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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 8

Step 8:Review the results of the analysis Purpose: review the results of the preliminary diagnosis 8.1 Review Review the system: you should have identified the major parts of your System-in-Focus which render it viable. 8.2 Inadequate Parts Re-consider …

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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 7

Step 7:Identify the policy making, System Five PURPOSE: To identify those parts of the System-in-Focus which are concerned with Policy. 7.1 Draw the System Five Square 7.2 Find the Policy Makers Write the people or departments responsible for poli …

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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 6

Step 6:Dealing with the future and the external world: System 4 – Outside and Then PURPOSE: To identify those parts of the System-in-Focus which are concerned with Future plans and strategies in the context of environmental information. 6.1 Draw in the …

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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 5

Step 5:System Three: Optimization 5.1 Add System Three to the diagram Take your VSM diagram and draw in the System Three box in the lower part of the Metasystem. 5.2 Add the System Three channels Draw two lines from this box through all Operationa …

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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 4

Step 4:System Two – Stability and conflict resolution PURPOSE: To identify those parts of the System-in-Focus which ensure that the Operational units interact in a stable manner. 4.1 Review your Systems One Look at your list of Operational elemen …

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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 3

Step 3: System One: the Operation PURPOSE: To specify those parts of the system-in-focus which undertake System One (primary) activities. 3.1 List the primary activities Take the list from 1.3 and write down the jobs which are primary activities of the …

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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 2

Step 2:Draw the Viable System Model in Outline Purpose To depict the overview of your System-in-Focus in its totality. Alternatively Print and use the Canvas Abstract The diagnosis of your organization will proceed by drawing a large diagram which will …

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VSM Preliminary Diagnosis Step 1

Step 1:Define the System in Focus Purpose To clarify the boundaries of the System-in-Focus. During the diagnosis which follows, there are times when it’s easy to lose track of exactly what is being studied. So it’s essential to begin the Preliminary Di …

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VSM Design Step 9

Step 9: Designing Operational Autonomy Purpose The best way to absorb variety, i.e. to deal with challenges and surprises is done locally. Interventions should be an exception and occur only when the unit cannot deal with the situation by itself. Abstr …

VSM Design Step 14

Step 14Design of Policy Structures Purpose Make identity and purpose explicit Abstract The way that policy is made and implemented is without doubt the most important issue for an enterprise. The business must pay its bills and make a profit, but all o …

VSM Design Step 13

Step 13:Design the Balance with the External Environment Purpose Deal with observed and future changes in the environment Abstract There is no point in having a superbly organized internal environment if the enterprise as a whole is completely out of t …

VSM Design Step 12

Step 12:Examine the Information Systems Purpose Create information systems which are capable to provide real time information loops Abstract A good information system, providing up-to-date transparency and helping to concentrate on the important inform …

VSM Design Step 11

Step 11: Completing the Internal BalanceVSM Design Purpose Ensure stability through a combination of horizontal synchronization and the necessary minimum of centralized management 11.1 Maximize Autonomy Make the Operational units as autonomous as possi …

VSM Design Step 10

Step 10:Review Operational and Environmental Interactions Purpose Review Systems two and three. Check if they are adequate or what needs to be done to improve their functionality. Abstract We will now look at the internal environment of the organizatio …

VSM Canvas: the Playbook

The VSM Canvas is a piece of work in progress: a textual explanation of the different steps. Download

VSM Canvas: Preliminary Diagnosis

The first part of the canvas supports an initial diagnosis of the existing organization. This creates a picture of the information flows and decision-making structures. See subpages for details. Download

VSM Canvas: Design

The second part of the Canvas supports the preparation of design decisions an helps to create a change backlog. Thie idea is: the output consists of to types of items Decisions are items which can be decided and implemented on the spot Efforts are task …

Topics

The VSM Guide for co-operatives and federations

The VSM Guide is a manual for managers of co-operations, written by Jon Walker. It is based on Jon’s practical experience with organizing and structuring co-ops and federation. Its strong points include it is very practical, gets directly to the point …

