[Implement] [OR] [P2] [S2] Purpose of Mapping Interconnections and Interdependencies

Purpose of Interconnections (Interaction with CBS or Other Components)

The “Interconnections” column explains how each dependency interacts with CBS or other components within the organisation's operational ecosystem.

It articulates the operational relationship and integration points, such as:

• How a system supports a process or links to another system (e.g., middleware connecting mobile apps to the core engine).
• How people or teams coordinate across departments or with third parties.
• How external platforms are integrated to facilitate transaction flow, compliance, or settlement.

This information is crucial because understanding the interdependencies and data or operational flow helps to:

• Map single points of failure or cascading impacts in case of disruptions.
  
• Design more effective contingency plans and recovery strategies.
  
• Ensure alignment between internal capabilities and external obligations.
  
• Strengthen real-time monitoring and reduce blind spots in operational risk.

[Sample 1] Table on Mapping of Interconnections

[Sample 2] Table on Mapping of Interconnections

Explanatory Notes for Map Interconnections Fields

Purpose of "Interdependency Detail" (What/Who is Involved)

The “Dependency Detail” column identifies and describes the internal or external components that are critical to each process within CBS. This includes:

People: Functional roles or teams responsible for oversight, execution, or decision-making.

Processes: Key activities or workflows that form part of the payment and settlement lifecycle.

Technology: Core systems, interfaces, or digital tools used to execute, monitor, or support transactions.

Third Parties: External service providers, regulatory bodies, and partner institutions that play an operational or regulatory role.

By detailing “what” is being relied upon or “who” is involved, this column helps stakeholders understand the precise nature of each Interdependency, which is critical for assessing potential vulnerabilities, allocating resources, and prioritising in resilience planning.

[Sample 1] Table on Mapping of Interdependencies

[Sample 2] Table on Mapping of Interdependencies

Explanatory Notes for Map Interdependencies Fields

Sub-CBS Code

A unique identifier assigned to each Sub-Critical Business Service (Sub-CBS) within a Critical Business Service (CBS).

The code provides a structured reference for tracking, analysis, reporting, and resilience assessments.

Example: 2.1 may represent Market Data Source Acquisition and Feed Collection within CBS-2 Market Data Distribution Services.

Sub-CBS Name

The official name of the Sub-Critical Business Service being analysed.

This field identifies the specific operational process, capability, or service component that contributes to the delivery of the overall Critical Business Service.

The Sub-CBS Name provides context for understanding the dependencies associated with that process.

Dependency Category

Classifies the type of dependency required to support the Sub-CBS.

This field helps group dependencies into meaningful categories for analysis and resilience planning. Common categories include:

• People – staff, operational teams, subject matter experts.
• Process – business processes, procedures, workflows.
• Technology – applications, platforms, databases, infrastructure.
• Facilities – offices, data centres, operational sites.
• Third Party – vendors, service providers, cloud providers, telecom carriers.
• Market Infrastructure – exchanges, clearing houses, payment systems, trading venues.
• Information/Data – reference data, market data, security master data, regulatory data.

Interdependent Entity / Service

The specific organisation, system, platform, team, service, facility, or external entity that the Sub-CBS depends upon.

This field identifies the actual dependency source.

Examples include a market data feed provider, an identity and access management system, a cloud storage service, a telecommunications network, or an operational support team.

Dependency Description

A detailed explanation of the dependency relationship and how the Interdependent Entity or Service supports the Sub-CBS.

The description should explain what is provided (for example, data, connectivity, processing capability, operational support, or infrastructure) and why it is necessary to deliver the Critical Business Service.

Dependency Type (Internal / External)

Indicates whether the dependency is provided from within the organisation or by an external party.

• Internal – provided by business units, technology teams, infrastructure teams, operations teams, or internal shared services.
• External – provided by third parties, exchanges, market infrastructure providers, telecom carriers, cloud providers, regulators, or other external organisations.

This distinction supports third-party risk management and regulatory reporting requirements.

Impact if Dependency Fails

Describes the operational consequence if the dependency becomes unavailable, degraded, corrupted, delayed, or otherwise fails.

The impact statement should focus on the effect on the Sub-CBS and the overall Critical Business Service, such as:

• Service outage
• Delayed market data delivery
• Data integrity issues
• Regulatory non-compliance
• Customer access disruption
• Increased latency
• Extended recovery time
• Loss of monitoring visibility

This field helps assess dependency criticality and supports impact tolerance and scenario testing activities.

These definitions align with operational resilience practices for Mapping Interdependencies, where the objective is to identify and document the reliance relationships that support the delivery of a Critical Business Service and to understand the potential impact if those relationships are disrupted.

Interconnections Vs Interdependencies

While often used together, these terms are not interchangeable. Understanding their distinction is essential for accurate mapping and analysis.

	Definition	Explanation	Definition
	Mapping	is the process of identifying, documenting, and understanding the activities involved in critical business services.  Do not map all processes at once or in detail. Start by identifying and agreeing on the critical processes, assigning ownership, and mapping them using a predefined template.
	Interconnections	is the linking of an organisation's network to products, services, equipment, or facilities that do not belong to the originating organisation's network. The term may refer to a connection between the organisation's facilities and its customers' equipment, or between two or more parties.
	Inter-dependencies	are the internal and external dependencies on people, processes, technology, and other resources (including those involving third parties) for each critical business service.
	Mapping Inter-connections and Inter-dependencies	These are steps for the operational resilience mapping process, which involves identifying dependencies and connections between people, processes, information, technology, facilities, and third-party service providers required to deliver each critical business service.

"Implement" Phase of the OR Planning Methodology

Identify Critical Business Services	Map Inter-connections and Inter-dependencies	Set Impact Tolerance	Conduct Scenario Testing	Improve Lesson Learned

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the OR-3 Blended Learning OR-300 Operational Resilience Implementer course and the OR-5 Blended Learning OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course.

	If you have any questions, click to contact us.