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Descriptions of
Management Toolbox Materials & Tools
INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS
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MGM'T EDU'N PROGRAM
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MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
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<-- MANAGEMENT & PLANNING
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METHODS, TOOLS, MATERIALS
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Complete, fully integrated program:
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Unified Practice of
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4 books/manuals, 6 booklets;
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Management TM
System
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Checklist of planning steps;
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5 major innovative models;
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Checklists of factors to analyze;
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200 instructional exhibits.
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Emphasizes planning
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List of possible statements
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Unified Practice of
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versus ad hoc
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of goals, strategies, tactics;
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ManagementTM
Model
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problem solving and
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Qualitative Information Base;
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Knowledge of concepts, methods,
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decision making.
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Diagrammatic
Knowledge BaseTM
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tools, practices. Skill development.
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Emphasizes Team
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12 college credits; MBA credits
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Approach
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. . . and much more
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● Improve
individual and team per-
● Reduce operational prob-
● Enable managers to deal
formance of management functions
lems and conflicts by 20%
with 50 to 100 times more
by 50% to
100%. or more.
strategic information.
● Improve
team (boss-subordinate,
● Help managers save at
● Help identify more
intraunit, and interunit) relation-
least 20% of their time.
opportunities, threats, and
ships by as much as 100%.
problems—and sooner.
This system is a
state-of-the-art integration of several innovative knowledge
management tools and practices, learning organization practices,
general management and leadership concepts and practices, and
management and organization development practices—all within a
strategic planning (management) context. Some consultants’
methods, tools, and materials have been computerized for greater
“do-it-yourself management.” We use these tools to facilitate
strategic analysis, planning, and decision-making processes that
are computer-assisted from beginning to end.
Most of the
following tools are not licensed outright. We generally
license them for a client's continued use prior to the
consulting engagement during which they will first be
utilized on a facilitated basis.
The checklist tools
mentioned below are used to perform very detailed
zero-base systems analyses
(ZBSAs)―i.e.,
"from
scratch" and more improvement- than problem-oriented analyses―within
the context of a strategic planning process. Their use results
in the development of both
qualitative and diagrammatic knowledge
bases, which we firmly believe help
maximize organizational learning (like a "learning
organization on steroids"). The development, use, and
benefits of these strategic planning knowledge bases are
described in the book, Next-Generation Management,
Leadership, and organization Development.
[Click here
to go to the book's page on this website.]
[back to top]
MANAGEMENT,
LEADERSHIP, AND ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT
The methods and
tools listed below help guide an organization through a
(diagrammatic) analysis of how numerous
internal/organizational and external factors are interacting
with and upon each other, and, as a result, are influencing
motivation, attitudes, interactions, task behavior, and
performance within all major levels and groups
of an organization. This process is exceptionally powerful
and helps generate many insightful organizational and human
resources plans and solutions.
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74-page
Index
(6-level
spreadsheet outline/checklist)
of Major
Socio-Technical/Cultural Factors
that influence motivation, attitudes, behavior, interactions,
and performance within an organization. This index is
essentially an organizational behavior taxonomy or a Dewey
Decimal System type of categorization of socio-technical or
cultural factors. It is like having an "organizational
behavior expert on a disk." When filled in during a
strategic planning (zero-base systems) analysis, it constitutes
an "Organizational
Behavior Qualitative Information Base"
of mostly tacit information.
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A
methodology for (using the checklist and)
diagramming the analysis of
organizational systems, structures, and attitudinal and
behavioral phenomena.
Like Systems Analysis approaches, this diagram depicts
structures and flows of information, materials, and services
(etc.). However, it also shows how socio-technical/cultural
factors are influencing structures, flows, motivation,
attitudes, task behavior, interdepartmental interactions, and
performance throughout the organization. [Once such a
diagram is computerized, it becomes a "diagrammatic knowledge
base" or DKB.]
MARKETING
AND STRATEGIC PLANNING
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186-page,
Index (8-level spreadsheet
outline/checklist) of Industry,
Marketplace and Marketing Mix Factors
(a “marketing meta-construct” of approximately 3,500
variables): industry structure, competitors,
practices — 45 pages; products (or services) — 26
pages; consumer demographics, attitudes, behavior — 26
pages; distribution channels — 18 pages; general, push,
and pull promotion — 61 pages; pricing — 17 pages;
and competitive strengths and weaknesses checklist — 13
pages. This index is essentially a marketing taxonomy or a Dewey
Decimal System type of categorization of marketplace-related
factors. It is like having a "marketing expert on a disk."
Although this checklist is primarily an analytic tool for
performing very detailed "zero-base marketing (systems)
analyses," especially during strategic planning processes, it
also provides a framework for developing a “Marketing
Qualitative Information Base"
of mostly tacit information harvested from participants' minds.
(Sub-checklists are pictured below.)
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126-page
Index (spreadsheet
outline/checklist) of External/Outside
Forces and Factors
that will tend to affect an industry and/or given organization
over time (a “business environment meta-construct”). Is based on
our extensive files concerning (a) factors, phenomena, and
trends in numerous technological areas; (b) phenomena,
events, and trends in numerous industries; (c)
economic factors, phenomena, data, and trends; (d)
socio-cultural factors, phenomena, data, and trends; (e)
governmental factors, phenomena, and trends; (f)
international factors, phenomena, and trends; and (g)
environmental factors, phenomena, and trends; etc. This
index is essentially a business environment taxonomy or a Dewey
Decimal System type of categorization of factors external to an
organization. Along with the marketing checklist described
above, it is used to perform very detailed "zero-base
industry/marketplace/business environment systems analyses"―especially
during strategic planning processes. (This sub-checklist is
pictured below at the top of the middle group.)
![](checklists%20pic_cmprsd.jpg)
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A
methodology
for developing a wall-size diagram of a company's entire
Industry/Marketplace and Business Environment Analysis (the many
factors or variables, their relationships, and associated key
data). [Once such a wall diagram is computerized,
it becomes a "diagrammatic knowledge base" or DKB.]
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A four foot by eight
foot
diagram of
(projected) phenomena
occurring over the next twenty years in various areas:
technologies; industries; government; the economy; the culture;
etc. The model is a condensed, visual version of (a) the
External Forces/Factors Checklist mentioned above, and (b)
information compiled over approximately thirty years.
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A
300-page
Planning Manual
on
the analysis, goal-setting, planning, budgeting, and
decision-making functions involved in strategic/long-range
planning, annual planning, and (ad hoc) problem solving and
decision making.
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A
(computerized)
72-page Checklist
of Strategic/Long-Range Planning Steps
(both methodological and organizational steps)—a four-level
outline of steps and sub-steps, tips, suggestions, and
references to pages in the printed planning manual that explain
“how to.”
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A
methodology and a TeamThink WallTM design for
diagramming an entire
“time-lapse
industry, marketplace, and business environment analysis”
(as a basis
for strategic/long-range planning scenario analysis).
[back to top]
FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
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100-page,
Index (spreadsheet
outline/checklist) of Financial Factors
(a “meta-construct” of many financial variables): main
fInancial factors — 64 pages; industry financial factors
— 12 pages; financial laws and regulations — 6 pages;
external financial entities and forces — 11 pages;
financial ratios (with built-in spreadsheet calculators) — 6
pages; and (statements of) alternative goals and objectives
— 2 pages. This index is essentially a financial taxonomy or a
Dewey Decimal System type of categorization of financial
variables. It is like having a "financial expert on a disk."
Although this checklist is primarily an analytic tool for
performing very detailed "zero-base financial (systems)
analyses," especially during strategic planning processes, it
also provides a framework for developing a “Financial
Qualitative Information Base"
of mostly tacit information harvested from participants' minds.
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45-page (at
present),
Index (spreadsheet
outline/checklist) of
Operations/Production Factors
(a “meta-construct” of many production variables):
product-related factors — 36 pages; competitors'
facilities factors — 2 pages; company facilities — 2
pages (for now); and task-related/technological factors —
5 pages. This index is essentially a production taxonomy or a
Dewey Decimal System type of categorization of operational
variables. It is like having an "operations/production expert
on a disk." Although this checklist is primarily an analytic
tool for performing very detailed "zero-base production
(systems) analyses," especially during strategic planning
processes, it also provides a framework for developing a “Production
Qualitative Information Base"
of mostly tacit information harvested from participants' minds.
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
The following are tools for collecting, validating,
formatting, diagramming, sharing, storing, and using
information.
●
Marketing
Qualitative Information Base
The
computerized 186-page, 8-level Index (outline/checklist)
of Industry, Marketplace and Marketing Mix Factors
described above, while an analytic tool, is also a
framework for developing this database of tacit (mostly
qualitative or subjective) information harvested from team
members' minds.
●
Marketing
Diagrammatic
Knowledge BaseTM
A computerized 160 to
256+ square foot, company-specific
Industry,
Marketplace, and Business Environment Diagram—complete
with pop-up maps and graphs of data associated with the
diagrammed entities, variables, phenomena, and their
relationships—that can serve as an interface to access data from
additional sources. (Basic pre-drawn templates for the
healthcare and energy/utilities industries are under
development.)
●
Production/Operations
Qualitative Information Base
The
computerized 45-page Index (outline/checklist) of
Production/Operations Factors described above, while an
analytic tool, is also a framework for developing this
database of tacit (mostly qualitative or subjective) information
harvested from team members' minds.
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Production/Operations
Diagrammatic
Knowledge BaseTM
A computerized 160 to
256+ square foot, company-specific
Production/Operations System Diagram—complete
with pop-up graphs of data associated with the diagrammed
variables, phenomena, and their relationships—that can serve as
an interface to access data from additional sources.
●
Financial
Qualitative
Information Base
The
computerized 100-page Index (outline/checklist) of
Financial Factors described above, while an analytic tool,
is also a framework for developing this database of tacit
(mostly qualitative or subjective) information harvested from
team members' minds.
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Organizational Behavior
Qualitative Information Base
The 74-page
Index
(outline/checklist) of Major Socio-Technical/Cultural Factors
mentioned above, when filled in, constitutes an “Organizational
Behavior Qualitative Information Base” of tacit information
harvested from participants' minds.
●
Organizational Behavior
Diagrammatic Knowledge BaseTM
Such a
knowledge base is the result of diagramming a
checklist-assisted (zero-base) analysis of organizational
systems, structures, and attitudinal and behavioral phenomena.
Like Systems Analysis approaches, this diagram depicts
structures and flows of information, materials, and services
(etc.). However, it also shows how socio-technical/cultural
factors are influencing structures, motivation, attitudes, task
behavior, intra- and inter-departmental interactions,
input/output flows, and performance throughout the organization.
[See PDF document: How
advanced methods and tools (such as qualitative and
diagrammatic knowledge bases)
significantly improve managers' and leaders' think-work
processes]
[back to top]
TEAM THINKING & LEARNING CENTERS
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Various possible designs of a
TeamThink WallTM
(diagramming surface) for analysis, problem-solving,
decision-making, and strategic/long-range planning purposes.
We have been diagramming complex industries, organizations,
and situations on specially constructed walls ever since
1976―years before the terms "mind mapping," "influence
diagrams," "information visualization," and "information
architecture" were coined. Our earliest “wall” (1976) was 160
square feet. The largest wall to date was 256+ square feet (32'
wide by 8' to 10' high). It had hundreds and hundreds of objects
on it―entities, factors/variables, their cause-effect or
sequential relationships, and key bits of data associated with
them. Such a wall model is a visual summary and integration
of large amounts of both qualitative and quantitative
information.
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Developing a huge diagram of a
TeamThink WallTM
(pictured below)
helps a group deal with the
complexities of a real-world situation
visually.
It enables analysts, planners, decision makers, and policy
makers to handle (make sense of, interrelate, and brainstorm) at
least
50 to 100 times more information
during think-work processes. Because the most strategically
significant information is on the wall right in front of them,
and because they have helped develop everything on the diagram
from scratch, they need not try to juggle it all mentally.
[Remember Miller's "Magical number seven (factors mentally
manageable at a time), plus or minus two."] This leaves
their minds free to analyze, sequence, interrelate, and/or
integrate many bits of information
more easily
and effectively, to be more insightful and creative, and to
better recognize what's going on, why, and what to do about it.
[Developing a DKB involves "information visualization
architecture or design."]
The above 256 square foot wall
contains an Illinois county's
1992 Long-Range Economic
Development Planning analysis. We
use this example because we do
not make public our business
clients' strategic planning DKBs
(diagrammatic knowledge bases).
Diagrammatic knowledge bases (DKBs) can illustrate and contain
both qualitative and quantitative information regarding, for
example:
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entities
and variables operating in a company's industry,
marketplace, and external business environment;
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the
operational, intelligence, and logistical activities or
phenomena occurring throughout an entire theater of military
operations; or
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how
socio-technical/cultural factors are influencing the
motivation, attitudes, behavior, activities, interactions,
flows of task-related inputs and outputs, and performance
both within and between organizational levels and units.
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A
hardware/software system
for projecting a
Diagrammatic Knowledge Base
(a computerized wall diagram of, for example, one of the three
items above)
onto a rear projection wall―real
time, seamlessly, and in its entirety in the type of strategic
planning warroom pictured above, so that it can be used and
modified interactively.
The rear projection
wall is not just one screen or a series of monitors, but a whole
"continuous wall." [Using our design, a 256 square foot
rear projection wall can be constructed for about $4,000!]
[back to top]
Contact
Information:
R. D. Cecil and Company
1151 Middle Road — Suite B
Dixon, Illinois
61021-3904
1-815312-2571
Sales and Support
Telephone:
1-815-312-2571
Hours: 10:00 A.M. to
5:00 P.M. Central (Chicago) Time, Monday through Friday
Fax: as above, but call
ahead
E-mail:
rdc1@rdcecil.com
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