throughout the organization to truly understand how the organization competes in the marketplace.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

2.1.2 Determine competitive advantage creators

2.1.3 Define key future-state capabilities

1-3 hours

Know where you want to go and chart a course to get there.

1. In addition to the current cost and competitive advantage creators, the organization may have the intention to enhance existing or develop new capabilities. Discuss and select the capabilities that will help drive the attainment of future goals.
2. Consider:
1. Are your competitors doing anything to give them a competitive advantage? Can your organization easily replicate the capabilities needed to neutralize that advantage?
2. How is the external environment (political, economic, social, or technological) likely going to change in the future? How might these changes impact your current key capabilities?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't blindly copy your competitors' strategies. It is important to understand that each organization is unique; before focusing on key capabilities that might neutralize your competitors' advantages, ensure they fit well with your overall strategy.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Step 2.2

Develop a strategy map

Activities

2.2.1 Identify the strategic objectives for the business

2.2.2 Map strategic objectives to IT programs

2.2.3 Validate the strategy map & program prioritization

This step will walk you through the following activities:

• Identify the strategic objectives for the business
• Map strategic objectives to IT programs
• Validate the strategy map & program prioritization

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• CTO, VP Applications, VP Infrastructure
• Portfolio manager (PMO director)
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• Identification of business strategic objectives
• Defined & validated strategy map/goal cascade

2.2 Develop a strategy map

• A strategy map is a tool to help narrow the focus onto what matters most. With ever-changing resources, business strategies, and external environments, the strategy map can ensure IT is consistently providing value through the enhanced prioritization of IT programs.
• Strategy mapping is a technique that helps the executive suite communicate the business strategy to other levels of the organization by visually representing the organizational strategic objectives and mapping each of them to value streams, business capabilities, and ultimately, to specific IT programs. There are five layers to a strategy map: strategic business goals, business initiatives, value streams, business capabilities, and IT programs.
• Strategic business goals are the targets and outcomes that the organization is looking to achieve.
• Value streams enable an organization to create and capture value in the market through interconnected activities that support strategic objectives.
• Business capabilities define what a business does to enable value creation in value streams, rather than how.
• IT programs are actionable descriptions of how the IT department will enable one or multiple business capabilities in its target state.

2.2.1 Identify the strategic goals & outcomes for the business

1-3 hours

Knowing the key strategic objectives for the business will drive business-IT alignment.

1. It is important to make sure the right strategic objectives of the organization have been identified and are well understood. Engage the right stakeholders to help identify and document the key strategic objectives for the business.
2. Consider:
1. What are your targets for the organization?
2. What are the organization's strategic investment goals?
3. What are the goals of the organization over the next 12 months?
4. What are your top business initiatives over the next 12 months?
5. Are there external forces that will impact the current strategic objectives?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't simply go with the existing documented strategic objectives for the business. Ensure they are up to date and interview the decision makers to get the most updated objectives if needed.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

2.2.1 Identify the strategic goals & outcomes for the business

Illustrative example of strategic goals and outcomes for a public health agency

1. Agency Support

We are committed to maximizing public health service by strengthening health and healthcare infrastructure at the local/state/provincial level.

2. Enhanced Service Delivery

We will ensure that core functions and essential services are efficient, effective, stakeholder focused, modernized, and future-enabled.

3. Increase Health Equity

We will create equitable opportunities to advance access to care for all by addressing the social determinants of health.

2.2.2 Map strategic objectives to it programs

1-3 hours

Communicate the business strategy to other levels of the organization visually.

1. Starting with strategic objectives, map the value streams that will ultimately drive them. Next, link the key capabilities that enable each value stream. Finally, map the IT programs supporting those capabilities. This process will help you prioritize IT programs that deliver the most value to the organization.
2. Consider:
1. Focus on the value streams that truly drive the strategic objectives.
2. Are there any capabilities that are not tied to outcomes?
3. Are all strategic objectives supported with IT programs?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't be too granular. The audience for a strategy is interested in a higher-level understanding of what IT is doing. As such, keep things at the program level as opposed to the individual projects that programs are composed of.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Illustrative example of strategy map

Note: Illustrative Example. To edit and customize this visual please download the corresponding Reference Architecture Template tool.

