There are many popular frameworks referenced in the industry today. Toyota Production System or TPS is one of the most commonly used in the manufacturing industry. SOX is a framework for financial governance that was proposed post Enron debacle. PMI provides a highly popular framework for Project Management including agile . SCOR by APICS is popular among Supply Chain Professionals. ISO has established standards for Quality Management Systems, Business Continuity and Risk Management. COBIT, CSF, TOGAF, ITIL & many other technology frameworks are used by the IT industry.
All these frameworks though are referenced in various industries they have few things in common .
Why are frameworks required ?
As technology advances it increases the complexity and the need for various actors, partners, suppliers and customers to collaborate. As the ecosystem grows it becomes extremely difficult to communicate with various entities involved. Then there are regulatory frameworks companies are expected to abide by in the countries they are operating in .
First, it helps to establish a common vocabulary & definition of terms, that establish a common understanding within the community of professionals and industry practitioners. Often the lines are blurred between the myriad of technological complexities professionals have to deal with today. A framework helps in establishing a baseline understanding of concepts, terminologies and the intricacies . Framework provides a structure to the discussion when people from various departments, backgrounds and experiences meet to discuss an industry solution .
Second, it helps drive best practices, documentation and standardisation of processes. Business processes are the lifeblood of any organization. It is through processes people within various groups, teams and departments understand how an organization delivers value to its customers. These are also useful in driving continuous improvements, corporate governance and formulating industrial policies for the regulators and governing authorities.Organizations of medium size and above have to maintain a sizable amount of documentation.
Third, it sets the benchmark to evaluate maturity of the organizations. Based on these benchmarks auditors conduct reviews and issue certifications. Hence, helping the industry recognise those compliant within the crowd & setting them apart. Capability Maturity Model Integration or CMMI is one such process improvement framework that helps organizations improve their performance by standardising best practices for effective processes.Its purpose is to assist organizations in building and maintaining high-quality, efficient processes that drive consistent project success.
In summary, frameworks help in establishing a common language, practices and standards that industry choose to abide by - and for the overall progress of the ecosystem by facilitating interaction, integration and interoperability .