Organization Level Analysis
Improving
Organizational
Systems
association FOR Behavior Analysis International
Workshop
May 27, 2011
Lori H.
Heather M.
Diener, Ph.D.
McGee, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level
Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
Performance
Western
Michigan
Blueprints, Inc.
1
Organization Level Analysis
Organization Analysis
Purpose

To identify missing or weak areas of the organizational system in order to build and manage an agile business.
Value




Efficient and clear communication across people and functions of the organization regarding areas of the system
to focus on.
Visually illustrate how a particular improvement initiative fits into the bigger picture to ensure that the
intervention design considers all areas of the organization that are impacted.
Ensure that every improvement effort is adding value to the overall organizational system.
Make organizational structure adaptable and manageable to market demands, competitive pressures, supply
chains, etc.
Tools



Organization Level Question Set
Organization Total Performance System Diagram
Relationship Map
Instructions
1. Form a team of subject matter experts who know the organization and its processes.
2. The team should agree on answers to the questions in the Organization Level Question Set.
3. Consolidate findings on a TPS Diagram and Relationship Map, highlighting specific areas that need to be addressed
(the relationship map may be combined in the processing system area of the TPS, or it might be a separate map).
4. As a team, validate that the TPS and Relationship Map accurately depict the organization’s reality and obtain data to
support assertions when possible.
5. As a team, determine how gaps will be addressed.
Note: Part of the Organization Level Question Set serves as the accountability matrix for addressing system deficiencies.
Use this template on a quarterly, bi-annual or annual schedule to evaluate progress toward addressing system gaps.
6. If and when it’s determined that processes or jobs need to be designed/redesigned after the organization level
analysis, move to the next section: Function Analysis
Note about the question set:
Cells shaded in gray =
Component
Identification
Cells not shaded =
Opportunities for
Improvement
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
2
Organization Level Analysis
Mission/Goals
Question
Response
What is the organization’s
mission (i.e., why does it
exist)?
Yes
No
Don’t Know
ACORN Test
(Gilbert, 1996):
Does the mission identify an accomplishment and not a
process or behavior?
Does the organization have control over the accomplishment
identified?
Have we identified the true purpose of the organization
instead of merely a sub goal?
If mission were achieved, would other parts of the
organization or macro system (industry/field) be impacted
negatively?
Can you measure progress toward the mission?
Do all relevant parties agree with the mission?
Is the mission and strategy communicated, internally and externally?
Do organizational
1) Products and services? (e.g., increase in #, type or quality)
strategic goals cover
2) Customer groups? (e.g., corner which market?)
these 3 strategic areas?
3) Competitive advantages? (e.g., how to stay ahead?)
Products/Services
Question
Response
What are the major products
and services produced by the
organization?
Yes
No
Don’t
Know
Do the organization’s products and/or services offer the organization a competitive advantage?
Are the financial outputs of the organization sufficient?
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
3
Organization Level Analysis
Customers & Stakeholders
Response
Question
Product/ Service
Customer Type
Size of market
Org’s share
Yes
No
Don’t
Know
Who receives each product or
service?
Do you have data supporting that you are targeting and serving appropriate markets?
Do marketing efforts create a competitive advantage to the organization?
Who are the stakeholders, i.e., who receives the
financial outputs of the organization? (e.g., parent
organization, stockholders, lending institutions,
employees)
Review any relevant data about these stakeholders:
 Distribution of ownership between the segments
 Amount of money owed
 Terms with creditors
 Expected level of earnings
 Current level of earnings and trends
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
4
Organization Level Analysis
Customer Measures
Question
Response
How does the organization measure the following:
Yes
How
measured?
Who reviews
data?
No
Don’t
Know
When?
Customer satisfaction
Product and/or service quality
Timeliness of product/service
delivery
Profit/loss by product/service type
Are these measures used for tactical and strategic planning?
Are current measures meeting
goals?
Customer satisfaction
Actual
Desired
Gap
Product and/or service quality
Timeliness of product/service
delivery
Profit/loss by product/service type
Tip: Look for positive or negative trends in the data (e.g., Sales quantity or # of units
sold for product line; Revenues & profits from product/service, Sales to new vs.
existing customers)
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
5
Organization Level Analysis
Processing System
Relationship Map Input
Identify the various functions of the organization and the major input-output relationships between to create a Relationship Map (i.e.,
who produces what for whom?)
