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Modelling Processes using Capabilities

  • November 4, 2024
  • 5 replies
  • 395 views
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Hello everyone,

I have a question about the practical use of Business Capabilities from LeanIX within the context of process modeling in Signavio. My understanding is that Business Capabilities represent the “What” an organization needs to achieve its strategic goals—essentially, the abilities required. Processes, on the other hand, describe the “How” and provide a concrete sequence of activities to implement these capabilities.

I’m uncertain about where and how Capabilities can be effectively utilized within a Signavio process model. If a process explains how a Capability is carried out, what added value does integrating the Capability into the process model bring? Should Capabilities be added as a reference to clarify the strategic alignment, or are there other best practices for using Capabilities in process modeling?

I would appreciate any recommendations or insights on how others are handling the connection between LeanIX Capabilities and Signavio processes, as well as the benefits they are realizing from this integration.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Best answer by Justin Swift

@Dominik G. I am not an admin in our Signavio but as I understand it the steps involved are as follows:

1 - Create a custom dictionary category, say “Business Capability” Add Custom Categories for Dictionary Entries | SAP Help Portal

2 - Populate the “Business Capability” dictionary category with your LeanIX-SIgnavio integration.

3- Create a custom attribute, linked to the Dictionary Category Add and Manage Custom Attributes | SAP Help Portal

Clipped from one of the videos in Configuring the BPMN Notation and Attributes, Custom attributes, can be defined at either at the “BPMN Diagram” level (above the line) or any element (below the line)

4 - Edit (adding the relevant dictionary category business capability from the list) and publish the process so it can be integrated back into LeanIX.

Due to a lack of a sandbox Signavio instance we did this with a very limited scope to prove out both sides of the integration first.

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5 replies

Justin Swift
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@Dominik G. If you haven’t already I would read both the LeanIX Mapping Fact Sheets and Dictionary Items and Signavio Add Custom Categories for Dictionary Entries | SAP Help Portal documentation.

Then, with a bit of experimentation and work the following virtuous circle can be created:

1 - LeanIX Business Capability sent to Signavio Dictionary Category (via integration setup)

2 - Signavio Process diagram uses Business Capability dictionary entry (suggest at “Diagram” Level).

3 - Signavio Business Process sent to LeanIX (via integration setup) - suggest “published” only and maybe select folders!

3a - The integration recognises when a dictionary item is included in a process definition. It will then create a relation between the corresponding Business Capability fact sheet and the Business Context: Process fact sheet in LeanIX.

Reach out to LeanIX support for more technical help or your CSM for a demo.

Same logic applies for Applications, Data Objects and possibly Organisations. (NOTE: I suggest at “Activity” level for these fact sheets)

Wiam El Fatihi
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  • Dominik G.
  • Author
  • November 6, 2024

@Justin Swift Thank you for your Answer! 

In our case, an entire process represents the implementation of a Capability, which is why a Capability cannot be assigned to an individual process step in the BPMN 2.0 model. For example:

  • Capability: “Electric meter can be read remotely”
  • Process: “Read meter data remotely”

The process “Read meter data remotely” includes several steps (e.g., initiate connection, retrieve data, validate data) and fully implements the Capability. The goal is to link the Capability to the entire process in Signavio so that this connection is correctly synchronized to LeanIX via the interface.

Question: How can I link a Capability to the overall process level in the Signavio model without binding it to individual process steps, so that the relationship between process and Capability is consistently represented in LeanIX?

Justin Swift
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  • Justin Swift
  • Veteran
  • Answer
  • November 6, 2024

@Dominik G. I am not an admin in our Signavio but as I understand it the steps involved are as follows:

1 - Create a custom dictionary category, say “Business Capability” Add Custom Categories for Dictionary Entries | SAP Help Portal

2 - Populate the “Business Capability” dictionary category with your LeanIX-SIgnavio integration.

3- Create a custom attribute, linked to the Dictionary Category Add and Manage Custom Attributes | SAP Help Portal

Clipped from one of the videos in Configuring the BPMN Notation and Attributes, Custom attributes, can be defined at either at the “BPMN Diagram” level (above the line) or any element (below the line)

4 - Edit (adding the relevant dictionary category business capability from the list) and publish the process so it can be integrated back into LeanIX.

Due to a lack of a sandbox Signavio instance we did this with a very limited scope to prove out both sides of the integration first.

V
  • Vlad
  • May 28, 2025

​@Justin Swift , revisiting an older thread as your response aligns with how I progressed so far with linking business capabilities to business processes (at diagram level). All steps you outlined were completed successfully, up to re-synchronisation of the process-capability link back to LeanIX. I have synced ‘successfully’, but: The Business Context fact sheet that has been linked to a business capability shows that the relation has been added in the ‘Last update’ tab of the fact sheet, but I cannot see it reflected in the Reference section of the fact sheet under business capability. If I try to update sync settings to link to that field, it is not available as a LeanIX field to choose from. How do I enable the visibility of that relationship in the fact sheet?

Thank you in advance for your advice.

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  • Eric
  • Here To Stay
  • July 22, 2025

Hi ​@Dominik G. ,

a very interesting question that I`m asking myself too. Especially as a beginner in EA.
For my understanding, you`re also asking for the “why”, correct? And the answers been given are more answering the “how” - as far as I can see.

In my opinion, a mapping is absolutely necessary at a certain point. How else will you know the right contacts you need to involve in a Change / Transformation? For example, if I want to replace an application - who are the ones you need to involve in the process (information about the change in their daily work, training)? And on which base will you else evaluate the technical fit of the new application that is intended to replace another one (could the process be build on the new apps logic or does it need to be changed)? A business capability - as far as I understood - won`t answer these questions. 

So at a certain point, you will need to break down your strategical goals in to operative ones and that exactly happens at that point. 

Please correct me, if I`m wrong.

 

BR

Eric

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