IG1301 Whitepaper – Measuring and Managing Autonomy v1.0.0

This member whitepaper is provided to help realize value from digital transformations focused on automation and autonomy aspirations. The Measuring and Managing Autonomy (MAMA) white paper prescribes a methodology proposed by members to define and manage a clear “value cadence” of Autonomous Operations (AO) initiatives, such as Artificial Intelligence-Closed Loop Automation, Autonomous Networks, Intent Management, AI Service Management, etc. The focus on business benefits is important to senior business executives and accountable stakeholders and is defined and primed in this whitepaper around the need to clearly articulate what the enterprise, as well as the “ecosystem” of enterprises collaborating on AO initiatives, define as value streams to serve specific business intent (north star).

The MAMA framework is proposed with six modules that help to link business value to what must be done, what needs to be done, and what benefits are accrued through investments. While the rise in the use of both terms – autonomy and autonomous – is relevant to technologies’ total value of opportunity, service providers and suppliers want clear measures that enable better-managed business outcomes in an architecture-to-business continuum (ABC).  To clearly articulate the business value of investments in different AO technology initiatives, members have produced this whitepaper consolidating ideas and concepts that will underpin a TM Forum framework for realizing business value from any of the autonomous operations initiatives. Although the framework is based on AO initiatives it has applicability well beyond the TM Forum Autonomous Operations theme.