Capability gaps

A capability gap is the distance between where a capability is today and where you want it to be. It is the most actionable signal Forest produces, because it points at a specific function you can improve rather than at an aggregate number.

How a gap becomes a priority

Each capability has a current maturity and a target maturity, both on the 0 to 5 scale. The raw gap is the difference between them. On its own, that difference does not tell you what to do first, because not every gap carries the same weight.

Forest resolves that with priority. The Forest Intelligence Service computes:

Priority = (target maturity − current maturity) × criticality

A two-point gap on a compliance-required capability outranks a two-point gap on a nice-to-have one. This ordering is rule-based and repeatable, so the same inputs always surface the same priorities.

Why it matters

Gaps turn assessment into a plan. They are the basis for the recommendations and roadmap Forest generates, all of which flow from CAMP priority rather than from any guesswork. When you raise a current maturity score after real improvement, the gap closes and the priority falls automatically.

A gap is measured against your own target, not against peers. Do not confuse a capability gap with a peer delta from your Industry Score; they answer different questions.

Gaps also explain movement in your domain scores and your Org Score. Close the highest-priority gaps and both numbers respond.