2.2.3 Validate the strategy map & program prioritization

1-3 hours

Crowdsource the strategy map validation.

1. Validate the strategy map in layers. Start with IT and confirm which IT programs enable particular capabilities. Next, work with the business departments to validate the capabilities that support the value streams. Finally, validate the strategic objectives of the organization with the C-suite and communicate the value streams that support them.
2. Consider:
1. Are all strategic objectives equally important? If not, get a prioritized list of strategic objectives.
2. Do any of the programs have critical dependencies that influence sequencing?
3. If there are strategic objectives that do not have any IT programs mapped to them, consider adding new programs. Conversely, reconsider upcoming programs that do not have a connection to strategic objectives.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't delay validating the strategic maps with top-level executives. A proactive approach will save you time in terms of rework and maximize alignment.
2. Don't leave anyone out on the assumption that they won't be interested. It is easy to miss key stakeholders – be careful and organized.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

2.2.3 Validate the strategy map & program prioritization

Additional Support

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

Model Level 1, 2 & 3 business capability maps. Using the business capability map as an accelerator, Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to modify and validate the business capability map to suit your organization’s context.	Review capability assessment map(s). Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to review the various capability assessment maps and identify value opportunities within your organization.

Phase 3

Assess Key Capabilities for Planning Priorities

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

• Assess process support for capabilities
• Evaluate user adoption of processes for key capabilities
• Prioritize key capabilities process refinement
• Assess how well information supports capabilities
• Evaluate accessibility to data for key capabilities
• Prioritize data improvements for key capabilities
• Assess technology support of capabilities
• Uncover value opportunities for applications
• Compare results with industry research to determine plan of action

This phase involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Step 3.1

Business process review

Activities

3.1.1 Assess process support for capabilities

3.1.2 Evaluate user adoption of processes for key capabilities

3.1.3 Prioritize key capabilities process refinement

This step will walk you through the following activities:

• Assess process support for capabilities
• Evaluate user adoption of processes for key capabilities
• Prioritize key capabilities process refinement

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• Identification of capability process enablement

Business process review

Use process analysis and assessment to drive collaboration and integration.

• Public health organizations tend to develop in reaction to changes in public policy, government initiatives, and emergency response. This reactive nature can lead to the following pains:
  • Duplicated or conflicting business activities
  • Processes that create bottlenecks by involving too many business units
  • Manual rekeying of data into multiple systems
  • Inefficient process for producing standard reports
• Public service organizations are driven by the desire to effectively manage programs and existing business processes while recognizing the need for a faster ability to share data, information, and insight across multiple systems and business units to support increasing demands for more rapid response.
• A primary goal of a strategy is to provide a framework that enables the current business environment to function as seamlessly as possible, allowing for flexibility when processes need to evolve or respond quickly in emergent situations.
• Through effective strategy design, IT can provide integration across business units by performing an analysis of how well the organizational capabilities are supported by processes. Specifically, IT should analyze and assess processes on the basis of adherence, enforcement, overlap, and on the presence of effective monitoring measures in support of public health core functions and essential services delivery.

Figure above: Process Assessment Legend

Business process support of key capabilities

3.1.1 Assess process support for capabilities

1-3 hours

Standardization breeds efficiency.

1. Begin by assessing whether each key capability has documented processes supporting it. Then evaluate whether the documented processes have been communicated and the extent to which there is process overlap.
2. Consider:
1. What processes are documented?
2. Have the documented processes been communicated to the business users?
3. Are some of the processes redundant? Has that been done on purpose, or can you optimize them?
4. Are there key capabilities that lack processes all together?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't waste time. Only evaluate processes that are documented and communicated, and then evaluate them for exclusivity.
2. Don't do this in a vacuum. Validate that you have captured all existing processes by speaking to other employees.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

3.1.2 Evaluate user adoption of processes for key capabilities

1-3 hours

Having processes is one thing, but are they being adhered to?

