Category Archives: Design tools

Five guiding thoughts for good operating model work

Posted on June 15, 2020 by

I enjoyed reading an article by Marcia Blenko, a Bain & Co advisor, about operating model work for charities – https://www.bridgespan.org/insights/library/organizational-effectiveness/nonprofit-operating-models.  The article follows the Bain definition of an operating model, which is focused on organisation structure, accountabilities, governance, systems … Continue reading →

Posted in Decision grids, Design principles, Design tools, Strategy, Tips for design work | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The forces that are driving operating model change

Posted on January 5, 2018 by

At various stages in the last few years I have had a check list of trends (mainly tech trends) that managers should be considering when they are reviewing processes or operating models.  Things like “automation” or “digitization” or “mobility” or … Continue reading →

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Eleven visuals that communicate an operating model.

Posted on August 26, 2016 by

As some of you may know, I am writing a book on operating models, which will probably be called “Operating Model Canvas” – to connect with the “Business Model Canvas”.  I am also making this the center piece of my … Continue reading →

Posted in Design tools, Operating Model Canvas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Tools for examining an existing or proposed operating model

Posted on February 15, 2016 by
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Working on an operating model

Posted on May 6, 2015 by

In a recent LinkedIn discussion, Don Hutcheson raised the question of the role of organisation charts in Enterprise Architecture (which for me is just operating model work!) There were some interesting responses, which stimulated me to add this post (edited … Continue reading →

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Why Design Thinking helps Operating Model work

Posted on April 11, 2015 by

I have been reading Jeane Lidtka’s book “Designing for Growth” and wanted to share some of her insights.   I also did Jeane’s on-line course – a Darden course with Coursera – which I highly recommend (well, I did not complete … Continue reading →

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Value Streams, Context Maps and Process Maps

Posted on February 8, 2015 by

I have just been reading a 2013 article by Mike Rosen of Wilton Consulting Group about “context maps”.   I don’t like the name, but the article does quite a good job of laying out a flow of analysis that is … Continue reading →

Posted in Design tools, Value chain | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Hoshin Kanri and Operating Models

Posted on August 8, 2014 by

This blog gives a link to a presentation on Hoshin Kanri, Balance Score Card and Value Disciplines and on how they all link to operating models.   In particular the presentation shows how companies with different operating models will have different … Continue reading →

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BCG’s approach to operating models

Posted on July 28, 2014 by

The Boston Consulting Group recently produced a report on the asset management industry.   The report has all sorts of insights about this industry, but it also has interesting material on BCG’s approach to operating model thinking.  I include a couple … Continue reading →

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Business process hierarchy and operating models

Posted on July 11, 2014 by

Here are three charts that I have stolen from Paul Harmon’s blog at BP Trends.   Paul I have not asked permission, but if you object, I will take them out and just refer people to your site.   So please go … Continue reading →

Posted in Design tools, Lean, Op Excellence and Op Model, Levels of design, Value chain | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments