Rapid enterprise design

Abstract

Existing methods for redesigning organizations are often not capable of meeting the required rate of change. This applies in particular to development methods for IT applications: the average automation procedure takes around two years to implement. Therefore, there is an urgent need for methods that make it possible to redesign and restructure organizations, preferably in an integral manner, within a few months. This demands a fundamentally different (scientifically grounded) method that can precisely specify the necessary interaction between the organization, communication, and information (systems). In 1996, this idea formed the impulse for the quest for a method of Rapid Design that could embrace the entire Enterprise. This research describes a ten-year period oriented toward the design of organizations by means of Design & Engineering Methodology for Organizations (DEMO). The study has been assigned the name Rapid Enterprise Design, and cover the rapid design of an organizationâs business functions, business processes, structure, and information provision. In short, the study deals with the issue of whether or not DEMO is an adequate method for the design of both large and small organizations. Investigation was also performed on ways in which DEMO could be further supplemented with a project management method so that it could justifiably be regarded as a completely formal method. For the study, the Action Research method was chosen: a method in which research is performed in stages and research questions are formulated for each stage on the basis of the results of the previous stage. Twenty-eight projects were implemented using DEMO, three of which are described as case studies. In short, the conclusion of the research is that DEMO, supplemented by a project management approach, is an excellent method for the rapid (re)design of both small and large organizations.

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