1. The next level of analysis involves assessing whether defined processes are being adhered to. Confirm if the organization enforces adherence and that regular monitoring for deviations is occurring.
2. Consider:
1. Is there regular monitoring for deviations from the defined process? Is this recorded and acted upon?
2. Are there certain groups of users that are not following the processes in place? Why?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't think the lack of process adherence is simply the employees' fault. In some cases, the processes might not be well designed or are outdated, thus warranting the need for refinement.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

3.1.2 Evaluate user adoption of processes for key capabilities

3.1.3 Prioritize key capabilities process refinement

1-3 hours

Use process to drive collaboration and integration.

1. Key capabilities should be well supported by processes. If there are any capabilities that scored Medium or below, prioritize delivering effective process support, improving user adoption, and establishing effective process governance.
2. Consider:
1. Is business process management in your mandated area of influence, responsibility, or accountability? If not, consider who you may need to recruit for support from the business side to drive refinements.
2. Communicate any new processes or changes to existing ones through a variety of mediums. Make it easy for the users/employees to reference them if needed.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't create redundant processes. Ensure there is minimal overlap with existing processes if you are creating a new process.
2. Don't forget to think about user adoption and governance when creating new processes. This might be more challenging, but it will ultimately ensure long-term success.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

3.1.3 Prioritize key capabilities process refinement

Step 3.2

Information assessment

Activities

3.2.1 Assess how well information supports capabilities

3.2.2 Evaluate accessibility to data for key capabilities

3.2.3 Prioritize data improvements for key capabilities

This step will walk you through the following activities:

• Assess how well information supports capabilities
• Evaluate accessibility to data for key capabilities
• Prioritize data improvements for key capabilities

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Data architect
• Organizational planning & analysis staff
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• Identification of capability data support

The Data, Reporting & Analytics Diagnostic helps identify information gaps

Assessing how well information supports capabilities is nearly impossible to perform without an honest and thorough understanding of end-user sentiment toward data, reporting, and analytics.

Develop data-driven insights to help you decide which business capabilities require new or improved reporting and analytics and opportunities to improve business processes, and by extension enable the capabilities of the business.

The Data, Reporting & Analytics program will help you:

• Assess data quality & reporting satisfaction at a glance
• Evaluate data quality across 9 dimensions of quality
• Evaluate reporting across 10 dimensions of satisfaction
• Determine which areas are the most critical
• Determine effectiveness of analytics tools

Here are some critical insights to extract from the Data, Reporting & Analytics Diagnosticreport

Begin with understanding the perception of the information in use in your organization to assess the effectiveness of supporting core functions and essential services.

Data and reports that are deemed to be low accuracy, currency or completeness could hamper strategic business capabilities and should be investigated further regarding the effectiveness of supporting key business capabilities.

Information assessment

Assess the availability and quality of data in providing information as a business-aligned asset.

• Information is central to every organization's success and ability to realize its goals. Too often, organizations experience the following pains:
  • Duplicated or conflicting data residing in disparate databases.
  • Inadequate controls or edits on data.
  • Manual rekeying of data into multiple systems.
  • Inability to provide executives with reliable and easily accessible information for decision-making.
  • Inability of business units to assume “ownership” of data.
• These organizations are driven by the desire to effectively manage existing business processes while recognizing the need for a faster ability to share data, information, and insight across multiple systems and business units to support increasing demands for more rapid response.
• A primary goal of a strategy is to provide a framework that enables information to be viewed as a critical business asset, across organizational boundaries and accessed as seamlessly as possible.
• Through effective strategy design, IT can provide integration of data across business units by performing an analysis of how well the organizational capabilities are supported by information. Specifically, IT should analyze and assess data on the basis of quality, integrity, ownership, and on the presence of an effective data governance framework.

Figure above: Information Assessment Legend

Information support of key capabilities

3.2.1 Assess how well information supports capabilities

1-3 hours

Information is a key business asset.

