Triggers

Triggers initiate the Strategic Response Model by representing a change in context, observationidentifying changes, observations, or external condition that warrants attention. Each Trigger may lead to one or more Rationales, each providing a specific justification for change. Triggers ensure that organisational decisions are not made opportunities that warrant a strategic or operational response. Each trigger represents a catalyst—whether anticipated or unanticipated—that compels the organization to act.

Triggers serve as the evidentiary foundation for change, ensuring that strategic initiatives and responses are not conceived in a vacuum, but are grounded in evidence or obligation.See: Strategic Response Model

A trigger is defined as a catalyst event—internal or external—that compels an organisation to adapt. It is not a standalone structural element but a contextual stimulus that prompts changes to strategy, activates capabilities, or demands cross-functional coordination. Triggers may include legislative changes, customer demands, or performance breaches.

A Trigger is not a standalone structural element of an organisation but an external or internal event, condition, or hypothesis that causes the organisation to:

• Mobilise capabilities,

• Evaluate policies,

• Adjust strategies,

• Initiate new initiatives,

• Coordinate across services and information flows.

In the Orthogramic Metamodel:

• Trigger is a supporting artifact, not a domain.

• It is only relevant in the context of a strategicResponseModel.

Trigger Catalogue

Triggers are classified using the Trigger Catalogue, which defines accepted types of triggers.

The trigger catalogue provides a curated and expanding set of predefined triggers that can be used to initiate strategic responses. Each trigger is tagged to relevant business architecture domains, enabling efficient strategic response planning and alignment across organisational activities.

Each strategic response triggered using this catalogue links back to relevant Orthogramic Metamodel domains—such as capabilities, services, initiatives, and stakeholders—to produce a dynamic view of organisational readiness and response.

Common Trigger Catalogue types include:

• Regulatory: New or updated legislation or compliance obligations.

• Performance Insight: Metrics indicating deviation from expected outcomes.

• Risk: Identified operational, financial, or strategic risks.

• Opportunity: Market, partnership, or innovation opportunities.

• Mandate: Governmental or internal directives.

• Stakeholder Need: Explicit demand from a stakeholder or stakeholder group.

Each trigger includes:

• triggerID: Unique identifier

• title: Human-readable label

• description: Detailed summary

• triggerType: From the Trigger Catalogue

• dateDetected: Date the trigger was recognised

real-world shifts, obligations, or forward-looking insights.

Proactive Strategic Initiatives

Triggers are not only focused on reactive responses to external or internal conditions—such as regulatory changes, stakeholder demands, or performance shortfalls. The Orthogramic Metamodel also supports proactive triggers that signal intentional strategic opportunities rather than external pressures.

These proactive triggers may arise from deliberate internal planning, capability reviews, or innovation roadmaps, and are used to initiate responses even in the absence of external drivers. This positions the trigger taxonomy as a tool for both risk response and opportunity-led transformation.

Examples include:

• Identifying a market expansion initiative in response to positive trend analysis

• Launching a strategic repositioning program based on foresight and scenario modeling

• Enhancing core capabilities to support long-term digital transformation objectives

By supporting anticipatory time horizons and strategic planning origins, the model enables the capture and classification of future-oriented thinking and long-range planning decisions.

Trigger Taxonomy

Orthogramic triggers follow a structured taxonomy to ensure clarity, governance, and analytics across strategic responses.

Each trigger includes:

1. Primary category – broad context for the trigger (e.g., Regulatory compliance, Strategic opportunity)

2. Subcategory – specific focus within the category (e.g., Innovation initiative, Market expansion)

3. Origin – where the trigger comes from (Internal, External, Strategic planning, Hybrid)

4. Time horizon – the timeframe of the trigger (Immediate, Short term, Long term, Anticipatory)

5. Impact level – estimated organizational significance

This classification enables:

• Proactive identification of high-value opportunities

• Consistent linkage to rationales and strategic responses

• Improved transparency across strategic planning cycles

• Enhanced auditability and traceability of decisions

Example

The standardized taxonomy also supports governance and auditability by ensuring that triggers are documented according to consistent criteria, making it easier to trace decision-making patterns over time.