List your responses in this space provided as follows: Function NameMajor OutputFunction that receives it.
Use this information to create a Relationship Map. Depending on the complexity, you can choose to put it into the processing system
of the Organization TPS or make it a separate document. This is a high level view of all functions. In the next section, Functional
Analysis, you will look at each function in the context of a TPS.
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
6
Organization Level Analysis
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
7
Organization Level Analysis
Processing System
Question [Note: to be answered once Relationship Map is created]
Response
Yes
No
Don’t
Know
Compare the Relationship Map to the Organizational Chart. Does the reporting hierarchy
obstruct flow of work?
Are all of the relevant functions in place?
Are all the functions necessary?
Are there any missing, unnecessary, confusing or misdirected input and outputs?
Are there any cross-functional relationships that can be built that will eliminate disconnects?
Is it clear who does what when regarding monitoring organizational performance data,
analyzing deviations from goals and taking corrective actions?
Are resources being allocated to functions in context of critical processes?
Are the interfaces between functions being managed?
If yes, who does what?
How often?
What information is gathered?
Is strategy implementation being managed?
If yes, who does what?
How often?
What information is gathered?
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
8
Organization Level Analysis
Inputs/Resources
Question
Response
Identify the resources needed by the organization:
Yes
No
Don’t
Know
Where does financial support come from?
Is it sufficient?
Where do human resources come from?
Are they sufficient?
Do they create a competitive advantage to the organization?
Where do materials, equipment, & tools come from?
Are they sufficient?
Do materials, equipment & tools create a competitive advantage?
What technology is used??
It is sufficient?
Does technology used create a competitive advantage?
Are quality standards in place for all incoming resources?
Does the organization meet the needs of its suppliers?
What resources are missing, ineffective or unnecessary?
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
9
Organization Level Analysis
Processing System Measures
Question
Response
How is processing system performance measured in terms of:
How
measured?
Who
reviews
data?
When?
Yes
No
Don’t
Know
Quality
Quantity
Time
Cost
Safety
How are these measures used to guide process and job
performance?
Are current overall process measures meeting standards?
Actual
Desired
Gap
Quality
Quantity
Time
Cost
Safety
Identify which processes are not meeting standards
List any major business processes that need to be analyzed
further and which functional areas play a role in each
process.
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
10
Organization Level Analysis
Environment
Question
Response
What environmental variables affect successful organizational
performance?
Yes
No
Don’t
Know
How?
(e.g., economy, government regulations, culture, natural
environment, market demand)
Does the organization have a person or team accountable for managing these variables and incorporating
information into strategic and tactical decision making?
If yes, who does what?
How often?
What information is gathered?
What societal value does the organization add through its products
and services?
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
11
Organization Level Analysis
Competition
Question
Response
Who are the organization’s competitors?
Yes
No
Don’t
Know
List the relevant data:
• Comparative market share of competitors
• Quantity of sales and revenues
• Products/Services offered
Does the organization collect benchmarking data?
If yes, what is done with this information to
guide organizational efforts?
What are the organization’s competitive
advantages? (e.g., quality, benefits,
features, price, process, availability,
uniqueness)
What are the organization’s competitive
disadvantages? (i.e., area of weakness
compared to competitors)
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
12
Organization Level Analysis
Organization Total Performance System Diagram
8. Environment
Economy
Government
regulations
Natural
environment
Culture
Market
demand
1. Mission/Goal
Strategic goals
5. Processing System
$
Human
resources
6. Inputs/
Resources
$
C
A
Materials
Equipment
Tools
Stakeholders
2. Products/Services
B
3. Customers
D
Technology
E
7. Processing system measures
Ø Quality
Ø Quantity
Ø Time
Ø Cost
Ø Safety
4. Customer measures
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Customer satisfaction
Product/service quality
Timeliness of product/service delivery
Profit/loss by product/service type
Compete for inputs/resources
Compete for customers
9. Competition
Purpose
To ensure that organizational structure and activities are planned and managed in context of the external environment.
Value
To see and communicate at a glance the critical performance support needed to help the organization achieve its goals.