1. Begin by assessing whether each key capability has data available to support it. Then evaluate the quality and integrity of the data and the extent to which there is clear business unit ownership of the data.
2. Consider:
1. What data exists to support the capability?
2. Does the same data exist in various databases?
3. What controls exist to ensure quality and integrity?
4. Are there key capabilities that lack automated information all together?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't waste time. Only evaluate information holdings that are central to the capability.
2. Don't do this in a vacuum. Validate that you have captured all existing data by collaborating with other IT and business unit employees.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

3.2.1 Assess how well information supports capabilities

3.2.2 Evaluate accessibility to data for key capabilities

1-3 hours

Having data is one thing, but is it easily accessible and available in a format suitable for decision-making?

1. The next level of analysis involves assessing whether data is easily accessible to the main users of the information.
2. Consider:
1. Is data well integrated so executives do not have to access more than one source for the information they need? Is there a data warehouse capability to bring together data from disparate databases?
2. Is there an end-user business intelligence (BI) capability? Are users sufficiently trained in its use?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't think that the lack of information is the fault of any one IT unit or application. In most cases, there is a lack of a comprehensive approach to enterprise and data architecture at the core of the problem.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

3.2.2 Evaluate accessibility to data for key capabilities

3.2.3 Prioritize data improvements for key capabilities

1-3 hours

Use data to institute information as an asset.

1. Key capabilities should be well supported by data. If there are any capabilities that scored Level 2 or below, prioritize establishing an effective data governance framework. Leverage Info-Tech’s blueprint Build a Data Architecture Roadmap for more information.
2. Consider:
1. Is data management fully in your mandated area of influence, responsibility, or accountability? If not, consider who you may need to recruit for support from the business side to drive refinements.
2. Effective data governance will require close collaboration between IT and the data owners on the business side.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't create redundant data. Ensure there is minimal overlap with existing data elements if you are creating a new application or database process.
2. Don't forget to think about end-user access and reporting tools when creating new data holdings. This might be more challenging, but it will ultimately ensure long-term success.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

3.2.3 Prioritize data improvements for key capabilities

Step 3.3

Technology opportunity assessment

Activities

3.3.1 Assess technology support of capabilities

3.3.2 Uncover value opportunities for applications

This step will walk you through the following activities:

• Assess technology support of capabilities
• Uncover value opportunities for applications
• Compare results with industry research to determine plan of action

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• CTO
• Applications, infrastructure leads
• Departmental executive & senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• Identification of capability application and technology support

The Application Portfolio Assessment Diagnostic helps identify application gaps

Application portfolio management is nearly impossible to perform without an honest and thorough understanding of end-user sentiment toward IT software.

Develop data-driven insights to help you decide which applications to retire, upgrade, retrain on or maintain, to meet the demands, and by extension enable the capabilities of the business.

The Application Portfolio Assessment program will help you:

• Assess the health of the application portfolio
• Understand the business’ perception of the application in use throughout your business
• Identify and build core IT processes that automate IT-business alignment
• Create a plan to address alignment gaps impeding business growth
• Deliver your plan to demonstrate IT value and progress

Here are some critical insights to extract from the Application Portfolio Assessment Report

Begin with understanding the perception of the applications in use in your organization to assess the effectiveness of supporting key business capabilities.

Applications that are deemed as unleveraged, questionable, or contentious should be investigated further regarding the effectiveness of supporting key business capabilities.

Technology opportunity assessment

New technologies can create opportunities for business agility and help develop resilience to rapidly developing conditions such as improvements in emergency response capabilities.

• Business agility is essential for rapid response. However, the application portfolio of many organizations cannot sufficiently support the flexibility and efficiency the business needs because of legacy challenges.
• Organizations experience application sprawl over time, caused by many factors, that can end up costing more for licenses, operational resources, and maintenance.
• Organizations are looking for ways to modernize their applications, but they want to develop options without introducing additional risks. Adopting a capability-based approach to assessing applications will enable the IT department to identify opportunities to:
  • Automate tasks through the strategic selection and implementation of applications.
  • Integrate applications that have cross-capability implications.
  • Rationalize the application portfolio.
  • Eliminate redundant or legacy applications that don’t deliver enough value.
• The market availability for software applications dedicated to supporting a specific capability (or set of capabilities) can serve as an indicator of the presence of legacy challenges. Where there is a lack of application availability, it may be a signal of either custom-developed, ad-hoc, makeshift solutions or of shadow IT.

