Organisational design: Know your organisation course Syllabus

Overview: This course provides a practical, insight-driven introduction to organizational design, helping learners understand how organizations are structured and how they function. Over approximately 8–12 weeks, with a total time commitment of 30–40 hours, you’ll explore key elements like structure, processes, roles, and decision-making. Through real-world cases and diagnostic frameworks, you’ll develop the skills to analyze and improve organizational effectiveness—ideal for both new and experienced managers.

Module 1: Introduction to Organisational Design

Estimated time: 4 hours

• What organisational design is and why it matters
• How structure impacts performance, accountability, and outcomes
• Common organisational design challenges
• The link between strategy and structure

Module 2: Understanding Organisational Structure and Roles

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Types of organisational structures: functional, divisional, matrix
• Roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships
• How structure affects communication and coordination
• Strengths and weaknesses of different structural designs

Module 3: Processes, Decision-Making, and Coordination

Estimated time: 8 hours

• How work flows through organisations
• Decision rights and where authority lies
• Handoffs, dependencies, and coordination mechanisms
• Identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies in processes

Module 4: Diagnosing Organisational Effectiveness

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Applying diagnostic frameworks to evaluate design
• Assessing alignment between strategy, structure, and operations
• Analyzing real-world organisational cases
• Identifying misalignments and areas for improvement

Module 5: Analysing Roles and Workflows

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Mapping key roles and responsibilities
• Analysing workflows and task interdependencies
• Clarifying decision rights across levels
• Improving role clarity and accountability

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Conduct an organisational diagnosis of a real or hypothetical organisation
• Identify structural strengths, weaknesses, and misalignments
• Deliver a written assessment with recommendations for improvement

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with basic business concepts
• No prior experience in organisational design required
• Access to a real or case-based organisation for analysis

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Understand how organisational structure influences performance
• Analyse the interaction between strategy, structure, and people
• Diagnose inefficiencies in roles, workflows, and decision-making
• Assess organisational effectiveness using practical frameworks
• Identify and recommend improvements to organisational design