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The VSM Canvas

The VSM Canvas allows a quick start with diagnosing the structures, the decision making and the information systems of an organization. For a workshop, you may want to download the template and print it in a large format, e.g. A0. Download A cheat shee …

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The Viable System Model

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System thinking

“To optimize the whole, we must sub-optimize the parts.” W. Edwards Deming Tweet The most significant gains are to be made in managing the organization as a system, not in optimizing components within the system. Optimizing the results for a process is …

Structures, processes and workflows

“The real battle is not competitors. This is rubbish, very abstract. When do we meet competitors to fight them? The real battle is against ourselves, against our bureaucracy, our complicatedness – only you fight it.” Yves Morrieux Tweet The behavioral …

Strategy Definition

We are not trying to cover the multitude of approaches to strategy development here. This is not feasible. We show two concepts that provide specific additional benefits for an adaptive organization:Organizational archetypes and strategy development: S …

Strategic workforce development

“To win the marketplace, you must first win the workplace.” Doug Conant Tweet In today’s talent-based economy, people are the key element that keeps successful businesses running. In a business environment that is constantly evolving, it becomes even m …

Stay Healthy

“Fail Early. Fail Often. Fail Forward.” Will Smith Tweet There are dangers lurking on a journey. No one wants to be robbed or go down in the agile Bermuda triangle. It helps to be aware of some of the common pitfalls on a transformation journey. Neglec …

Situational Awareness

“The problem is, most managers aren’t aware of the theories they’re using, and they often use the wrong theories for the situation.“ Clayton Christensen Tweet Situational awareness is about knowing what is going on around you, and what potential threat …

Shared values and principles

“If you’re not willing to accept the pain real values incur, don’t bother going to the trouble of formulating a values statement.” Patrick M. Lencioni Tweet Transformations that start with a clearly formulated purpose and then adopt a common set of pri …

Portfolio Strategy

A Product Portfolio does not happen. O.K. sometimes it does, but in fact in order to reach a certain goal, your goal, You need to have a stringent development strategy and this development strategy needs to be managed, i.e. be aligned with an overall s …

People and Culture

In a business environment of increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, strategy development is not something you do once and follow the plan for the next five years.

Participation and communication

People own what they create Myron Roger, Myron’s Maxims Tweet Participation and communication can be considered as sister cities and form what is actually required for the transformation; participatory communication.Transformation only happens when the …

Organizational capabilities

The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them. John C. Maxwell Twe …

Individual Skills

“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t have to.” Sir Richard Branson Tweet As the transformation involves changing the way people work, it requires increased abilities for all employees at all levelsto collabo …

Identity

“Identity is the sense-making capacity of the organization” Margaret Wheatly, The Irresistible Future of Organizing Tweet A strong and coherent identity is the strong backbone of an adaptive company. It provides clear guidance for people operating with …

General

Stay Healthy

Flow oriented organization design

“Whenever there is a product for the customer, there is a value stream. The challenge lies in seeing it. Mike Rother / John Shook in “Learning to See” Tweet In Flow-oriented organization design we learn how to setup the company from an outside-in persp …

Evolving Strategy

In a business environment of increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, strategy development is not something you do once and follow the plan for the next five years.

Environment of trust and learning

“The glue that holds all relationships together–including the relationship between the leader and the led–is trust, and trust is based on integrity.” Brian Tracy Tweet Trust in the workplace has a big impact on how employees work together and how org …

Enabling Structures

In a business environment of increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, strategy development is not something you do once and follow the plan for the next five years.

Enabling architecture

“While we must acknowledge emergence in design and system development, a little planning can avoid much waste.” James O. Coplien Tweet The architecture of a system must support the ability to provide frequent, independent releases to meet business obje …

Cross-cutting categories

Subpages Shared values and principles System thinking Participation and communication

Areas of Interest

Evolving Strategy Identity Situational Awareness Strategy Definition Portfolio Strategy People and Culture Individual Skills Organizational capabilities Strategic workforce development Enabling Structures Flow oriented organization design Structures, p …