3.3.1 Assess technology support of capabilities

1-3 hours

Determine how well key capabilities are supported by applications.

1. Perform an application rationalization exercise on the key capabilities to determine how well they are being supported by applications. Applications should be assessed based on flexibility, ease of use, and integration.
2. Consider:
1. How flexible are the applications?
2. How well do the applications integrate?
3. How easy are the applications to learn and use?
4. Are there overlap, unplanned redundancy, or data quality issues?
3. Avoid:
1. Don't perform a complete overhaul. Consider continuity in delivering business services before you rip and replace everything.
2. Don't forget about shadow IT. Ask around to get an accurate understanding of what applications are being used to support business capabilities.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

Application support of key capabilities

3.3.2 Uncover value opportunities for applications

1-3 hours

Make sure the business is leveraging applications wherever it should.

1. Unsupported key capabilities are areas in which IT can deliver high value for the business. The key capabilities that score None or Low in the technology assessment are the ones that require the most attention.
2. Consider:
1. Prioritize which unsupported key capabilities to focus on based on their importance.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't focus on unsupported key capabilities that will require too much investment.
2. Don't build an application just because you can. Research existing solutions before deciding to build in-house.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

3.3.2 Uncover value opportunities for applications

Additional Support

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

Model Level 1, 2 & 3 business capability maps. Using the business capability map as an accelerator, Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to modify and validate the business capability map to suit your organization’s context.	Review capability assessment map(s). Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to review the various capability assessment maps and identify value opportunities within your organization.

Phase 4

Adopt Capability-Based Strategy Planning

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

• Assess capability gaps via a MoSCoW analysis

This phase involves the following participants:

• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• CTO
• Applications, infrastructure leads
• Departmental executive & senior managers
• Portfolio manager (PMO director)

Step 4.1

Consolidate & prioritize capability gaps

Activities

4.1.1 Assess capability gaps via a MoSCoW analysis

This step will guide you through the following activities:

• Assess capability gaps via a MoSCoW analysis

This step involves the following participants:

• Enterprise/business architect
• Project managers & business analysts
• Business unit leads
• Business unit research/data scientists
• CIO
• CTO
• Applications, infrastructure leads
• Departmental executive and senior managers

Outcomes of this step

• Consolidated and prioritized capability gaps

Consolidate and prioritize capability gaps

• Direct strategic IT investments based on the collective output of the capability assessments.
• When combined with a solid understanding of business priorities and IT’s mandate, a capability assessment can be the driving force that informs a unified perspective on the sequencing of an organization’s strategic IT initiatives.
• Assessments based on how well a capability is supported by people (via organizational analysis), process (via process review), data (via information assessment), and technology (via application, infrastructure, data, and security improvements) will inform the overall health of a capability, or in other words, the size of a capability gap. This information, when contrasted with the concept of a MoSCoW-based effort to value, forms an enhanced decision-making framework that can be used to determine initiative sequencing on a strategic roadmap.
• If a capability has a large gap (is poorly supported by people, process, data, or technology), it should be considered as high in effort or difficulty to address. When the capability is well aligned with business priorities and the IT mandate, the capability gap should be considered as high value to address.
• See the figure on the right: IT leaders should focus their efforts on the lower-right quadrant (high value, low effort). In the top-right quadrant (high value, high effort), IT should seek business support to drive the initiative. Capability gaps on the right side of the quadrant overall are good candidates for capability outsourcing.

MoSCoW capability gap analysis

4.1.1 Assess capability gaps via a MoSCoW analysis

1-3 hours

1. Gather and synthesize the priorities from the information, people, process, and technology assessments to develop a consolidated view of IT's planning responsibilities.
2. Consider:
1. How big is the difference between current needs and the assessment of the factors that support each capability?
2. Are there any groups of capabilities that have low scores from the assessments? Consider a root-cause analysis to determine what could be impacting multiple capabilities.
3. Avoid:
1. Don't forget about healthy capabilities. Enhance the green (low-gap) capabilities once you have resolved the issues with the red and yellow (large-gap) key capabilities.

