This session from the BCS EASG (British Computer Society Enterprise Architecture Special Group) conference, London, 26 June 2018, introduces a simple tool and technique that anyone can use to explore options for or in response to a business-change.

1. How to make sense of a business challenge
What’s the SCORE?
Tom Graves – Principal, Tetradian Consulting
BCS EASG, London, 26 June 2018

3. Use this toolsheet to assess
questions of the type:
“What can we do about…?”
Use this toolsheet to assess
questions of the type:
“What can we do about…?”

4. SCORE is designed to be used
with the Five Elements
method, for governance etc –
but it can be used standalone,
as here
SCORE is designed to be used
with the Five Elements
method, for governance etc –
but it can be used standalone,
as here
SCORE is designed to be used
with the Five Elements method,
for governance etc – but it can
also be used standalone, as
here
SCORE is designed to be used
with the Five Elements method,
for governance etc – but it can
also be used standalone, as
here

5. Use this toolsheet to create
a more effective bridge
between what we do
and what’s out there
Use this toolsheet to create
a more effective bridge
between what we do
and what’s out there

6. “What we do”:
Strengths and Challenges
are internal elements that are
in our control (sort-of)…
“What we do”:
Strengths and Challenges
are internal elements that are
in our control (sort-of)…

7. “What’s out there”:
Options and Responses are
external elements that come
from the ‘outside-world’
“What’s out there”:
Options and Responses are
external elements that come
from the ‘outside-world’

8. “A better bridge”:
our criteria for Effectiveness
will help to clarify what would
be ‘better’ or ‘worse’
“A better bridge”:
our criteria for Effectiveness
will help to clarify what would
be ‘better’ or ‘worse’

9. The SCORE domains
in more detail…
The SCORE domains
in more detail…

10. An initial question or
concern provides the
focus for the exploration
An initial question or
concern provides the
focus for the exploration

11. Our Strengths are
capabilities that we have
available to us
for use right now
Our Strengths are
capabilities that we have
available to us
for use right now

12. Our Challenges are
capabilities we need, to
address Options and
Responses
Our Challenges are
capabilities we need, to
address Options and
Responses

13. Our Options are offers or
affordances – opportunities,
risks and other openings –
that we see in or presented to
us by the real-world
Our Options are offers or
affordances – opportunities,
risks and other openings –
that we see in or presented to
us by the real-world

14. Our Responses are how the
real-world responds or reacts
to what we do or don’t do
Our Responses are how the
real-world responds or reacts
to what we do or don’t do

15. Our success-criteria -
Effectiveness - will help
to clarify what would be
‘better’ or ‘worse’
Our success-criteria -
Effectiveness - will help
to clarify what would be
‘better’ or ‘worse’

16. Using the SCORE toolsheet
in real-world practice…
Using the SCORE toolsheet
in real-world practice…

17. Enter any metadata
to identify the session
Enter any metadata
to identify the session

18. Specify an initial
focus-question or
concern
(and refer back to it often
throughout the session)
Specify an initial
focus-question or
concern
(and refer back to it often
throughout the session)

19. Bring in any already-known
effectiveness-criteria
identified in previous phases
of the work
Bring in any already-known
effectiveness-criteria
identified in previous phases
of the work

20. customers are
satisfiedStart anywhere!
“what Responses are
coming to us from the real-
world?”
Start anywhere!
“what Responses are
coming to us from the real-
world?”

21. Start anywhere!
“what would happen
if we do or don’t address this
Challenge?”
Start anywhere!
“what would happen
if we do or don’t address this
Challenge?”

22. Start anywhere!
“what’s the best way for us to
use this new Strength?”
Start anywhere!
“what’s the best way for us to
use this new Strength?”

23. Start anywhere!
“what does this new
opportunity, risk or Option
imply for us?”
Start anywhere!
“what does this new
opportunity, risk or Option
imply for us?”

24. Start anywhere!
“how can we improve our
Effectiveness?”
Start anywhere!
“how can we improve our
Effectiveness?”

25. Don’t just make lists!
use the dynamics of
interconnection to guide
to new insights
Don’t just make lists!
use the dynamics of
interconnection to guide
to new insights

26. Dynamics:
a real-world complaint
– a Response – brings
a Challenge to address
Dynamics:
a real-world complaint
– a Response – brings
a Challenge to address

27. “customers
can’t find
the information
they need”
Dynamics:
when resolved,
a Challenge can become
a new Strength
Dynamics:
when resolved,
a Challenge can become
a new Strength

28. customers are
satisfied
Dynamics:
a new Strength becomes
available to support
new Options
Dynamics:
a new Strength becomes
available to support
new Options

29. Dynamics:
being able to address
new Options will bring
new Responses
Dynamics:
being able to address
new Options will bring
new Responses

30. Remember to test
everything for
Effectiveness!
Remember to test
everything for
Effectiveness!

31. Now use the SCORE toolsheet
on your own business-question…
Now use the SCORE toolsheet
on your own business-question…

33. Want to help us develop tools like these?
https://www.patreon.com/tetradian
Support us on Patreon
http://www.tetradian.com