Linking to Rationales

Triggers can lead to multiple Rationales. Each Rationale references the originating trigger and justifies a different response path. This many-to-one structure allows a single trigger to influence several domains.See Examples of

Trigger and Rationale

...

Linkage Examples

See: Orthogramic_Metamodel/examples/trigger-rationale-links.md at main · Orthogramic/Orthogramic_Metamodel

Trigger JSON Schema

{
"$schema": "httpSee: https://json-schemagithub.orgcom/draft/2020-12/schema",
"$id": "https://orthogramic.org/schema/trigger.json",
"title": "trigger",
"type": "object",
"required": ["triggerID", "label", "category"],
"properties": {
"triggerID": {
"type": "string",
"format": "uuid",
"description": "Unique identifier for the trigger"
},
"label": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Short, human-readable name of the trigger"
},
"category": {
"type": "string",
"enum": [
"Regulatory or compliance",
"Technological change",
"Environmental & safety",
"Operational transformation",
"Strategic re-alignment",
"Customer & stakeholder",
"Workforce & skills",
"Performance response",
"Political or social",
"Innovation-led opportunity"
],
"description": "Classification of trigger context"
},
"description": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Expanded explanation of the trigger’s relevance"
},
"examplestrategicResponseModels": {
"type": "array",
"items": {
"type": "string",
"format": "uuid"
},
"description": "Optional references to related strategicResponseModel artefacts"
}
}
}Orthogramic/Orthogramic_Metamodel

Trigger Schema Properties Table

The table below presents an expanded Trigger schema that incorporates variants from the Market, Supply Chain, Finance, Customer, Risk Management, Innovation, Sustainability, People, Technology, and Channel domains.

Core and Domain-Specific Properties

Enumeration values

Primary Category Enumerations

Core Categories:

• Regulatory_Compliance - Changes in laws, regulations, or compliance requirements

• Strategic_Opportunity - Forward-looking opportunities to create value

• Technological_Change - Emergence of new technologies or technical disruptions

• Risk_Management - Response to identified risks or vulnerabilities

• Performance_Issue - Internal operational or business performance challenges

• Stakeholder_Demand - Requirements from stakeholders

• Resource_Constraint - Limitations in financial, human, or material resources

• Capability_Enhancement - Need to develop or improve organizational capabilities

• Innovation_Initiative - Internal drive for product, service, or process innovation

Market Domain Categories:

• Competitor_Action - Actions taken by competitors that require response

• Market_Shift - Changes in market dynamics or customer preferences

• Industry_Disruption - Fundamental changes to industry structure or models

• Market_Opportunity - New market opportunities identified

• Competitive_Threat - Emerging threats from competitors

• Market_Entry - New entrants in the market

• Market_Exit - Competitors or partners exiting the market

• Product_Innovation - New product offerings in the market

Supply Chain Domain Categories:

• Supply_Disruption - Interruptions in supply of materials or services

• Demand_Shift - Changes in demand patterns affecting supply chain

• Logistics_Failure - Breakdowns in logistics operations

• Supplier_Change - Changes in supplier relationships or capabilities

• Cost_Increase - Rising costs in supply chain operations

• Inventory_Issue - Problems with inventory levels or management

• Quality_Problem - Quality issues with supplied materials or products

• Capacity_Constraint - Limitations in supply chain capacity

Finance Domain Categories:

• Financial_Performance_Change - Shifts in financial metrics or results

• Cost_Structure_Shift - Changes to organizational cost structures

• Funding_Availability - Changes in access to funding or capital

• Budget_Constraint - Limitations in financial resources or budgets

• Investment_Opportunity - Potential opportunities for investment

• Financial_Risk - Emerging financial risks or vulnerabilities

• Market_Valuation_Change - Changes in organizational valuation

• Revenue_Pressure - Challenges to revenue generation

• Financial_Compliance - Financial regulatory or compliance changes

Customer Domain Categories:

• Customer_Behavior_Shift - Changes in how customers interact or purchase

• Customer_Satisfaction_Issue - Problems with customer satisfaction levels

• Customer_Demand_Change - Shifts in what customers want or need

• Competitive_Threat_To_Customers - Risks of losing customers to competitors

• Customer_Segment_Evolution - Changes in customer segment composition

• Customer_Expectation_Change - Shifts in what customers expect

• Customer_Journey_Friction - Challenges in customer experience

• Customer_Technology_Adoption - Changes in technology use by customers

• Customer_Demographic_Shift - Changes in customer demographic profiles

Risk Management Domain Categories:

• Risk_Event - Occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated risk

• Control_Failure - Breakdown in risk control mechanisms

• Risk_Level_Change - Changes in assessed risk levels

• New_Risk_Identified - Discovery of previously unknown risks

• Regulatory_Change - Changes in regulations affecting risk posture

• Risk_Appetite_Change - Changes in organizational risk tolerance

• Risk_Concentration - Accumulation of risks in specific areas

• External_Threat - Emergence of new external threats

• Vulnerability_Detected - Discovery of new vulnerabilities

Innovation Domain Categories:

• Innovation_Initiative - Internal drive for product, service, or process innovation

• Innovation_Opportunity - Potential for new innovation development

• Innovation_Barrier - Obstacles blocking innovation progress

• Experimentation_Result - Outcomes from innovation testing

• Innovation_Capability_Gap - Identified need for enhanced innovation capabilities

• Disruptive_Technology - Emergence of potentially disruptive technologies

• Portfolio_Imbalance - Issues with innovation portfolio composition

Sustainability Domain Categories:

• Sustainability_Requirement - New sustainability obligations or standards

• Environmental_Concern - Issues related to environmental impact

• Social_Responsibility - Social impact or community expectations

• Governance_Challenge - Issues with sustainability governance

• Climate_Risk - Threats related to climate change

• ESG_Rating_Change - Changes in external sustainability assessments

• Stakeholder_Pressure - Demands from stakeholders for sustainability

• Resource_Scarcity - Limitations in natural or sustainable resources

People Domain Categories:

• Workforce_Challenge - Issues with workforce capabilities or structure

• Talent_Shortage - Lack of required skills or talent

• Culture_Change - Shifts in organizational culture

• Knowledge_Loss - Risks to organizational knowledge

• Leadership_Transition - Changes in leadership roles

• Employee_Engagement_Issue - Problems with workforce engagement

• Workforce_Demographic_Shift - Changes in workforce composition

• Skill_Obsolescence - Skills becoming outdated or irrelevant

Technology Domain Categories:

• Technology_Obsolescence - Technical components becoming outdated

• Technology_Implementation - New technology deployments

• Technology_Security_Incident - Security issues with technology

• Integration_Failure - Problems with system integration

• Technical_Debt_Accumulation - Growing technical debt issues

• System_Performance_Issue - Technical performance problems

• Architecture_Constraint - Limitations imposed by technical architecture

• Vendor_Change - Changes in technology providers or support

Channel Domain Categories:

• Channel_Disruption - Interruptions in distribution channels

• Channel_Performance_Change - Changes in channel effectiveness

• Channel_Partner_Change - Shifts in partner relationships

• Distribution_Network_Shift - Changes in distribution structure

• Omnichannel_Integration_Issue - Problems with channel integration

• Digital_Channel_Emergence - New digital distribution options

• Channel_Conflict - Conflicts between different channels

• Partner_Performance_Issue - Problems with channel partner performance

Origin Enumerations

Core Values:

• Internal - Trigger originates from within the organization

• External - Trigger originates from outside the organization

• Strategic_Planning - Trigger arises from deliberate strategic planning processes

• Hybrid - Trigger has both internal and external components

Domain-Specific Values:

• Market_Research - Trigger identified through market research (Market)

• Competitive_Intelligence - Trigger identified through competitive analysis (Market)

• Industry_Analysis - Trigger identified through industry assessment (Market)

• Supplier - Trigger originates from supplier (Supply Chain)

• Customer - Trigger originates from customer (Customer)

• Logistics_Provider - Trigger originates from logistics partners (Supply Chain)

• Regulatory - Trigger originates from regulatory bodies (Risk)