Download the Public Health Practice Business Reference Architecture Template

1.2.1 Assess capability gaps via a MoSCoW analysis

MoSCoW analysis for business capabilities

Note: Illustrative Example. To edit and customize this visual please download the corresponding Reference Architecture Template tool.

Ranked list of IT implications template

Address key capability gaps

As part of your next steps checklist, leverage the reference architecture for priorities that drive measurable top-line organizational outcomes and the unlocking of direct value.

Additional Support

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

Model Level 1, 2 & 3 business capability maps. Using the business capability map as an accelerator, Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to modify and validate the business capability map to suit your organization’s context.	Review capability assessment map(s). Info-Tech analysts will work with relevant stakeholders to review the various capability assessment maps and identify value opportunities within your organization.

Summary of Accomplishment

Problem Solved

• Accelerated the building of your organization’s capability map by defining the organization’s value stream and validating the industry reference architecture.
• Used business capabilities to define strategic focus by defining the organization’s key capabilities and developing a prioritized strategy map.
• Assessed key capabilities for planning priorities through a review of business processes, information, and application and technology support of key capabilities.
• Consolidated and prioritized capability gaps for incorporation into priorities.

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.

workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

Bibliography

“Community Health Assessment - STLT Gateway.” CDC, 13 Aug. 2018. Accessed 8 Apr. 2019.

Craven, Matt et al. “Preventing Pandemics With Investments in Public Health.” McKinsey, 21 May 2021. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.

DAMA International. DAMA Guide to the Data Management Body of Knowledge (DAMA-DMBOK Guide). Technics Publications, 2009.

“Data Quality Management What You Need to Know.” SAS Institute, 2022. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.

“Define the Business Context Needed to Complete Strategic IT Initiatives.” Businesswire, 1 Feb. 2018. Web.

“Definition of Policy | AD for Policy and Strategy.” CDC. 29 May 2015. Web.

“Health IT: Advancing America’s Health Care.” Health IT. Web.

Henry, Jawanna et al. “By LEAPs and Bounds: Newest Round of Awardees Seek to Advance Health Equity and Research.” Health IT Buzz, 11 Aug. 2021. Web.

“Interoperability in Healthcare.” HIMSS, 4 Aug. 2020. Web.

Nation, M. et al. “What Works in Prevention: Principles of Effective Prevention Programs.” American Psychologist, Vol. 58, No. 6-7, 2003. pp. 449–456.

Panagioti, Maria, et al. “Association Between Physician Burnout and Patient Safety, Professionalism, and Patient Satisfaction.” JAMA Internal Medicine, Vol. 178, No. 10, Oct. 2018. pp. 1317–30.

Petters, Jeff. “Data Privacy Guide: Definitions, Explanations and Legislation.” Inside Out Security, 28 Sept. 2020. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.

Posnack, Steven. “Health Interoperability Outcomes 2030.” Health IT Buzz, 13 May 2021. Web.

“Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention.” Institute for Work & Health, Apr. 2015. Web.

“10 Essential Public Health Services.” CDC, 18 Mar. 2020. Web.

The Business Architecture Guild. BIZBOK® Guide, 2021. Web.

TOGAF Version 9.1. The Open Group, 2 Feb. 2009. Web.

“Top Health and Well-Being Trends for 2022.” Managed Healthcare Executive, 15 Nov. 2021. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.

Vizer, Lisa M., et al. “‘It’s Not Just Technology, It’s People’: Constructing a Conceptual Model of Shared Health Informatics for Tracking in Chronic Illness Management.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol. 21, No. 4, Apr. 2019.

Public Health Solution Architectures

Business, Data, Application, and Technology Architectures for Data and Analytics Modernization

Business Architecture

Defining capabilities

• Defining capabilities: the activities that define the business of public health practice. They support specific core function value streams.

Business Architecture

Shared capabilities

• Shared capabilities: business-aligned capabilities that realize the organization’s defining core functions and essential services.
• Tier 2 support value stream: connect business goals to the organization’s defining core functions, essential services, and value realization capabilities.

Business Architecture

Shared capabilities

• Shared capabilities: business-aligned capabilities that realize the organization’s defining core functions and essential services.

