Capabilities and Epics

Owned by Robyn Brooke (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 20-03-2023 by Linley Wareham
3 min read

Summary

Before you select the Capabilities and Epics you want to be assessed against, we recommend that you review Introduction to Capabilities and Standards and Capability and Standards Structure to understand the Capabilities and Standards Model.

Once you have a good understanding of Capabilities and Standards, you will be able to select the Capabilities and Epics you wish to demonstrate using the TIF Solution Registration and Capability Selection Form which will be emailed by your Supplier Manager - open it up at the Capability Selection tab.

Completing the TIF Solution Registration Form

Please ensure you have read Solution Registration to understand the context of completing your TIF Solution Registration Form.

Capability Selection tab

In order to complete the Capability selection you need to do the following on the Capability Selection tab:

  1. State your preferred assessment method (Live Witness Assessment or Video Assessment) for Capability Assessments (this is purely to give us an indication, you may choose a different method of assessment for each Capability.

  2. All six of the Foundation Capabilities mandated by the the TIF Framework will be automatically selected for you.

  3. In order to select any supplementary Capability/Capabilities you want to be assessed against, click on the drop down which will display a Yes/No option.

  4. To jump to the relevant Capability tab, simply click on the name of the Capability which will take you to the individual tab.

  5. If the Capability has “Full Capability” status, then marking the Capability on the Capability Selection tab means that all of the MUST Epics will be automatically be pre-selected as 'Yes’ on their individual tab.

    If the Capability has “Full or Partial Capability” status, then you must select the relevant Epics manually. At least 1 MUST Epic has to be delivered.

Other Capability tabs

To continue the process, review the individual Capability tabs where you can select further Epics:

  1. Read the description box near the top of the tab to understand if the Capability is Full or Full or Partial Capability

    1. Full Capability - Solutions are required to meet all MUST Epic and the associated Acceptance Criteria.

    2. Full or Partial Capability - Solutions are required to meet a minimum of one MUST Epic and the associated Acceptance Criteria but not all MUST Epics (where there are multiple) need to be met.

  2. In order to select the Epics and Acceptance Criteria you want to be assessed against, click on the drop down which will display a Yes/No option.

  3. Each selected Capability can deliver any number of MAY Epics

Any concerns or questions about the selections will be sent back to you.

Completing the TIF Additional Service Form

Additional Services may offer additional Capabilities and Epics, over and above those offered by the Core Solution.

To begin this process you will have been sent the TIF Additional Service form - open it up at the Capability Selection tab and complete it in the same way as the Solution Registration form. Please note that the Foundation Capabilities are not automatically selected.

All functions in a Capability should be offered by one product only unless the same functionality is offered in different ways.

Capabilities should not be split across the Solution and an Additional Service i.e. MUST Epics should not be offered by the Solution and then Additional Service offer some MAY Epics.

Your selections will be reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate and feedback will be provided.

Adding Capabilities and Epics

You have the option to expand your selection of Capabilities and Epics through the Change Request process. Contact your Supplier Manager if you wish to do so.

Withdrawing Capabilities and Epics

If whatever reason you decide you need to withdraw from evidencing a Capability or Epic you will need to do the following:

  1. Communicate the desire to withdraw a Capability or an Epic via email to your Supplier Manager, copying in buying.catalogue@nhs.net

  2. The Solutions Assurance Team will review any risks related to the withdrawn Epic(s) and determine whether any associated risk(s) must still be mitigated

  3. If there is outstanding risk mitigation work to be completed this will be communicated to you, along with any options, and the next steps required by your Supplier Manager.

Withdrawing MUST Epics can result in having to withdraw the Capability entirely, and that withdrawing mandatory Foundation Capabilities will make the Solution invalid for the Tech Innovation Framework. If you have any concerns or questions please contact your Supplier Manager.