From an orgtology perspective, Org design is not just about drawing up a hierarchy or charting roles. It is about aligning the very essence of Org - its purpose and intent. Purpose drives performance whilst intent ensures relevance. From this view, Org is defined by its inherent purpose (why it exists) and its intent (its dream). Jointly, they underpin every decision, process, rule, target, structural arrangement, and strategic action. Org design is the basis for the operational performance in any organisation. It creates a clear plan on how to run the operations of Org. Through a proper design, one will be able to… Accurately identify risks. Develop performance indicators. Create job descriptions and develop performance contracts. Create quantifiable targets. Do skills audits. Create cost centres and accurately manage cost. Drive performance management. Develop a strategy. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHrk1Cz8pss[/embed] For whom is this program? The program is for Orgtologists who have registered with the International Orgtology Institute (IOI), and who wants to specialise in Org Design. During completion of the Certified Orgtologist Program (COP), students do a full module on Org Design. The aim of this program is not to replicate that part of the COP, but to give students practical experience. It is our task to ensure that students can independently run an Org Design project. During this program, students will recap Org Design theory, yet the bulk of their time will be spent on practical work. In so, students will engage with real Org Design projects under the supervision of a Specialist Orgtologist in the field. Basic assumption on Org Design If organisation takes place through the movement and resourcing of activity, then we must design Org around the flow of its activity. Resources are fuel that makes ideas and solutions happen. Mostly we use an organigram or Org Structure to dictate activity. In so, traditionally, a process engineer will use the Org Structure to guide his or her engineering of the process flow. In orgtology this thinking is flawed since departments are there to ensure accountability and not to control the flow of activity. E.g., a HR department holds employees who know how to manage human resources. Yet, this conglomeration of knowledge will only make sense if it feeds all the process flows or Org. The more collective Org views and organises this flow, the more efficient it will be. The relation between Hypothesis 2x and Org Design Hypothesis 2x is the base theory of orgtology. It was created and defined by Derek Hendrikz in 2016. The hypothesis states that Org exists through duality. I.e., something projective must relate to something receptive. The projective part of Org is strategy. Operations is its receptive part. Jointly, strategy and operations create a projective / receptive duality. This makes the activity of Org meaningful. Org design is about engineering the receptive part of Org in such a way that it enables projective influence. Org must have processes that drive efficiency and enable effectiveness. The idea of Org design is to create something that we can control and predict. The alternative to that is chaos. The task of Org design is to internalise Hypothesis 2x through an intelligent design. An indicator that this is working will be if the operation of Org runs at optimal efficiency and has available energy for strategic initiatives. In so, the current should be under control so that we can negotiate the future. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafaLcZIGqE[/embed] The three constructs of Org Design In Org Design a construct is the idea or blueprint behind a structure. E.g., before one can build a house, one must first have a plan. The plan is a construct whilst the house is a structure. In Org, we need three blueprints or constructs. They are the process-, project-, and relationship constructs. Jointly, the three constructs create Org. This perspective gives a design that is responsive and evolving. With Hypothesis 2x as the basis, Org can balance the need for efficient operations (performance) with the drive to innovate and remain relevant (intent). It is a holistic approach that links strategic purpose, operational process flows, and adaptive resource management into a cohesive, living system. To engage with Org design, one must grasp the basic movement of activity. Theory 2P of work shows that activity either repeats or it does not. In other words, we do our work through projects and processes. This creates two constructs. They are the process- and project- constructs. The third construct is more complex to grasp because its activity is not as predictable as the work we do. This is the relationship construct. Its aim is to make things real. You know that you are real because you interact with others. Any entity exists because of relations and relationships. A relationship construct has the aim to facilitate the relationships of Org. A relationship construct defines both, performance, and relevance. The resources that the processes of Org use, will depend on what its stakeholders want. In so, relationships decide how Org must perform. Whether Org does relevant things, is a call that only its stakeholders can make. In so, relationships decide how relevant Org is. Where the relationship- and process- constructs intertwine, Org defines its performance. Where the relationship- and project- constructs intertwine, Org defines its relevance. All the work of Org either repeats or stops, thus it is either a process or a project. This creates the activity that consumes resources so that it can produce results. Human and systems intelligence drive all of this. The process- and project- constructs of Org thus defines its work, orgtelligence, and results. The relationship construct makes the work of Org meaningful. There is no point in operations or strategy if it has no effect. Without relationships, Org has no meaning. Without a relationship construct, Org has little control over that which gives it meaning. Jointly, the three constructs of Org, creates the Relevant and Performing Organisation (RPO). The link between Innovation, Strategy, and Org Design From an orgtology perspective, a good Org design project will create the processes that Org needs to facilitate both stability and change. In this lies the assumption that to have a thriving environment for innovation and growth, there must be something concrete that can hold the change. This means that innovation needs a conducive environment. In orgtology, we create such an environment through the three constructs shown