Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
2010 Baldrige Application Worksheets
Organizational Profile
Note: The intent of this document is to guide my interviews with an applicant to gather information to help them develop
their application. Often, additional information is gathered based in response to the question itself. This tool is not
intended as an assessment guide, nor is it assured to address all required information.
Preface: Organizational Profile
I. Organizational Description
1. Briefly, tell me the history of your organization.
2. Briefly, tell me what makes your organization unusual (e.g., oldest in the area, only place with certain
designation, specialized capabilities, etc.)
A. Organizational Environment
1. Main Product Offerings
a. What products do you provide? [and/or] What services do you provide?
b. How do you deliver those products and/or services to your customers? (e.g., by truck, by air carrier, inperson, in-class, in-lab, in-hospital, etc.)
2. Culture Characteristics
a. Describe the culture of your organization in a few words (if possible).
What is your organization’s purpose (if you have one separate from your mission)?
c. What is your organization’s vision?
d. What is your organization’s mission?
e. What are your organization’s values?
f. What are your defined core competencies? How do they relate to your mission? [Note: If you have not defined
core competencies as part of your strategic planning process, see the questions in 2.1a(1). Core competencies are defined
as those activities or characteristics that are your organization’s greatest expertise – strategically important capabilities
that are central to fulfilling your mission … or they can be the capabilities that provide an advantage in your marketplace.
They are often very challenging for your competitors to imitate. They can be technological expertise, unique service
offerings, a market niche, or a particular business acumen (e.g., business acquisitions.)]
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
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(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
3. Workforce Profile
a. What are the most important groupings (segments) of your workforce that you use to understand their
different needs (e.g., ethnic types, age groups, gender, job type, volunteer or not, full-time vs. part-time, etc.).
Show the number of individuals in each of those segments – perhaps in a table like this:
Type
#
%
b. What are the education levels of your employees? (Use text or a table, but indicate the percent of employees
that hold each level of education. Perhaps you can start with this format …)
Education Level
#
%
Doctorate
Masters
Bachelors Degree
Associates Degree
Some College
High School Grad
GED
Non-High School Grad
c. Describe the most important things that motivate your workforce toward accomplishing the mission of the
organization. Also tell me how you know that these are the most important things. Have you asked them, found
out through literature, or is it just through your knowledge? Bear in mind these are not the things that satisfy
the workforce, but rather motivate them… engage them in their work.
d. Describe the diversity of the workforce (unless you did it in question (a) and used ethnicity, age, and such; if
you did, just say so below. If not, then describe that diversity here.)
e. Describe the diversity of the types of jobs that people in your organization have (unless you did it in question
(a) and used job type; if you did, just say so below. If not, then describe that diversity here.)
f. Are your employees part of an organized bargaining unit, e.g., union, association, senate, etc.?
g. What are the key benefits that you provide to your workforce? [These will be referenced in 5.2b(2).] You
can use this table for now and it will also address a question in a later Item. The “workforce group using it” is
the group that the benefit is directed toward, such as maternity/paternity leave directed toward new parents.)
Benefit
Workforce group using it
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
Page 2 of 9
(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
h. What are any special health and safety requirements of your workforce? Like any personal protective
equipment (PPE) for people working on machines, ergonomic requirements for office workers, or areas where
pregnant women or people with heart conditions are not allowed to work.
4. Facilities, Technologies, Equipment
a. Describe the facilities you have – how many, what size (sq. ft.), what they are used for, etc.
b. Describe the types of technologies that you use.
c. Describe the types of equipment that you use.
5. Regulatory Environment
a. Describe the types of regulatory, certification, accreditation, registration issues that your organization
addresses. Include any industry standards. This should include mandated federal, state and local standards,
curricula, programs, and assessments; applicable occupational health and safety regulations, accreditation
requirements; administrator and teacher certification requirements, and environmental and financial
regulations, district boundaries and service offering restrictions. Use the table below for now [fill in the type of
issue ( delete or replace any of the examples shown that don’t apply), the regulator of the issue, the measure
used to ensure you meet regulatory requirements, and the target for that measure. If possible, show any
specific processes that you have in place to manage operations to remain compliant to that area.].
Issue
Regulator
Measures
Targets
Process to address
requirements
Example: Occupational Health and
OSHA
Reportable Injuries
0
Safety
Example: State and Federal
Workforce Regs (FEMA, ADA,
etc.)
Accreditation
Certification
Registrations (e.g., ISO, etc)
Industry Standards
Environmental Regulations
EPA
Financial Regulations
Product Regulations
City Building Codes
B. Organizational Relationships
1. Organizational Structure and Governance
a. What is the structure of your organization? Can you show or describe an organization chart? Is there any
specific description you would like to provide (e.g., flat, round, etc.)
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
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(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
b. What are the reporting relationships within your organization and between your governing board, senior
leaders, parent organization, etc.
c. Describe how governance is assured within the structure described in the previous questions.
2. Key Market and Customers
a. What markets do you serve and what are the most important segmentation approaches (groupings) of them?
(e.g., geographic segments, product segments, customer type segments) See table below …
b. What customer groups do you serve and what are the most important segmentation approaches of them?
(e.g., amount of usage or purchase, age groups, intent of product use, etc.) See table below …
c. What stakeholder groups do you have and what are the most important segmentation approaches of them?
(e.g., community, industry, etc.) See table below …
d. For each of those market, customer, and stakeholder segments, what are their key requirements and
expectations for your products, services, and operations? See if this table helps organize your thoughts.
Group
Requirements
Markets
1.
2.
3.
4.
Customer Types
1.
2.
3.
4.
