What is Designed: A Model for Analyzing and Designing the Organization
All change must begin with some conceptual framework – a model that raises the right questions.
The model pictured here is an attempt to define the elements that result in organizational performance. Strategy is the first requirement. Everything must be designed to achieve a business strategy. Then the five forms of capital are analyzed, asking what are the strengths and weakness, the assets and liabilities of the organization, in each of these five categories.
Most clients do not want to examine or change everything. They want to focus on the factors they believe will have the most significant impact on performance. The steering team will provide this guidance and the work of the consultant and design team will focus on the high impact factors, while at the same time, recognizing the interdependencies. For example, the client may feel that the most important factor is the motivation of the members of the organization. However, this may be impacted by the internal patterns of conversation and trust (social capital) or by the way information is shared and work flows through the organization (technology and process capital).
Every organization lives in an environment and must respond to that environment. There is an extended environment comprised of business partners, customers and suppliers; as well as an external environment, of the economy, social forces, technology and political events. All of these are parts of the whole-system. If you are designing for future competitiveness, you must consider the changes that have and will occur in the external environment.