Org Assessment Tools

This is a method of assessing the current feeling(s) and opinion(s) within the organization regarding particular topic(s), issue(s), initiative(s), or action(s). The climate survey collects data related to “what it feels like” to work in this organization. While the climate of a country reflects things like the temperature, amount of rain and sun, and the length of the growing season, the climate of an organization reflects the same type of quantifiable surface characteristics. You can experience the climate of a country at poolside in a resort hotel while sipping Mai Tais and never meet the natives. You can obtain climate and attitude information with a survey sent out from a comfortable corner office and never know there are unaddressed issues beneath the surface or relating to other issues. However, you do not raise expectations that action will be taken to address issues other than those specifically being surveyed. If the organization is interested in what employees feel about one or more specific issues, topics, initiatives, or actions, you should conduct a climate or Mind-Set survey.

2. Operational Audit

This is a method of assessing the processes, procedures, methods, and activities of the organization. The operational audit gathers data on both the actual processes and procedures that are being followed and also those that are specified and prescribed in manuals, handbooks, rules and regulations, and guidelines. It compares the two to assess the level of variance or compliance between them. This method provides a snapshot of what the organization is actually doing to achieve its results. An operational audit of a country would look not only at the laws and regulations on the books, but also at the way the citizens work around those laws and the level of consistency with which they are applied. Similarly, an organization would analyze the processes and procedures that actually occur and compare them to “the rules.” This audit determines the level of consistency of procedures in actual practice throughout the organization. If an organization is interested in the level of compliance with prescribed and documented policies, procedures, and methods, you should conduct an operational audit.

3. Culture Audit

This is a method of assessing the behavioral practices in place within the organization and the manner in which the organization conducts its business on a day-to-day basis. As with the culture of a country, the culture of an organization is comprised of how and why people in the culture behave as they do, follow the practices, dress, rituals, and have the heroes and myths, values and beliefs that they do. Understanding the culture of either a country or an organization allows the observer to understand the beliefs behind and underneath surface behaviors. It allows for behavioral understanding of an organization, and may yield the ability to broadly predict reactions and behaviors in future situations. If the organization is interested in identifying current values, beliefs, behaviors, and practices, you should conduct a culture audit.

4. Organizational Scan

This is a method of assessing both what is occurring in the organization and how the organization conducts its business. This method deals with all aspects of the organization as a system. The organizational scan is, in some ways, a combination of an operational audit and a culture audit. While the breadth of the assessment is increased, the depth is somewhat reduced. The organizational scan does not usually collect data in either of the two areas to the level of detail that the individual audits do. However, a key feature is that the organizational scan does address the level of alignment between the culture and the operations of the organization and their alignment with support systems within the organization. If the organization is interested in an overall picture of the alignment of culture and operations and how they support and interact with each other, you should conduct an organizational scan.

Climate/Mind-Set Survey

Operational Audit

Culture Audit

Organizational Scan

Purpose

To determine the feelings and opinions that employees have at a given time about a given issue/initiative or set of issues/initiatives.

To determine the processes,

procedures, methods, and

activities that occur throughout

the organization for comparison

to those that are documented

and/or dictated.

To determine the values, belief systems, and behavioral practices in place throughout the organization that govern the way

people behave with one another

and how they get their work

accomplished.

To determine what the issues are in the organization. To

determine the strengths,

weaknesses, values, and

practices that operate

throughout the organization

and the level of both

horizontal and vertical

alignment throughout the

organization on these issues.

Scope

Either limited to a specific issue or set of related issues or aimed at a broad spectrum of potential issues of “what it feels like” working within the organization. The methodology limits data

collection to a surface level and makes follow-up difficult.

A broad and deep data gathering effort to identify the processes,

procedures, methods, and activities the organization

undertakes to achieve its results. It may be targeted at operations

regarding a specific function

or segment of the organization or it can address the entire organization.

A broad and deep data gathering effort to identify all behavioral

aspects of how and why the

organization operates as it

does to achieve its results. It

may be targeted at a specific

function or segment of the organization or it can address the entire organization.