Business Architecture

Assessment/surveillance

Data & analytics modernization – data lakehouse

Solution Architecture

Data + Application + Technology Layers

Info-Tech Insight

A data lakehouse is a modern, hybrid, open data management architecture that takes the best concepts from both the data science focus of a data lake and the analytics power of a data warehouse and puts them together while trying to eliminate the unsupported and proprietary limitations of both models. A data lakehouse offers one single source of truth for analytics and simplifies enterprise data infrastructure at a time when machine learning is poised to disrupt every industry.

Data Lakehouse Concept

Data & analytics modernization – solution architecture

Solution Architecture

Data + Application + Technology Layers

Info-Tech Insight

A data lakehouse infrastructure provides a modern, architected, single-source platform solution for safe, secure, and governed data ingestion, unified data analytics, and manual, automated, and streaming data sharing and accessibility.

Begin Your Modernization Journey

Example: solution architecture

For illustrative purposes only.

Solution Architecture

Data + Application + Technology Layers

Info-Tech Insight

This solution architecture serves as a high-level example of data, application, and technology layers of an enterprise architecture leveraging Microsoft Azure and Databricks technologies. It provides use-case agnostic descriptions of various system components and how they interact, various environments and how they are related, the roles of users (personas), and the flow of data through the system. Together, these topics provide a starting point for scalable and repeatable use case development with a focus on standardization of basic functionality provided by the platform without being prescriptive to the point of impeding growth or the development of new use cases.

Example: solution architecture

For illustrative purposes only.

Administrator persona

Solution Architecture

Data + Application + Technology Layers

Administrator Persona

Administrators are responsible for setting users up within the platform and ensuring that users have access to computational resources and data. Their tasks include adding and administering users and groups; creating, setting up, and assigning clusters; and setting groups of users up with data permissions based upon roles typically articulated in data use agreements (DUAs).

Example: solution architecture

For illustrative purposes only.

Data engineer persona

Solution Architecture

Data + Application + Technology Layers

Info-Tech Insight

This solution architecture serves as a high-level example of data, application, and technology layers of an enterprise architecture leveraging Microsoft Azure and Databricks technologies. It provides use-case agnostic descriptions of various system components and how they interact, various environments and how they are related, the roles of users (personas), and the flow of data through the system. Together, these topics provide a starting point for scalable and repeatable use case development with a focus on standardization of basic functionality provided by the platform without being prescriptive to the point of impeding growth or the development of new use cases.

Example: solution architecture

Data analyst persona

For illustrative purposes only.

Solution Architecture

Data + Application + Technology Layers

Data Analyst Persona

Data analysts are consumers of the datasets that data engineers create to extract insights for their business stakeholders. Analysts are a broad classification of end users and may cover everything from business intelligence analysts to data visualization engineers to advanced data scientists. However, unlike data engineers and data scientists, analysts often need a code-free graphic user interface from which to query data.

Example: solution architecture

Data scientist persona

For illustrative purposes only.

Solution Architecture

Data + Application + Technology Layers

Data Scientist Persona

Data scientists, within healthcare and government industries, typically represent business stakeholder(s) and programs. Employing multiple coding languages such as R, Python, and SQL, they develop, train, and run queries and algorithms for predictive analytics, machine learning, and data mining applications and create visualizations, dashboards, and reports for business stakeholders. PowerBI and Tableau are popular tools.

Info-Tech Resources

Catalog of Info-Tech Resources for Public Health Practice

• Business Alignment Program
• Health Information Management Program
• Health Information Technology Program

Industry Insights Designed to Help You Lead Digital Transformation

A set of comprehensive tools to enhance IT's ability to align people, programs, and technology with key business capabilities, and priorities in public health practice.

Deep Insights Tailored to Your Industry

Info-Tech Resources

Leverage Info-Tech's Business Capabilities Resources

A set of comprehensive tools to enhance IT's ability to align people, processes, programs, and technology with key business capabilities and priorities in public health practice.

Business Alignment Program Resources Cont'd

Health Information Management Program Resources Cont'd

Health Information Management Program Resources Cont'd

Health Information Technology Program Resources Cont'd