Value Streams Inventory and Attributes

The Value Streams Inventory has its most important relationship with the Capabilities Inventory and Attributes. A value stream is enabled by the Capabilities its stages draw upon; the Capabilities Inventory is authoritative for Capability definitions, and the Value Streams Inventory references them through its Enabling Capabilities attribute. The relationship is the reciprocal of the Capabilities Inventory’s Parent Value Streams attribute — the same relationship viewed from each side.

The Value Streams Inventory relates to the Applications Inventory and Attributes. Applications support the stages of a value stream; the relationship is generally derived through the Capabilities the value stream draws upon and the applications that support those Capabilities.

The Value Streams Inventory relates to the Processes Inventory (not yet published — refer to the IF4IT Enterprise Inventory Management Best Practices document). Processes operationalize value streams: a process is the detailed sequenced activity that carries out the work of a stage. The value stream is the stable flow of value; the process is the volatile method by which the work is done.

The Value Streams Inventory relates to the Organizational Units Inventory (not yet published — refer to the IF4IT Enterprise Inventory Management Best Practices document). Organizational units own and operate the stages of a value stream. Because a value stream characteristically crosses several organizational units, this relationship is essential to understanding where accountability for an end-to-end flow is distributed.

The Value Streams Inventory relates to the Vendors Inventory and Attributes. Vendors participate in delivering value streams — performing or materially supporting individual stages. The relationship surfaces where an end-to-end flow depends on an external party.

The Value Streams Inventory relates to the Data and Information Inventory and Attributes. Value streams consume input data and produce output data; the Data and Information Inventory governs those data and information types.

The Value Streams Inventory relates to the Regulatory Obligations Inventory (not yet published — refer to the IF4IT Enterprise Inventory Management Best Practices document). Regulatory obligations bind value streams — a regulation often governs the way an entire end-to-end flow must be carried out.

Finally, the Value Streams Inventory relates to the anticipated Value Stream Stages Inventory. In this version of the inventory, stages are an attribute of the Value Stream. Enterprises that need to govern stages as first-class entities — with Capabilities related directly to individual stages — break stages out into a dedicated inventory. That relationship is discussed in full in the Relationships to Other Inventories section.