A very broad data gathering effort to identify not only how the organization operates, what

processes and procedures it

uses, but also issues around individuals or groups within the organization. The main focus is the level of alignment of all elements within the organizational system.

Methodology

Survey of questions identified prior to data collection. Usually requires choice of predetermined

responses to most questions

with one or more open-ended

questions to elicit data broader than specified in the body of the survey.

A combination of facilitated focus

groups, interviews, work site observations, review of artifacts

(tools, equipment, and documents), questionnaires,

and instruments. These can be

modified during the process to follow up on unexpected data.

A combination of facilitated focus

groups, interviews, questionnaires,

and instruments. These can be modified during the process to follow up on unexpected data.

A combination of interviews, facilitated focus groups, work site observations, review of artifacts (tools, equipment, and documents),

questionnaires, and instruments. These can be modified during the process to follow up on unexpected data.

Target Population

Usually the entire employee

population. Sometimes a

representative sample.

Key operators of specified and/or

critical processes, procedures, methods, and activities. Also

the users of the outputs of these processes, procedures, methods, and activities.

Either all or key representatives of the senior management

group, plus representatives of all areas of the organization.

Either all or key representatives of the senior management group, plus

Representatives of all areas of the organization. Key operators of specified and/or critical processes,

procedures, methods, and activities. Also the users of the outputs of these

processes, procedures, methods, and activities.

Place in the

Organizational

System

Analyzes the feelings and opinions elicited on a given issue/initiative or set of issues/initiatives.

Analyzes the procedural

operation of the organization.

Analyzes the behavioral norms,

values, and belief systems

throughout the organization.

Analyzes all aspects of the

Organizational system and

their alignment with each other.

Strengths

It collects quantifiable data that can be statistically manipulated to reflect how people feel about specific issues and initiatives.

Identifies what is actually happening within the ranks of the

organization. Identifies

bottlenecks, barriers, and enhancers to processes and

procedures. It identifies

problems and opportunities

related to processes and

procedures. It collects anecdotal data that can be probed as needed

and can be followed up on later. Can include both quantitative and qualitative data.

Identifies values, beliefs, Behavioral norms, and practices of how people interact and work with or around each other. Describes

people’s feelings about each other and the organization. It identifies problems and opportunities related to behaviors. It collects anecdotal data that can be probed as needed and can be followed up on later. Can include both quantitative and qualitative data.

It collects comprehensive data on the alignment of what the organization is

doing and how people are doing it. It looks at both sides of the organizational

alignment model and at the support systems in place to maintain them. It identifies alignment, nonalignment, and related problems and opportunities. It collects anecdotal data that can be

probed as needed and can be followed up on later. Can include both quantitative and qualitative

data.

Potential

Problems

It often does not collect data that is actionable. It is difficult to use as a management tool. It is difficult to follow up on

unexpected data.

It does not address relevant behaviors and norms that affect

how things are accomplished.

It may miss barriers caused by the people side of the organization or cultural misalignment.

It does not address what processes and procedures are in place. It may miss issues around what is being done that is inappropriate for the strategy.

Ordinarily, it does not delve as deeply into issues on either side of the

Organizational alignment model as either of the individual audits. Because it is not as deep as the

individual audits, the scan may uncover problems and opportunities that will require more detailed

research or analysis for full

understanding.

Uses

Identify how widespread

generic feelings and opinions are held. To broadly determine if problems exist that may require additional analysis or intervention.

Determine the level of

compliance with rules and regulations and if processes are

adequate to achieve the

strategy or if process engineering or continuous improvement

interventions are needed. It can identify operational priorities for intervention.

Determine culture strength, characteristics, and strategic fit. It can identify the need for

cultural change or interventions.

It can identify behavioral priorities for intervention.

Determine alignment of the

organization as it is operating today. Determine need for organizational alignment interventions. It can identify organizational priorities for a wide variety of potential interventions.

Send mail to fitceo@fitceo.com with general questions or comments about this web site. Terms of Use.Copyright © 2009 FCI / FitCEO, Inc.

Send mail to fitceo@fitceo.com with general questions or comments about this web site. Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2009 FCI / FitCEO, Inc.