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Capability Goals: Stage 2 of Through Life Capability Management (TLCM)

What is this stage?

This stage interprets the capability definitions derived in Stage 1 and develops a clear capability requirement in terms of one or more statements of Capability Goals.

Capability Goals are a decomposition of the Capability Area of a Capability Planning Group (CPG) into clear statements of military effects to be planned and delivered - the statements are specific, measurable and solution independent.

Why is this stage necessary?

This stage is necessary to provide the benchmark for Stage 3 – specifically, the Capability Goals provide the benchmark for the baseline review and audit of the capability perspective within Stage 3.

The stage builds upon the interdependencies identified between Capability Management Groups (CMGs) and CPGs in Stage 1. It analyses and transforms each defined capability identified in Stage 1 into a number of specific and measurable Capability Goals.

What outputs are there from this stage?

The outputs from this stage are Capability Goals. They are recorded at CMG and CPG levels within Capability Management Strategies (CMS) and Capability Management Plans (CMP) respectively and Capability Planning and Assumptions Lists (CPALs) are updated.

Each capability goal includes:

A description of the capability requirement - as a tangible military effect.
Measures of Effectiveness (MoE) - the metrics used to measure the military effect.
A Benchmark - the quantity of effect needed set against the most likely and most demanding scenarios.
A record of assumptions supporting relevant Capability Goals.
A record of the provenance of each capability goal.

How is this stage performed?

Setting Capability Goals is a three-stage process:

Identify Capability Goal . The first stage identifies a form of words that represents the military effect that the capability is intended to achieve - its goal - and does so in generic terms.
Identify Measure of Effectiveness . The second stage identifies relevant MOEs for the capability goal.
Benchmark the Goal. The third stage quantifies the goal, using the MOE in the context of a single campaign and timeframe to set the benchmark level.

The setting of goals, Measures of Effectiveness and benchmarks draws on a wide range of evidence; from High Level Operational Analysis (HLOA), Joint Capability Studies and DEC research programmes.

CMGs are to formulate their requirements for research in their own area and, with DEP, for HLOA and Joint Capability Studies, in sufficient time to provide results to support the setting of capability goals.

Who is involved in this stage?

The following stakeholders are responsible for contributing to Stage 2:

Sponsor. Derives the MOE and capability goal at both the broad capability level, and as applied to specific force groupings.
User. Advises the Sponsor on the MOE and capability goal and confirms the goal is likely to meet the needs of the user.
Defence Science and Technology (DST). Conducts analysis to help the Sponsor derive the MOE and capability goal and advises on potential research activities to deliver the capability goal.
Other Directors of Equipment Capability. Advise on the impacts and relationships with their own Capability Goals and constraints.
Deputy Chief of Defence Staff. Advises on Capability Goals arising from the Interim, Applied and Environmental Concepts.
Director of Equipment Plan. Provides the supporting High Level Operational Analysis and Balance of Investment to develop Capability Goals.

Change History

1 July 2010: Minor amendment to reflect organisational change.
1 December 2008: Addition to HLOA Goal setting process and how they support CMGs.