A partner offers a course
In a later extension of the fictional example, the training provider might offer a partner’s replacement course. The parties would need to agree who confirms the booking, handles cancellation and keeps the learner informed. The first proposed trial covers only the provider’s own courses.
The Supplier aspect of A Simple Architectural Framework (ASAF) includes the supply chain: what is needed from outside the organisation, how relationships are chosen and changed, and how they are operated and governed. Suppliers may provide people, courses, facilities, software, hosting or the running of an AI model.
The supplier view
| View | Questions to retain |
|---|---|
| Purpose and scope | What does the supplier provide, and which business capabilities depend on it? |
| Alternatives | Could the organisation provide it itself, buy it, share it or combine arrangements? |
| Responsibilities | Who owns data, decisions, incidents, changes and the outcome at each handover? |
| Dependencies | Which subcontractors or common providers could fail together? What capacity or support limits matter? |
| Commercial model | What is charged, committed or variable, and what happens when demand changes? |
| Transition and exit | How are open work, information, knowledge, access and responsibilities transferred? |
Distinguish a stated supplier capability from one that has been checked in the intended use. A contract, interface description and support arrangement need to agree about the same responsibility. Record assumptions and unresolved differences so the responsible people can settle them before the service starts.
Continuing control
A managed platform may take responsibility for some infrastructure while the customer retains configuration, access and information handling. A model provider can change a version or usage limit that affects a summary step. Record how such changes are notified, assessed and accepted, and who can continue or stop the affected work.
Supplier exit needs more than a data export. Include usable formats, meaning, unfinished transactions, access credentials, operating knowledge and the skills of the receiving team. A supplier may also be a channel or customer in another relationship; record the role involved in each decision.
Speed and quality
Observe how long it takes to agree responsibilities and an interface, bring a supplier into service and replace one. Track unresolved incidents. Judge the resulting service by sustained outcomes, quality, cost and the ability to change the arrangement without losing accepted work.
Methodology configuration
Map suppliers, partners, providers and subcontractors to the relationships in your method, retaining their distinct obligations. Use Methodology configuration to map terms, records and reviews to your own approach.