QOS: Activity 2 – Organization Viewed as a System
In a recent blog post (here), I shared how Dr. Deming’s theory of Organizations Viewed as a Production System evolved into a five-part approach: Quality as an Organizational Strategy (QOS). In this series, we’ll take a deeper look at each of the five activities, including Establish and Communicate the Purpose of the Organization; Organization Viewed as a System (includes measurement); System for Obtaining Information; Planning for Improvement; and Managing Improvement Efforts.
Activity 2 – Organization Viewed as a System
Ask most people to describe their organization, and they will present you with an organizational chart. An organizational chart shows the cascading connection of roles from the executive leader down to the first layer of leaders. Included are the names and titles of those responsible. An organizational chart is a map of people and accountability, but it doesn’t offer much to understanding the organization or how work gets done.
In Activity 1, we looked at the importance of being clear on what you are trying to accomplish as an organization and how you’ll approach meeting your customers’ needs. To meet that need, the organizational system must be designed and operated to do so. In many organizations, operations evolve, and structures, processes, and responsibilities are in place but not in a planned fashion. People may be unable to talk about how work gets done or how work is linked.
Organizational systems consist of all types of work accomplished for different reasons. Each activity could be described as a process, even if it isn’t currently standardized or documented. These processes serve various purposes, and many are linked and interdependent.
Processes may be considered in three broad groupings:
- Mainstay Processes – These are the core processes associated with service delivery. They are directly tied to your organization’s purpose and meeting your customers’ needs. This is the core business.
- Driver Processes – These processes help us plan for an organization to operate and improve. These include planning, innovation, regulatory requirements, changes in the science, and improvement efforts.
- Support Processes – These processes enable you to deliver the mainstay. These might include facilities, training, human resources, and accounting.
To better understand these processes, we can develop a conceptual model of the organization using a system map. Begin by thinking of the key processes involved in delivering the mainstay and writing each down on a whiteboard or a sticky note in the middle of a table. Now, do the same for your driver processes and put them on top. Follow with the support processes on the bottom. All first attempts are not right, so don’t worry about getting it perfect.
Here is an example of an ambulance service’s first draft organizational system map.
Figure – First Draft of a Systems Map
Connect processes that have linkages or interdependence to show relationships. No map is perfect, and it’s expected to evolve as you better understand and improve your system. Later, methods are applied to number each process and assess the current process condition. This will support learning together about your organization as a system.
Here is an example of a system map from the same ambulance service organization. It evolved as they learned more about their processes and how they worked together.
Figure – A RefinedDraft of a Systems Map
Closely tied to the system map is the related feedback system of measures. This vector of measures helps us understand the purpose, key products and services, and essential processes. Measures are tracked over time and displayed visually to support an understanding of current results and predict future performance.
Here is an example of a vector of measures for the same ambulance service.
Figure – Vector of Measures
Developing a systems map and vector of measures is challenging for leaders. Many resist the process initially as too conceptual but quickly discover how tactical and practical it is as they grapple with understanding their organization and its operations. The process reveals misalignment, variation, operational definition clarity, absent process, and a host of opportunities for improvement. When done well, leadership teams build will as they learn together. They develop a genuine appreciation of the opportunity for improvement and a more precise picture of where to act.
In Activity 3, I’ll look at the system for obtaining information.
Reference: Clifford M. Norman, Lloyd P. Provost, and David M. Williams. Quality as an Organizational Strategy: Building a System of Improvement. (Provident-Heierman Press, Austin, TX). 2024
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