1. Discuss the phases of OD diagnostic.

OD Strategy: Five Phases

TD professionals should integrate OD skills with the growing number of L&D, performance
improvement, and talent management solutions focused upon increasing organizational
effectiveness. The process used by OD practitioners to design and implement organizational
development strategies is structured in five phases:
Entry represents the initial contact between consultant and client in which they present,
explore, and identify the problem, opportunities, or situation. The output of this phase is an
engagement contract or project plan that establishes mutual expectations and preliminary
agreements about project scope (such as time, money, and resources).
Diagnosis (assessment) represents the fact-finding phase. It is a collaborative data gathering
process between organizational stakeholders and the consultant in which relevant
information about the presenting problem is gathered, analyzed, and reviewed.
Feedback represents the return of analyzed information to the client or client system;
exploration of the information for understanding, clarity, and accuracy; review of
preliminary agreements about scope and resource requirements; and the beginning of
ownership of data by the client. The output of this phase is typically an action plan that
outlines the change solutions to be developed, along with defined success indicators based
on the information and data analysis.
Solution represents the design, development, and implementation of the solution or set of
solutions meant to correct the problems, close gaps, improve or enhance organizational
performance and effectiveness, or seize opportunities. Outputs may include a
communication plan, a role-and-responsibility matrix, a training plan, a training curriculum,
an implementation plan, a risk management plan, an evaluation plan, or a change
management plan.<.li>
Evaluation represents the continuous process of collecting formative and summative
evaluation data to determine whether the initiative is meeting the intended goals and
achieving defined success indicators. Outputs generally include an evaluation report with
recommendations for continuous improvement.
2. Outline the OD diagnostic process.
The 5 Step Organisational Development (O.D.) Process
O.D. or Organisational Development is a rather grey area, with few understanding what it
truly involves and how it differs from HR. The simple 5-step Organisational Development
(O.D.) process outlined below should shed light on its key role within an organisation.
The process is as follows:
1. Identify the needs of the organisation
Step one is about identifying the organisations current processes and skills and then
comparing these to where it wants/needs to be. This should be done in a structured way and
be given some serious thought. For example, it could be forecasting a significant number of
retirements within 5-10 years. This would leave a huge gap within the organisation.
Alternatively, it could be acknowledging requirements for a different skillset to keep up with
technologies and remain competitive. So, it is about identifying risk and deciding how to
deal with it. The use of diagnostic tools such as PESTLE Analysis for strategic planning or
conducting a SWOT Analysis can help to make the process robust and objective.
2. Decide on how to address those needs
Step two looks at addressing the needs that have been identified. The key is to be as
objective as possible and to think carefully about the various solutions before selecting any.
Looking at the various options before selecting one is key, as we are often criticised for
jumping in at the first solution. There are a number of framework standards that are quite
useful to help benchmark against, for example, the ISO framework or Investors in People,
that provide another set of questions to evaluate your organisation against.
In addition, you may wish to look at McKinsey’s 7-S Model or Burke Litwin’s O.D. process
model where you can analyse how everything interrelates within your organisation in order
to decide what the outputs are you’re trying to achieve and align the interventions against
them.
3. Select your intervention
These are four types of interventions and you may do one or more of these:
Human: Coaching people, carrying out training programmes, getting people to work in
groups or facilitating teams of people to do things differently.
Business: Including Business Process Engineering and Lean Six Sigma.
HR: Looking at performance management processes, using psychometrics to identify
personality types and evaluate your workforce.
Strategic Processes Interventions: These could include transformation programmes or
cultural change.
4. Implement the intervention
We would recommend that at this stage you take a structured approach to delivering the
change because that is where all too often we don’t do the change well because it isn’t
thought through properly. It isn’t just about starting the change, it is about making sure that
it is well-managed. This isn’t easy to do, and is a topic we have covered in other blogs and is
talked about on The HR Uprising Podcast series: The 5 Secret Powers Of A Change
Superhero

5. Evaluating the impact

The final important stage is to evaluate the change. So, if we’re managing it effectively from
the start, where we are identifying the needs and gaps, then we should have clear goals on
what we are trying to achieve as a result of the initiative or change.
Often we don’t stop to reflect and ask, how did we do? Did we achieve the outcome we
wanted? Do we need to do more? What else do we need to learn? These are all critical
questions we should be asking as part of the 5-step O.D. Process.

3. Cite the purpose and challenges in OD diagnostic process.

The purpose of the organizational development process is to:

 identify and address problems instead of neglecting them.

 focus on human, social, relational, and structural changes.
 have a planned, proactive change in an organization, that addresses an identified
problem.
 have a holistic approach to change, instead of an uncoordinated piecemeal approach.
 establish measurable goals for organizational change.
 manage conflict, and increase trust and cooperation among employees.
 improve the organization's ability to solve problems.
 establish a process and culture of continuous improvement.

It achieves these goals through a structured approach to change that incorporates

measurable goals and multiple feedback loops that ensure the correct solution is being
applied in an effective manner.

Some of the challenges are:

Fear of the unknown. Some employees are afraid to implement new plans because they’re
afraid of failure or reluctant to enter uncharted territory. They may be cynical about change
if past initiatives failed, or they may think the organization is fine as it is. Employees may
directly express this fear by complaining about new initiatives or passively by neglecting
their part in the process, for example, by arriving late to key process improvement meetings.
Conflicting goals. Sometimes, leaders disagree about a company’s ultimate goals. This
conflict often pertains to finances and allocation of resources, sometimes stemming from
poor communication between management branches. These issues can be handled
proactively by instituting clear communication channels before beginning new initiatives.
Burnout. Change can be exhausting, and employees may experience burnout if proper
supports are lacking. To avoid employee burnout, companies should keep the question “Is
this realistic?” at the forefront of all steps of the process and ensure that employees are
maintaining an appropriate work-life balance.
Lack of leadership. Key leaders may leave an organization, forcing the remaining employees
to scramble to fill the gaps. Additionally, current leadership may lack effective
communication or teambuilding skills. Each scenario can make organizational change more
difficult.
Lack of understanding of planned changes. Employees expect well-planned and predictable
changes, so when surprises or missteps occur, they can lose faith in the process. Creating a
timetable for the changes and clearly articulating the problems that may occur can help
avoid these issues.
Difficulty changing the mission or values. During periods of change, some employees may
feel that the company’s mission doesn’t align with the new initiatives. This may cause
resistance to change.

4. Discuss the methods of data collection in OD diagnosis.

Here are the top 5 data collection methods and examples that we’ve summarized for you:

1. Surveys and Questionnaires

Surveys and questionnaires, in their most foundational sense, are a means of obtaining data
from targeted respondents with the goal of generalizing the results to a broader public.
Almost everyone involved in data collection, especially in the business and academic sector
relies on surveys and questionnaires to obtain credible data and insights from their target
audience.
Here are several key points to remember when utilizing this data collection method:
Surveys can be easily done online and with ease. Fact that the digital landscape is constantly
evolving, online surveys are becoming more and more prevalent every day.
Online surveys can be accessed anytime and anywhere. The accessibility that online surveys
and questionnaires provide is one of the most significant advantages that you can utilize to
collect data from your target audience with ease.
Low price method. Compared to the other data collection methods, creating surveys and
questionnaires don’t require large spends.
Offers a wide range of methods of data collection. When utilizing surveys and
questionnaires, you will have the power to collect different data types such as opinions,
values, preferences, etc.
Flexibility when it comes to analyzing data. Surveys and questionnaires are easier to analyze
compared to other methods.
2. Interviews
An interview is accurately defined as a formal meeting between two individuals in which the
interviewer asks the interviewee questions in order to gather information. An interview not
only collects personal information from the interviewees, but it is also a way to acquire
insights into people’s other skills.
Here is the summary of advantages you can gain from this data collection method:
Conducting interviews can help reveal more data about the subject. Interviews can assist
you in explaining, understanding, and exploring the perspectives, behavior, and experiences
of participants.
Interviews are more accurate. Since it is an interview, subjects won’t be able to falsify their
identities such as lying about their age, gender, or race.
An interview is a flowing and open-ended conversation. Unlike other methods, interviews
enable interviewers to ask follow-up questions in order to better understand the subject.
Should you want to take advantage of this data collection method, you can refer to the table
below for guidance:
3. Observations
The observation method of data collection involves seeing people in a certain setting or
place at a specific time and day. Essentially, researchers study the behavior of the individuals
or surroundings in which they are analyzing. This can be controlled, spontaneous, or
participant-based research.
Here are the advantages of Observation as a data collection method:
Ease of data collection. This data collection method does not require researchers’ technical
skills when it comes to data gathering.
Offers detailed data collection. Observations give researchers the ability and freedom to be
as detail-oriented as possible when it comes to describing or analyzing their subjects’
behaviors and actions.
Not dependent on people’s proactive participation. The Observation method doesn’t
require people to actively share about themselves, given the fact that some may not be
comfortable with doing that.
When a researcher utilizes a defined procedure for observing individuals or the
environment, this is known as structured observation. When individuals are observed in their
natural environment, this is known as naturalistic observation. In participant observation,
the researcher immerses himself or herself in the environment and becomes a member of
the group being observed.
Here are relevant case studies and citations from PRESSBOOKS that provide in-depth
examples of Observational research.
Structured Observation
“Researchers Robert Levine and Ara Norenzayan used structured observation to study
differences in the “pace of life” across countries (Levine & Norenzayan, 1999). One of their
measures involved observing pedestrians in a large city to see how long it took them to walk
60 feet. They found that people in some countries walked reliably faster than people in
other countries. For example, people in Canada and Sweden covered 60 feet in just under 13
seconds on average, while people in Brazil and Romania took close to 17 seconds. When
structured observation takes place in the complex and even chaotic “real world,” the
questions of when, where, and under what conditions the observations will be made, and
who exactly will be observed are important to consider.
Naturalistic Observation
“Jane Goodall’s famous research on chimpanzees is a classic example of naturalistic
observation. Dr. Goodall spent three decades observing chimpanzees in their natural
environment in East Africa. She examined such things as chimpanzee’s social structure,
mating patterns, gender roles, family structure, and care of offspring by observing them in
the wild. However, naturalistic observation could more simply involve observing shoppers in
a grocery store, children on a school playground, or psychiatric inpatients in their wards.
Researchers engaged in naturalistic observation usually make their observations as
unobtrusively as possible so that participants are not aware that they are being studied.ng
that.”
Participant Observation
“Another example of participant observation comes from a study by sociologist Amy Wilkins
(published in Social Psychology Quarterly) on a university-based religious organization that
emphasized how happy its members were (Wilkins, 2008). Wilkins spent 12 months
attending and participating in the group’s meetings and social events, and she interviewed
several group members. In her study, Wilkins identified several ways in which the group
“enforced” happiness—for example, by continually talking about happiness, discouraging
the expression of negative emotions, and using happiness as a way to distinguish
themselves from other groups.”
4. Records and Documents
This data collection method involves analyzing an organization’s existing records and
documents to track or project substantial changes over a specific time period. The data may
include the following:
Email logs
Staff reports
Call logs
Databases
Information logs
Minutes of meetings
Here are the significant advantages of using records and documents as a data collection
method for your business:
The data is already available. There is no need for you to conduct any active research
because the information you need is already made available.
Easy tracking of collected data. Records and documents will allow you to recheck the history
of a specific event that can help you find answers to questions, such as why your supplies
ran out way outside your projected schedule for example.
Examples of Records and Documents:
Customer Database
Courtesy of Excel Esquire
5. Focus Groups
A focus group is a group interview of six to twelve persons with comparable qualities or
shared interests. A moderator leads the group through a series of planned topics. The
moderator creates an atmosphere that encourages people to discuss their thoughts and
opinions. Focus groups are a type of qualitative data collection in which the information is
descriptive and cannot be quantified statistically.
Here are the advantages of Focus Groups as a data collection method:
Easy collection of qualitative data. Focus groups can easily collect qualitative data since the
moderator can ask questions to determine the respondents’ reactions.
Non-verbal cues can be easily observed. The presence of the moderator is an essential part
of the data collection. With the moderator around, it will be easier to obtain data from non-
verbal responses from the participants.
Since Focus Groups are commonly carried out in person, there are no tangible examples to
refer to. Moreover, here’s a diagram from QuestionPro to show how it works:

5. Outline the OD diagnostic report.

steps of a diagnostic report
First, identify the audience. A diagnostic report for a small company with a single CEO will
look very different than one for a large corporation with a board of directors and external
shareholders. Knowing the target for the report will determine how much external research
is needed, how much background information will be required to explain business processes
and the extent to which internal business terms need to be defined.
Next, define the scope of the report. Define the goals, expectations and what results the
outcome could have. Normally, the goal is to measure the business’ current performance to
help with strategic planning. This could be taking place on a broad, organization-wide scale,
or with a more narrow focus into one aspect of the business; this is why it’s important to
define the scope from the beginning. It’s also best to emphasize how the diagnostics will
help the business' performance.
Explain the methodologies used to analyze the data. Depending on the audience, this may
be a brief overview, or it may need a few paragraphs explaining the assumptions and
methods. It may be best to include a few examples within the main body of the report;
selected quotes from a customer satisfaction survey, for example, or a summary of
operating budget numbers. If the report includes an industry-wide analysis for benchmarks,
explain where the comparable information came from.
Next, present the conclusions that have been drawn from the analysis. Be sure these are
supported by numbers and facts. Each claim or finding should be supported by a selection of
the representative data. Keep the audience and the objectives in mind when identifying
these conclusions; the diagnostic report is both about identifying weak areas and
highlighting internal strengths that can provide opportunities for improvement.
Ensure the document is professionally written, and that all graphs and charts are self-
identifying. It’s a good idea to either attach the raw data in an appendix or – if there’s an
unwieldy amount – make sure it’s available to the audience after they’ve read the report.