An organization is more than its org chart. It is made of structures, processes, capabilities, decision paths and incentives that have to fit together. If you want to redesign it, you first need a clear picture of it. This guide sorts seven organization tools into three groups: diagnosis (where we stand), target picture (how do we want to operate) and building blocks (capabilities, processes, value creation). For each tool you learn when it fits and where it usually fails.
Organization Diagnostic Model
Diagnosis, part one: The Organization Diagnostic Model is an assessment tool that examines an organization's performance across strategy, structure, processes, people, culture and systems. It reveals strengths, weaknesses and, most importantly, inconsistencies between these elements. Use it when a company stagnates and nobody can say exactly why. Survey several levels and functions and share the results openly. If you only capture the leadership view, you confirm what the sponsor wanted to hear.
View DetailsGalbraith Star Model
Diagnosis, part two: The Galbraith Star Model is an organization design framework by Jay Galbraith with five interdependent dimensions: strategy, structure, processes, rewards and people. Its core message is that an organization only works well when all five are aligned with the strategy. The model is especially useful after a change in strategy, when structure and incentives still fit the old business model. A typical finding: the strategy asks for collaboration while the bonus rewards silo thinking. Start with strategy, not with the org chart.
View DetailsOperating Model Canvas
Target picture, part one: The Operating Model Canvas, developed by Andrew Campbell and colleagues, shows on one page how an organization actually delivers its strategy. It covers six dimensions: processes, organization, locations, information, suppliers and management system. You first describe the current state and then derive the target state, for example after a merger or before an IT transformation. Model backwards from the value proposition. A canvas that maps IT and processes without reference to the customer stays documentation rather than design.
View DetailsTarget Operating Model (TOM)
Target picture, part two: The Target Operating Model (TOM) describes the desired future operating state of an organization across processes, structure, technology, governance and culture. It gives a transformation a shared reference point so that individual initiatives do not pull in different directions. It requires a decided strategic direction and a well understood current model. The value only appears in the gap analysis: prioritize the gaps and translate them into a roadmap with clear transition steps. A TOM without a migration path is just a poster.
View DetailsCapability Map
Building blocks, capabilities: The Capability Map is a framework that systematically captures an organization's capabilities, groups them hierarchically and rates them by maturity and strategic importance. It answers what an organization needs to be able to do, regardless of who does it today. That makes it a basis for investment decisions, for instance when entering a new market. The most common mistake is to confuse capabilities with departments, in which case the map simply reproduces the org chart. Start with six to ten top-level capabilities and then go deeper where it matters.
View DetailsProcess Landscape
Building blocks, processes: The Process Landscape, also called a process map, shows all essential processes of an organization on one page. It distinguishes core processes that create value, support processes that enable, and management processes that steer. The tool works well for organically grown companies where nobody knows anymore which processes exist and who owns them. It often turns out that several units run the same process in parallel. Keep the map lean: no more than eight to twelve core processes and no work steps at the top level.
View DetailsValue Chain Map
Building blocks, value creation: The Value Chain Map is based on Michael Porter's value chain model and shows the sequence of activities through which a product or service gains value. It separates primary activities such as logistics, operations, sales and service from support activities such as procurement, HR and technology. Unlike the process landscape, it rates each step by value contribution and cost, so you can spot bottlenecks and waste. Map it with practitioners, not with the process manual.
View Details| Purpose | Tool | Group | Typical output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find root causes of performance problems | Organization Diagnostic Model | Diagnosis | Prioritized gaps and inconsistencies |
| Check design after a strategy shift | Galbraith Star Model | Diagnosis | Five aligned dimensions |
| Show the operating model on one page | Operating Model Canvas | Target picture | Current and target view in six dimensions |
| Define the end state of a transformation | Target Operating Model | Target picture | Target picture with roadmap |
| Prioritize capabilities and investments | Capability Map | Building blocks | Map with maturity levels |
| Structure processes and find duplicates | Process Landscape | Building blocks | Process map on three levels |
| Reveal value contribution and bottlenecks | Value Chain Map | Building blocks | Rated value chain |
PRO TIP
Pro tip: Combine the groups in this order. Diagnose first with the Diagnostic Model or the Star Model, then use the Capability Map to clarify what the organization must be able to do, and only then set the target picture in the Operating Model Canvas or TOM. Processes and the value chain follow capabilities.
CAUTION
Watch out: All seven tools produce pictures on paper. A reorganization that only changes structure while incentives, decision paths and capabilities stay the same changes little. Do not change every dimension at once. Sequence the transitions and check after each step whether behavior actually shifts.
CONCLUSION
Organization tools make visible what quietly interacts in daily work. Diagnosis tools show where things get stuck. Target picture tools describe where to go. The building blocks of capabilities, processes and value creation make the target picture workable. You will find guides, templates and original sources for all seven tools on their tool pages in our library.