Direct Answer
TOGAF Phase B produces four deliverables: the baseline business architecture, the target business architecture, a capability gap analysis, and roadmap components that feed Phase E. In Sparx EA, you capture these using the ArchiMate business layer: capability maps with tagged value heat mapping, BPMN process models, ArchiMate organisation structure elements, and value stream diagrams. The gap analysis compares baseline and target capability profiles — modelled as tagged value sets on capability elements — and the output is a prioritised list of capability changes that drives the Phase C application and data architecture decisions. Phase B is where business and IT architecture converge. Done well, it produces artefacts that answer the question “which business capabilities need investment, in what order, and why” with model-based evidence rather than consultant opinion.
Phase B Deliverables in Detail
Phase B has a clear input-output structure that many practitioners shortcut. The inputs are the approved Phase A outputs — the Architecture Vision, SoAW, and principles — plus any existing baseline documentation. The outputs are:
Baseline Business Architecture. A structured description of the current-state business: how the organisation is structured, what capabilities it has, what processes it runs, and how value flows through it. This is not a narrative document — in Sparx EA it is a package of diagrams and model elements.
Target Business Architecture. The desired future-state. Not aspirational prose — specific capability profiles, process designs, and organisational models that are traceable to the business goals and drivers established in Phase A.
Capability Gap Analysis. A structured comparison of baseline and target capability profiles. Each capability is assessed on current maturity, target maturity, and gap priority. The output feeds directly into the roadmap.
Roadmap Components. Work packages and capability increments that translate the gap analysis into initiative sequences. These are not detailed project plans — they are architecture-level groupings of change that will be refined in Phase E.
Sparx EA Artifacts for Phase B
ArchiMate Business Layer Capability Map. The capability map is the central Phase B artefact. In Sparx EA, model capabilities as ArchiMate Capability elements (available with the ArchiMate 3 MDG) arranged in a hierarchy: L1 strategic capabilities decomposing to L2 and L3 operational capabilities.
Key tagged values to add to every capability element:
baseline_maturity— scored 1–5 against a defined maturity scaletarget_maturity— the agreed target for the programme horizonstrategic_priority— High/Medium/Low as agreed with sponsorscapability_owner— the business role accountable for this capability
With these tagged values in place, Sparx EA’s heat map feature renders the capability map as a colour-coded maturity view. Red = critical gap; amber = improvement needed; green = at target. This is the single most useful executive artefact Phase B produces.
BPMN Process Models. For key capabilities with significant process complexity, create BPMN 2.0 process models in Sparx EA. Link each BPMN process to the capability it enacts using ArchiMate Realisation relationships. This creates a traceable link from business process to business capability — useful for both gap analysis and Phase C application mapping.
Organisation Structure. Model the organisation using ArchiMate Business Actor and Organisation Unit elements. Capture reporting lines, accountability assignments, and the relationship between organisation units and the capabilities they own. This feeds workforce and organisational change components of the roadmap.
Value Stream. ArchiMate 3 introduced the Value Stream element. In Sparx EA, model the end-to-end value delivery flow using Value Stage elements linked to the capabilities that enable each stage. This gives executives a business-language view of how the organisation creates value, and where gaps or inefficiencies sit in that flow.
Capability Gap Analysis in Sparx EA
The gap analysis is where Phase B produces its hardest-edged output. Do not do this in a spreadsheet. Do it in the model.
In Sparx EA, create a Capability Gap Analysis matrix view using the Relationship Matrix or a custom SQL query against the repository. The query returns each capability element with its baselinematurity, targetmaturity, and the calculated gap (target - baseline). Filter to show only capabilities where gap > 0 and strategic_priority = High.
The result is a model-driven gap analysis that is always current because it draws from live tagged values, not a static spreadsheet that goes stale within a week of the workshop.
For each capability with a significant gap, create a Gap element in Sparx EA linked to both the baseline and target capability instances. Tag each gap with:
gap_type— New capability / Enhanced capability / Decommissiongap_driver— which Phase A business driver this addressesphasecimpact— which application or data changes are implied
That last tagged value is what connects Phase B to Phase C. When the Phase C team asks “which applications need to change?”, the answer is traceable from business capability gap to application implication — not reverse-engineered after the fact.
