Background

Organizational assessments follow a system science approach to assess the

dynamics at work in the sponsor's organization. The approach is to collect data and
analyze factors that impact organizational performance to identify areas of strength
as well as opportunity. There are a number of excellent models for understanding
and analyzing data during an organizational change assessment, including the
Burke-Litwin Model of Organizational Performance and Change shown in Figure 2. In
this model, there are a number of interdependent factors, both external and
internal, that exist simultaneously and affect the performance of an organization.
These interdependent variables range from external budget pressures, to the
organization's culture and leadership, to the skills and behavior of the lowest-level
employee. The Burke-Litwin model provides a framework to effectively analyze,
interpret, develop recommendations, communicate, and manage change within an
organization.

Organizational Assessment Best Practice—

Assessment Approach
One organizational assessment approach, used by MITRE, is shown in Figure 1. The
assessment is a repeatable process that applies social behavioral best practices
developed and proven effective in the public and private sectors. This process is
designed to help leaders assess where their organization is in the change process,
identify organizational gaps, transformation risks/issues and to determine what they
need to do as they move through the process.

Figure 1.
Organizational Assessment Approach
The following five-step approach is suggested:

 Project Mobilization—During the start-up phase of the project, review

background material, conduct project planning, and conduct initial meetings
with the client to gain insights and discuss the project approach.

Deliverables: Work plan and kickoff briefing

 Phase 1 Data Collection (Big Picture)—The first phase of data collection

will provide a holistic, big picture assessment of the organization. Working
with an organization's leadership, identify key stakeholders to interview.
Develop interview protocols based on an organizational systems model and
will investigate areas such as: External Environment, Mission & Strategy,
Leadership, Organizational Culture, Organizational Structure, Management
Practices/Processes, etc.—and any specific areas of interest and need to the
organization. Collect and analyze data and identify key issue areas.

Deliverable: Preliminary findings—key issues

 Phase 2 Data Collection (Targeted)—After discussion and agreement with

organizational leaders, conduct a second phase of data collection to gather
more in-depth understanding around key issue areas to guide the
development of alternatives and solutions.

Deliverable: Detailed findings

 Analysis and Identification of Strategic Changes—After analyzing the

more detailed data, engage the organization's management team in a
process to identify strategic changes (through offsites and/or working
sessions).

Deliverable: Analysis and alternatives

 Action Planning—If desired, collaborate with an organization's management

team to develop action plans to address change priorities.

Deliverable: Action plans

NOTE: All organizational assessments require sponsor participation and direction on

the goals and objectives of the transformation prior to performing the analysis of
workforce.

Organizational Assessment Best Practice—Organizational Modeling

Burke-Litwin Model of Organizational Performance and Change

Overview of Burke-Litwin Model

Burke-Litwin is a system science model that describes the linkages among the key
factors that affect performance, and determine how change occurs in an
organization. Through the use of this model system, engineers obtain data on what
organizational factors to change and why. Higher level factors (blue boxes) have
greater weight in effecting organizational change; a change in any variable will
ultimately affect every other variable. Figure 2, Burke-Litwin Model of
Organizational Performance and Change, depicts the system science approach:

Figure 2.
Burke-Litwin Model of Organizational Performance and Change

Table 1, Dimensions of Burke-Litwin Model, provides key sample questions system

engineers should ask regarding the 12 variables, or dimensions, of the Burke-Litwin
Model.

Table 1. Dimensions of Burke-Litwin Model

Dimensions
Key Questions
of Model

1. External  What are the key external drivers?

Environment  How are these likely to impact on the organization?
  Does the organization recognize these?

2. Mission and  What does top management see as the

Strategy organization's mission and strategy?
 Is there a clear vision and mission statement?
 What are employees' perceptions of these?

3. Leadership  Who provides overall direction for the organization?

 Who are the role models?
 What is the style of leadership?
 What are the perspectives of employees?

4.  What are the overt and covert rules, values,

Organizational customs, and principles that guide organizational
Culture behavior?

5. Structure  How are functions and people arranged in specific

areas and levels of responsibility?
 What are the key decision-making, communication,
and control relationships?

6. Systems  What are the organization's policies and

procedures, including systems for reward and
performance appraisal, management information,
human resources, and resource planning?

7.  How do managers use human and material

Management resources to carry out the organization's strategy?
Practices  What is their style of management, and how do
they relate to subordinates?

8. Work Unit  What are the collective impressions, expectations,

Climate and feelings of staff?
 What is the nature of relationship with work unit
colleagues and those in other work units?
9. Task and  What are the task requirements and individual
Individual skills/abilities/knowledge needed for task
Skills effectiveness?
 How appropriate is the organization's "job-person"
match?

10. Individual  What do staff members value in their work?

Needs and  What are the psychological factors that would
Values enrich their jobs and increase job satisfaction?

11. Motivation  Do staff feel motivated to take the action necessary

to achieve the organization's strategy?
 Of factors 1 through 10, which seem to be
impacting motivation the most?

12. Individual  What is the level of performance in terms of

and productivity, customer satisfaction, quality, and so
Organizational on?
Performance  Which factors are critical for motivation and
therefore performance?

Organizational Assessment Products

Primary outputs from the organizational assessments include:

 Organizational Impact Assessment (OIA): Provides information on the status

of the organizational entities and personnel to adopt the transformation. The
OIA will identify direct and indirect impacts on the workforce, direct and
indirect stakeholders and how the transformation will impact the
accomplishment of the sponsor's mission.
 Organizational Risk Assessment (ORA): Provides sponsor executives with
business intelligence on the type and severity of transformation risks and
issues and potential mitigation solutions. The ORA may be integrated into one
overall organizational impact assessment.

NOTE: The organizational change strategy output from the OIA and ORA provide
sponsor executives with the business intelligence to develop the organizational
change management (OCM) direction.
 Optional Deliverable-Workforce Transformation Strategy & Plan: Explains the
transformation plan ensuring integration with the sponsor's technical and
deployment teams, integrates organization preparation, communication, and
training activities into one transformation plan, and explains how the
transformation program management team will manage daily OCM activities
and briefings.
 Communications Planning: Systems engineers also need to be cognizant that
a system science approach includes communications planning and outreach
strategies to initiate and sustain communications to affected organizational
entities and key transformation participants (e.g., internal and external
stakeholders). Communications planning requires the development of near-
term communications and subsequent implementation of the plans. Further
information on performing and developing communication strategies and
plans is found in the SEG article "Effective Communication and Influence."