earlier. One might ask, “If we develop processes for innovation and strategy, then will we not kill the creativity?” We know that order kills creativity. Yet, creativity that does not take place within some type of order will lead to chaos. Also important to note is that innovation is a result of the interaction between creativity and judgement. In so, if there is no order that will hold the creativity, it will be lost. In Org science, the best way to contain is through algorithm. As we know, the purpose of a project is to start, end, or fix a process. Therefore, a project that does not affect a process as failed. One might think that an artist's creates work that does not necessarily become part of a process. Take the work of Van Gogh’s for example. Today, millions of students study his work and techniques under the banner of Post-Impressionism. His work is now rooted, and people will remember him in years to come, because his creativity has found order. Level Zero as the base-model for Org Design Traditionally, a consultant who does Org design would use the Org structure or organogram as base model. I.e., they would develop individual processes for the different departments or units. In so, there would be processes for HR, Finance, Sales, Production, etc. Orgtology teaches that this is not scientific since an Org structure is a subjective opinion of those who devised it. To resolve this, we use the Level Zero base-model. It gives a generic framework within which we can understand Org. It does not attempt to replace the Org structure, but rather to give permanence to the flow of activity. This means that change in human authority and accountability will not influence the flow of activity. In so, Level Zero gives permanence to Org. Also, through Level Zero, we split the accountability structure of Org from the arrangement of activity. The flow of activity is held by Level Zero whist accountability is held through an organogram. In Org science, the building blocks of Org is activity. It is what Org is made of. How we organise and resource activities, will create the present and future of Org. Activity can be understood, quantified, tested, and replicated. This makes the study thereof scientific. Activities hold data, e.g., responsible people, risks, costs, time, results, energy, and much more. How we arrange these activities will create the operational and strategic environments of Org. Cyclic activity will create the processes that drive the operations of Org. In so, activity that begins and ends will drive the projects that creates the strategy of Org. Therefore, everything that happens within Org is either a process or a project. The flow of these is governed through Level Zero, not through an organogram. At its core, Org must deliver products & services. This creates a core process. To run this core, it must have resources. Thus, there must be a system that gives Org the people, money, and assets that it needs. Yet, to exist, Org must have relationships with people and entities. These are customers, suppliers, competitors, the industry, employees, etc. To stay relevant and safe, Org must transform and reduce its risk exposure. Level Zero captures these functions in a generic way. Level Zero will apply to all organisations, irrelevant to their size or industry. It gives Orgtologists the opportunity to study best practice, and to test and measure. To learn more about Level Zero, students can enrol for the UNIORG program – ‘Level Zero Model Specialist.’ For more info – http://uniorg.education What students can expect from the program? Students can expect to gain the knowledge and experience that they will need to independently run an Org design project. UNIORG has an agreement with OrgXpert, a consulting firm specialising in orgtology-based consulting (http://orgxpert.com), to give our students access to practical projects. What is expected from students? We expect students to invest time into this program. This program will give students a scarce skill. To appoint an Orgtologist will give any Org a competitive advantage, since an Orgtologist understands Org in an advanced way. Thus, it will be of great benefit to be an expert in Org Design, since this is the best way to optimise efficiency, ensure impact, and transform key relationships. We therefore expect students to follow the program and to work hard to master the skill of Org Design. Assessment and program completion A student will complete this program when the appointed Coach can sign him or her off on both the academic and practical parts. How this works: UNIORG will notify the Student Registrations Committee of the IOI of its intent to register a student for an advanced coaching program. The Committee will then give a template report that the Coach must upkeep and submit on completion of the program. The report that the Coach must submit is based on the quality standards for Org Design as issued by the IOI. The coach must follow the academic and practical standards when coaching students. A Coach will sign-off each standard twice. The first is to certify that the student can practice a standard under supervision. The second is to certify that the student can practice a standard independently. The academic part of this program will have the following format: Guide 1: Introduction to the Specialist Program in Organisational Design. Guide 2: Understanding the IOI Quality Standards for Org Design. Guide 3: Creating a process flow. Guide 4: Designing an operational construct. Guide 5: Collecting operational data from process flows. Guide 6: Developing process targets. Guide 7: Proposing an organogram. Guide 8: Aligning an Org Culture with a new organisational design. Guide 9: Working with cross-functional teams. Guide 10: The role of the Lead Consultant in an Org Design project. The practical part of this program will require a student to partake in practical projects. On average it takes about three projects to transfer skills. This is no hard and fast rule since each student will determine his or her own pace. We cannot sign off a student who is not competent. If it takes five projects, then that is what we must do. Once the student has proven competent, the IOI will register him or her as an Expert Orgtologist in Org Design and issue a certificate in that regard. This will enable the Orgtologist to independently run Org Design projects. Harvard Reference Hendrikz, D. (2025) Introduction to the Specialist Program in Organisational Design. UniOrg Education. Available at: https://uniorg.education/introduction-to-the-specialist-program-in-organisational-design/ [Accessed 8 May 2025].