• Market - Trigger originates from market conditions (Market)

• Financial_Analysis - Trigger identified through financial assessment (Finance)

• Investor_Feedback - Trigger originates from investors (Finance)

• Board_Direction - Trigger originates from board decisions (Finance)

• Audit_Finding - Trigger identified through audit processes (Risk)

• Risk_Assessment - Trigger identified through risk assessment (Risk)

• Innovation_Lab - Trigger originates from formal innovation activities (Innovation)

• Idea_Management_System - Trigger identified through idea management (Innovation)

• Experiment_Results - Trigger based on experimentation outcomes (Innovation)

• Sustainability_Assessment - Trigger identified through sustainability evaluation (Sustainability)

• Stakeholder_Feedback - Trigger based on stakeholder input (Sustainability)

• ESG_Rating_Change - Trigger from changes in ESG assessments (Sustainability)

• Engagement_Survey - Trigger identified through employee feedback (People)

• Talent_Analytics - Trigger from workforce data analysis (People)

• Exit_Interviews - Trigger based on departing employee feedback (People)

• Technology_Assessment - Trigger from technology evaluation (Technology)

• Security_Monitoring - Trigger from security systems (Technology)

• Vendor_Notification - Trigger from technology provider (Technology)

• Channel_Performance_Analysis - Trigger from channel metrics (Channel)

• Partner_Feedback - Trigger from channel partner input (Channel)

• Distribution_Network_Monitoring - Trigger from distribution tracking (Channel)

Time Horizon Enumerations

• Immediate - Requires action within days or weeks

• Short_Term - Requires action within months

• Medium_Term - Requires action within 1-2 years

• Long_Term - Requires action over multiple years

• Anticipatory - Proactive planning for future conditions

• Recurring - Regularly occurring trigger (Supply Chain)

• Seasonal - Seasonally occurring trigger (Supply Chain)

• Fiscal_Period - Aligned with financial reporting periods (Finance)

• Emerging_Trend - Developing trend requiring monitoring (Market)

• Emerging_Risk - Developing risk requiring assessment (Risk)

Impact Level Enumerations

• Low - Limited impact on operations or strategy

• Medium - Moderate impact requiring significant adjustment

• High - Major impact requiring substantial response

• Critical - Existential impact requiring immediate, comprehensive response

Detection Method Enumerations

Core Values:

• KPI_Monitoring - Detected through performance metrics

• Risk_Assessment - Identified through risk evaluation

Domain-Specific Values:

• Market_Research - Detected through market research activities (Market)

• Competitive_Intelligence - Identified through competitive monitoring (Market)

• Industry_Analysis - Detected through industry studies (Market)

• Social_Listening - Identified through social media monitoring (Market/Customer)

• Supplier_Notification - Communication from suppliers (Supply Chain)

• Customer_Feedback - Information provided by customers (Customer)

• Logistics_Report - Data from logistics operations (Supply Chain)

• Financial_Reporting - Detected through financial reports (Finance)

• Performance_Review - Identified in performance evaluations (Finance)

• Variance_Analysis - Detected through budget variance assessment (Finance)

• Investor_Communication - Information from investors (Finance)

• Regulatory_Announcement - Notification from regulators (Risk)

• Audit_Process - Discovered during audit activities (Risk)

• Control_Monitoring - Identified through control testing (Risk)

• Incident - Detected following an actual incident (Risk)

• External_Intelligence - Information from external sources (Market/Risk)

• Trade_Show - Information gathered at industry events (Market)

• Survey_Results - Data from customer surveys (Customer)

• Data_Analysis - Insights from data analytics (Multiple)

• Frontline_Staff_Insights - Information from customer-facing staff (Customer)

• Customer_Behavior_Analytics - Analysis of customer behavior data (Customer)

• Innovation_Assessment - Detected through innovation capability evaluation (Innovation)

• Idea_Review - Identified during idea review processes (Innovation)

• Innovation_Portfolio_Analysis - Discovered during portfolio reviews (Innovation)

• Sustainability_Assessment - Detected through sustainability evaluations (Sustainability)

