Role Analysis, Time Span of Discretion, and Requisite Work Levels
By Michelle Malay Carter on February 26, 2009
Universal Measures and Understanding Properties of Work?Allows for Informed Organizational Design
I’ve often said that understanding work levels allows us to do organizational engineering because we can use our knowledge to make predictions and design accordingly.? Just like we can predict when H2O will change to ice or steam as we raise or lower the temperature, we can predict when a role becomes a different kind of work using time span of discretion.
Time Span of Discretion and Length of Longest Task
As a continuation of our time span of discretion chat yesterday,?I have added a table that aligns time span of discretion with work levels, a description of the nature of the work found at each level, and the general contribution each level makes to the organization.?
For example, as shown in the table below, if the length of the longest task in a role is found to fall in the time range of 1 day to 3 months, it is level one work.? The nature of the work at level one is work that can be done via procedures.? If the time span of discretion in a role (i.e. length of the longest task)?is found to fall between 3 months and 1 year, the work is level 2 work, and so on up the line.
Human Capability
Now adding in the human capability aspect, if I need to fill a level 2 role, it is in my best interest to fill the role with someone who is currently capable at level 2.? If I fill it with someone currently capable at level 1, s/he will not be able to do the work of the role.? If I fill it with someone capable above level 2, the person will likely be bored within six months.
|
? Work Level |
? Nature of Work |
? Contribution to Organization |
? Role Time Span (not task) |
|
? 5 |
Optimizing a business model, strategy, or concept. |
Optimizing a total system (business unit) to bring about 5-10 year objectives. |
? 5-10 years |
|
? 4 |
Coordinating and balancing two or more serial paths to get to the solution of a problem. ? |
Translating conceptual strategy into operations.? Recommend changes to current operations to support strategy to meet 2+ year targets. ? |
? 2-5 years |
|
? 3 |
Devising one or more paths to get to the solution of a problem. |
Making daily operations excellent, i.e. creating/refining best practices for use of current resources.? Implementation planning and execution.? Contingency planning. ? |
? 1-2 years |
|
? 2 |
Accumulating data to draw conclusions from. Diagnosing a problem from a multi-factor model ? |
Daily production oversight for goods/services, i.e. getting staff hired, trained, scheduled and producing to spec.? Deal with exceptions.? Cumulative analysis. ? |
? 3-12 months |
|
? 1 |
Following a procedure.? If that doesn’t work, follow another. ? |
Following procedures to create a product to specification or to deliver a service as trained. ? |
? 1 day-3 months |
?This table is based upon the work of Elliott Jaques as featured in his meta-model Requisite Organization.
I’m OK.? You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system.
What level of work are you holding your direct reports accountable for?
Filed Under Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Talent Management, Work Levels
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