Connecting Phase B to Phase C
The single most important Phase B output for Phase C is the capability-to-application dependency. Every capability in the target architecture that requires new or changed application support must be documented. In Sparx EA:
- Create ArchiMate Association relationships between each business Capability element and the Application Component elements that currently serve it (baseline)
- For capabilities with gaps, create Serving relationships from candidate Application Components in the target architecture
- Where no application exists to serve a target capability, flag the capability with
app_gap = True
The Phase C architect starts from this output. The capabilities with app_gap = True drive the application rationalization and procurement decisions in Phase C. The capabilities with existing application associations inform the baseline application architecture.
This traceability chain — driver → goal → capability → process → application — is what distinguishes a model-based EA programme from a document-based one. It is also what makes EA GraphLink’s Interface A (GraphQL → Power BI) genuinely useful: you can visualise this chain as a live dashboard, not a PowerPoint that is six weeks out of date.
Heat Mapping Capabilities in Practice
The heat map is the artefact that gets Phase B outputs in front of executives. Here is the exact configuration in Sparx EA:
- Open the capability map diagram
- Select all Capability elements
- Open Element Properties → Appearance
- Configure colour mapping: use the
baseline_maturitytagged value as the colour source - Define colour rules: 1–2 = Red, 3 = Amber, 4–5 = Green
Alternatively, use Sparx EA’s built-in diagram filter feature to toggle between baseline maturity heat map, target maturity heat map, and gap size heat map. Presenting all three in sequence at an executive briefing tells a complete story: where we are, where we need to be, and where the biggest gaps are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many capabilities should a Phase B capability map contain? A: For an enterprise-level engagement, L1 typically has 8–15 strategic capabilities. L2 adds 3–6 sub-capabilities per L1 capability, producing 30–60 L2 elements. L3 is optional and appropriate only for the capabilities in scope for detailed design. A map with more than 80 total capabilities is usually a sign that capability has been confused with process — review the definitions before proceeding.
Q: What is the difference between a capability and a business process? A: A capability is what the organisation can do — a stable, enduring description of ability. A process is how it does it — a sequence of activities. Capabilities change slowly (years); processes change more frequently (months). The distinction matters for Phase B because capabilities map to long-term investment decisions, while processes map to operational improvement. In Sparx EA, capabilities are ArchiMate Capability elements; processes are BPMN Process elements or ArchiMate Business Process elements.
Q: Should we model as-is processes if they are going to be replaced? A: Yes, selectively. Model as-is processes for capabilities where the gap analysis shows significant change — these are the processes where understanding current state is necessary to design the future state. For capabilities at target maturity, a lightweight description is sufficient. Modeling all as-is processes regardless of gap priority is the most common Phase B time-sink.
Q: How do we get business stakeholders to validate the capability map? A: Run a half-day facilitated workshop using the heat map as the centrepiece. Do not show stakeholders a Sparx EA model diagram — export the heat map to a presentation format. Walk through each L1 capability, confirm the baseline maturity rating, and agree the target. Record disagreements as assumptions in the model. This workshop is the most valuable hour of Phase B.
Q: How does Phase B feed the Architecture Roadmap? A: Each capability gap becomes a potential roadmap initiative. Group related capability gaps into logical work packages — these are your roadmap streams. Sequence the work packages based on dependency (which capability must improve before another can be built?) and strategic priority. In Sparx EA, model these as Work Package elements linked to the capability gaps they address.
Q: Can we use Phase B outputs for business case development? A: Yes. The capability gap analysis directly supports business case development. The gap between baseline and target maturity, combined with the strategic priority and the application implications, gives finance and sponsors a structured basis for investment sizing. Sparx EA’s EA GraphLink (Interface A) can expose this data to Power BI for business case modelling.
Q: What if the organisation has no existing capability model? A: Start with an industry reference model. BIAN for banking, eTOM for telco, APQC for cross-industry. Import the reference framework into Sparx EA as a baseline and then tailor it to your organisation. Reference models give you 70% of the capability taxonomy in a day rather than a week, and they ensure your capability definitions are consistent with industry benchmarks.
Q: How long does a thorough Phase B take? A: For a mid-sized enterprise (3,000–10,000 employees, 50–200 applications), a thorough Phase B takes six to twelve weeks. Shorter if good baseline documentation exists; longer if stakeholder availability is constrained. Shortcutting Phase B produces a roadmap that the business does not trust because it cannot trace the investment logic back to validated capability gaps.
Next Step
If your organisation needs a structured business architecture capability — including a governed capability model, heat mapping practice, and the Sparx EA configuration to support it — the Amplify engagement delivers the framework, working examples, and team uplift to make Phase B a repeatable practice rather than a one-off exercise.