Stakeholder Types
1.
2.
3.
4.
3. Suppliers, Partners, Collaborators
a. What are your key types of suppliers – see table below … (Note: suppliers are those organizations that you
purchase goods and services from in order to run your organization or create products or deliver services)
b. What are your key types of partners – see table below …
c. What are your key types of collaborators – see table below …
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
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(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
d. For each of those supplier, partner, and collaborator groups, what role do they play in your work system
and in delivery of product/service to your customer/student/patient? Either describe here or fill in that column
in the table below … (this would be something descriptive about what they provide, like – do they produce the
product you sell, do they provide books for classes that students take, do they provide medical supplies used in
treatment of patients, do they provide telecommunication equipment used in a call center, etc.)
e. For each of those supplier, partner and collaborator groups, what regular methods do you use to provide
communication to them or to receive communications from them? Are there any other methods used to manage
the relationships with them? This can be for purposes of ordering, receiving questions and providing answers,
and for developing relationships. If you use the same methods for all, then describe them here, or if not, fill in
that column in the table below … (e.g., EDI for ordering, phone calls, fax, email, or monthly meetings, or even
annual supplier meetings and awards)
f. For each of those supplier, partner, and collaborator groups, what are your most important requirements
that you have of them? This can be requirements of their products or of the service you receive, or could even
be just general requirements of their organization (like being trustworthy). If you use the same methods for all,
then describe them here, or if not, fill in that column in the table below … (e.g., timely, accurate, low cost, high
quality, professional people, etc.)
Types of …
Role in the work system
Methods of
communication or
managing relationships
Requirements of
them
Suppliers
1.
2.
3.
4.
Partners
1.
2.
3.
4.
Collaborators
1.
2.
3.
4.
g. Now, for any or all of these groups, do they play any kind of role in helping you innovate products or
services? Explain. (e.g., provide tailored solutions you request to meet specific needs, meet with your
innovation or improvement teams to come up with great solutions …)
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
Page 5 of 9
(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
Page 6 of 9
(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
II. Organizational Situation
A. Competitive Environment
1. Competitive Position
a. Is your market very competitive?
b. What is your size in your industry or market? Use whatever size determinants make sense like amount
produced, number graduated, number enrolled, dollars sold, people served, etc.
c. Using the same size indicators shown above, tell me what your growth rate is (how fast you are growing or
declining – maybe in % growth or in actual levels).
d. How many competitors do you have? What “type” are they? (Use the terminology you generally use to
describe them in groups, like direct or indirect, local or international, biggest or smaller, box or private, etc.)
2. Principal factors of competitive success
a. Describe the factors that are important to being competitive in your markets (e.g., productivity growth, cost
reduction, product innovation, current technology training, ability to get grants, excellent performance, etc.).
b. Are there any important changes taking place in the market that affects your competitive situation? This
could be something about your product, service, business operation, competitors’ activities, technological
advancements, growing global competition, etc. (Think also whether or not being innovative is one of those
changes. Is the ability to effectively collaborate one of those changes?)
3. Comparative and Competitive Data
a. What are your main sources of comparative data from organizations within your own industry? What about
your main sources of competitive data that come from within your own industry?
b. Do you have any sources of comparative data that you use that come from outside your industry? If you
have any competitors that are outside of your industry (like competition for the same dollars or the same
people), where do you get competitive data about them?
c. Do you have any limitations on your ability to get data to compare yourself with? If so, tell me what those
limitations are and any steps you have taken to overcome those limitations.
B. Strategic Context
1. Strategic Challenges and Advantages
If you have established strategic challenges and advantages as part of your strategic planning activities, answer the
following questions. If not, then consider … do you do a SWOT analysis as part of your planning? Do you prioritize those
SWOT elements to help you address the most important things? If so, then you probably have strategic challenges and
advantages. If not, then let’s talk …
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
Page 7 of 9
(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
a. Using the table below, outline your organization’s strategic challenges and advantages for your business,
for your operations, and for your human resources. Then go back and “flag” those that are considered
important to your sustainability – use an asterisk or x.
Strategic Element
Challenges
Brief description, if required
(Strategic challenges are things that can be an important negative
influence or issue that could negatively impact the organization in the
future. This could be related to customer or market needs, product
or technological changes, financial or societal risks, or some
competitive position issue.)
Advantages
(Strategic advantages are things that can be an important benefit or
an issue that could positively impact the organization in the future.
They often come about from either the organization’s core
competencies (internal resources) and/or importance of strategically
important external resources.)
C. Performance Improvement System
1. Performance Improvement System
a. How do you address the evaluation of organizational processes? (e.g., annual process review like with ISO
or other annual self-assessment like this document that allows you to get feedback on approaches, ISO regular
review and audit, Strategic Planning review prior to planning activity, etc.)
b. How do you evaluate organizational performance? (e.g., regular review of measures, strategic planning
evaluation of prior year performance, etc.)
c. Once you have evaluated processes and performance, what systematic approach do you use to address any
issues? Do you have a formal PDCA/DMAIC approach to improvement? Do you have examples of its use?
Do you have a formal action planning process to create plans to improve issues from planning or other
evaluation approach?
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
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(205) 768-0023
Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
d. Do you have an approach to use organizational learning in the organization such as through benchmarking
other organizations, or organization-wide training for specific areas of improvement?
e. Do you have a specific innovation approach? A process that you use to generate innovative ideas, vet those
ideas, determine feasibility, design those ideas, create and implement those ideas and then watch them to see if
they met expectations? If not, then what process do you have that actually accomplishes these things?
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612930106
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
Page 9 of 9
(205) 768-0023