Business & Operating Model Alignment
AIA's recurring 'What / How' framework linking business definition (services, channels, customers) to operating-model design (people, infrastructure, systems & technology, culture, processes), used repeatedly across public-sector clients to align mandate, strategy, operating model and organisational design.
What it is
A two-part diagnostic and design framework: the 'Business' (WHAT) layer defines services, channels and customers against the mandate; the 'Operating' (HOW) layer defines the people, infrastructure, systems & technology, culture and processes needed to deliver on that mandate efficiently. AIA has applied this same structure, largely unchanged, across at least four different public-sector clients (CSIR, a GEMS innovation unit, an ESR entity, and further public-sector governance reviews).
Problem it solves
Organisational design projects often start with structure; this framework forces clients to first agree what they are there to do (mandate → business) before deciding how they will be organised to do it (operating model).
When to use
- A client needs to redesign or validate its operating model against its mandate
- An organisational design or restructuring project needs a defensible starting diagnostic
When not to use
- The mandate itself is contested or under active political/legislative revision — resolve the mandate question first
Key questions
- What processes drive delivery and information flow to clients/customers? (Business)
- What infrastructure, systems and staff capability/culture are needed? (Operating)
- How must resources be utilised for efficiency?
Inputs
- Legislative or organisational mandate
- Current service catalogue and customer/channel map
- Current org structure, systems and culture assessment
Steps
- 1Define the future state through mandate & strategyEstablish services, channels and customers required by the mandate and strategy (the 'Business'/WHAT layer).
- 2Design the operating modelDefine people, infrastructure, systems & technology, culture and processes needed to deliver the business layer (the 'Operating'/HOW layer).
- 3Align operating to businessTest and adjust the operating model until it is capable of delivering the defined business layer efficiently.
Outputs
- Business/operating model alignment diagnostic
- Target operating model design
- Input to organisational structure design
Common mistakes
- Designing the operating model (structure, systems) before the business/mandate layer is agreed
- Reusing a prior client's content instead of the framework structure
How to tailor
The Business (services/channels/customers) and Operating (people/infrastructure/systems/culture/processes) categories are fixed; the specific content in each box must be rebuilt per client mandate.
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