Tip for creating an Organizational TPS Diagram
 Use the information you collected in the Organization Level Question Set and highlight which parts of the system
need to be addressed to fix system gaps.
 Use the sample provided here as a guide for creating your own TPS.
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
13
Organization Level Analysis
TPS Practice: Diagram your organization
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
14
Organization Level Analysis
Which components of the system are weak or missing?
Component
Weak or
Missing?
1. Mission
Yes
No
2. Products/Services
Yes
No
3. Customers
Yes
No
4. Customer Measures
Yes
No
5. Processing System
Yes
No
6. Inputs
Yes
No
7. Process Measures
Yes
No
8. Environment
Yes
No
If yes, how do you know?
If the areas you identified as weak or missing
were fixed, how would it impact other
components of the overall system?
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
15
Organization Level Analysis
9. Competition
Yes
No
TPS Analysis Part 1
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
16
Organization Level Analysis
TPS Analysis Part 2
External
Forces You
cannot
Control
What is worst thing
that can happen?
What capabilities
are needed in the
system to respond
to those events?
Do these capabilities exist
now?
If no, what needs to be
done to build these
capabilities?
Environment
□
Yes
□
No
□
Yes
□
No
□
Yes
□
No
□
Yes
□
No
Competition
Customer
Demand
Inputs
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
17
Organization Level Analysis
Initial Action Plan
Using your performance analysis information, complete an initial action plan using the table below. List each
improvement need, then rate each improvement need along the following dimensions:
1. Would directly impact client results and/or revenue (e.g., new treatment approach, adding new
service, training, hiring & selection, etc.)
2. Would improve workflow and indirectly impact client results and/or revenue(e.g., changing scheduling,
new technology, new forms, billing)
3. Would improve workflow but would not impact client results and/or revenue (e.g., restructuring a
team)
4. Would not impact workflow or client results
Description of Improvement Needs
Criticality/
Value of Fixing
this Issue
List some possible Improvement efforts
(who would do what?)
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
18
Organization Level Analysis
Initial Action Plan (continued)
Description of Improvement Needs
Criticality/
Value of Fixing
this Issue
List some possible Improvement efforts
(who would do what?)
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
19
Organization Level Analysis
Performance Improvement Recommendations
List improvements in order of identified priorities from the Initial Action Plan.
Performance Improvement Need
Why would this change add value?
What needs to be done to make it
happen?
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
20
Organization Level Analysis
About Performance Blueprints, Inc.
We are a small, women-owned company who work with a network of experts in behavior analysis, performance systems
improvement and computer programming. Below are brief bios of the Performance Blueprints partners.
Lori H. Diener, Ph.D. is a performance consultant with extensive experience analyzing complex organizational systems to
identify root causes of performance issues and developing strategic and behavioral plans to achieve business objectives.
She partners with subject matter experts and stakeholders to develop efficient and targeted performance solutions such
as process design, performance measurement and management systems, technology applications, accountability,
organizational branding and performance based training. Lori has applied her creativity and scientific foundation in a
range of industries including automotive retail, construction, education, human service, manufacturing, pharmaceutical
and technology, in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. In addition to consulting, Lori teaches performance
analysis workshops internationally. She received her B.S. in Psychology, M.A. in Industrial Organizational Psychology and
Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University.
Heather M. McGee, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and a member of the industrial/organizational faculty
at Western Michigan University (WMU). She received her B.S. (1998), M.A. (2003), and Ph.D. (2004) from WMU. Her
interests lie in improving organizational performance through interventions based on comprehensive behavioral systems
analysis. Dr. McGee has designed, developed and implemented organizational performance solutions in a variety of
industries and settings, including autism service providers, the pharmaceutical industry, education, and health and
human services industries. These solutions have included performance-based instruction, performance management,
behavioral systems changes, and lean sigma initiatives. Dr. McGee is also the Executive Director of the Organizational
Behavior Management (OBM) Network and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Organizational Behavior
Management (JOBM).
To purchase our entire Behavioral Systems Analysis Questionnaire and supporting workbook and to learn more
about our consulting services, visit our website at www.performanceblueprints.com
Copyright © 2011
Organizational Level Question Set | Performance Blueprints, Inc. | www.performanceblueprints.com
21