• Stakeholder_Materiality_Assessment - Identified through stakeholder prioritization (Sustainability)

• ESG_Rating - Detected through external sustainability ratings (Sustainability)

• Climate_Scenario_Analysis - Identified through climate risk assessment (Sustainability)

• Engagement_Survey - Detected through employee feedback (People)

• Talent_Analytics - Identified through workforce data analysis (People)

• Cultural_Assessment - Detected through culture evaluation (People)

• Exit_Interviews - Identified through departing employee feedback (People)

• Technology_Assessment - Detected through technology evaluations (Technology)

• Security_Monitoring - Identified through security systems (Technology)

• Vendor_Notification - Detected through provider communication (Technology)

• Technical_Debt_Analysis - Identified through technical debt assessment (Technology)

• Channel_Performance_Analysis - Detected through channel metrics (Channel)

• Partner_Feedback - Identified through channel partner input (Channel)

• Distribution_Network_Monitoring - Detected through distribution tracking (Channel)

• Customer_Channel_Preference_Analysis - Identified through customer channel behavior (Channel)

Status (Lifecycle Status) Enumerations

• Identified - Trigger has been recognized but response not yet planned

• Analyzing - Trigger is being assessed to determine appropriate response

• Responding - Organization is actively responding to the trigger

• Monitoring - Response has been implemented and effects are being tracked

• Resolved - Trigger has been fully addressed

• Archived - Trigger is no longer relevant but retained for reference

• Ongoing - Trigger represents a continuing condition requiring sustained response

Object Structure Examples

supplyChainImpact (Object)

{
  "impactDescription": "Extended lead times and production delays across manufacturing facilities",
  "affectedProcesses": ["Component Manufacturing", "Assembly", "Quality Control"],
  "potentialLosses": "$2.3M in delayed shipments and expedite costs",
  "affectedCustomers": "Tier 1 OEM customers requiring just-in-time delivery"
}

financialImpact (Object)

{
  "impactAmount": 250000,
  "impactType": "Cost_Increase",
  "confidenceLevel": "High",
  "impactTimeframe": "Q3-Q4 2025"
}

riskImpact (Object)

{
  "impactDescription": "Increased vulnerability to system breaches through third-party connections",
  "affectedRiskCategories": ["Cybersecurity", "Data Protection", "Regulatory Compliance"],
  "potentialLoss": "$5-15M in remediation costs and potential penalties",
  "cascadingRisks": ["Reputational damage", "Customer data exposure"]
}

innovationImpact (Object)

{
  "impactDescription": "Acceleration needed for digital innovation initiatives",
  "affectedCapabilities": ["Experimentation", "Digital Product Development"],
  "opportunityWindow": "12-18 months before competitive parity",
  "innovationPriorities": ["AI capabilities", "Customer experience enhancement"]
}

sustainabilityImpact (Object)

{
  "impactDescription": "New carbon reduction requirements affecting operations",
  "affectedDimensions": ["Carbon Footprint", "Energy Usage", "Regulatory Compliance"],
  "stakeholderExpectations": "Visible progress toward net-zero commitments",
  "timelineImplications": "Acceleration of decarbonization roadmap by 2 years"
}

peopleImpact (Object)

{
  "impactDescription": "Skills gap identified in emerging technology areas",
  "affectedRoles": ["Engineering", "Product Development", "Data Science"],
  "talentImplications": "Need for both upskilling and strategic hiring",
  "culturalDimensions": "Requires shift toward continuous learning mindset"
}

technologyImpact (Object)

{
  "impactDescription": "Legacy systems unable to support new security requirements",
  "affectedSystems": ["Customer Data Platform", "Payment Processing", "API Gateway"],
  "technicalDebt": "Significant legacy code creating vulnerability exposure",
  "architecturalImplications": "Need for modernized security architecture"
}

channelImpact (Object)

{
  "impactDescription": "Disruption in key retail partner network",
  "affectedChannelTypes": ["Partner Locations", "Indirect Sales"],
  "potentialLosses": "15% of distribution capacity in affected regions",
  "affectedCustomerSegments": "Mainstream consumers preferring physical retail"
}