Test Questions Assessment Findings Recommended Actions

Enable Does the design allocate sufficient management attention to

Business the business unit’s strategic objectives and key operating
Strategy priorities?
• What are the strategic objectives and operating
priorities?
• Is there sufficient management coverage for each?
(i.e. bandwidth, seniority, power & influence)
Enable Does the design allocate sufficient management attention to
Corporate the corporation’s strategic objectives and sources of
Strategy parental advantage and value?
• What are the strategic objectives and sources of
advantage and value?
Leverage Does the structure adequately reflect the motivations,
People strengths and weaknesses of the available workforce
(people that are likely to be available in the location where
the BSC will operate)?
• What are the “pivotal” positions? How will we
guarantee that we have enough ‘cover’ for these
positions?
• Is there adequate bench-strength for pivotal
positions?
• Are the organisation design and performance
management processes likely to enable high
performing and high potential employees to reach
their goals?

Test Questions Assessment Findings Recommended Actions

Operate Does the organizational design take account of new, or
Within existing, constraints facing the organisation?
Constraints • Resources (financial, intangible, physical)?
 • Regulation?
• Technology / infrastructure?
• Cultural challenges?
Eliminate Do “difficult links” exist within this unit or between it and
Difficult another unit?
Links • How many units/teams are involved in the
linkage?
• Is the linkage sequential or reciprocal?
• How standardized are the inputs/outputs?
• How complex is the information that must be
exchanged?
• How vital is the output to the organisation or
customer?
Protect If any critical specialist groups exist, do they have
Critical sufficient “protection” from the influence of more
Specialists dominant organizational cultures?
• Which specialist groups qualify as critical? Why?
• Do they need protection from more dominant
units?
• How are they insulated from other units without
creating difficult links?
Clarify Are the organization’s critical decisions being made in the
Decision correct unit and at the right level of the hierarchy?
Rights • What are the most critical responsibilities and who
are the decision makers?
• Has the decision has been placed in the best unit
and decentralized to the appropriate level (i.e.
they have the appropriate skills & access to the
most important knowledge that is hardest to
transfer)?

Test Questions Assessment Findings Recommended Actions

Optimize Is it clear how each level of hierarchy adds value to the
Hierarchy layers below it?
• What value does each management layer
contribute?
• What unique tasks do they perform?
• Are any layers “span-breakers” and if so, are the
spans of control appropriate?
Strengthen Is it possible to hold each unit to account through either
Accountabilit objective, outcome oriented, low cost, motivating
y measures or direct supervision by a knowledgeable
manager?
• Are units dependant on other units to deliver their
outputs?
• Are oversight roles and control functions well
defined and appropriate?
• How well can a knowledgeable manager
accurately and quickly assess performance?
Improve Is the organisational design flexible enough to adapt to
Flexibi future changes or innovate better working practices?
lity • Are power-bases built into the structure?
• How interdependent are the units and sub-units?
• How much bandwidth has been built into the
structure? Are jobs designed to be ultra-
focused?
• What environmental or strategic changes would
cause the structure the most problems?