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CONFERENCE MODEL®
| Purpose/ outcomes |
To engage a critical mass in creating new organizations / cultures by:
- Redesigning organizations and processes,
- Co-creating a vision for the future,
- Improving customer / supplier relationships; or
- Achieving strategic alignment.
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| Number of participants |
- 40 - ???? (includes conferences and walkthroughs)
- For large conference numbers, conduct simultaneous, parallel conferences; max. 100 people per conference, any number of parallel conferences. The total group holds periodic plenary sessions.
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| Type of Participants |
- Internal stakeholders - multi-level, cross-functional
- Customers, suppliers and other subject matter experts
- Other relevant external stakeholders - community members, families, etc.
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| Typical Duration |
Preparation: 2 - 3 months
Conferences: 2 - 3 days per conference(generally 3 conferences)
3- 6 weeks between conferences for walkthroughs
Total Transition: Variable |
| Brief Example |
Creating a unified culture across five affiliated hospitals and redesigning two key processes: patient care delivery and access and flow were the goals of Mercy Healthcare. Over 4000 people were involved in either conferences or walkthroughs. This resulted in a new cultural identity, increased patient satisfaction, and cost reductions of approximately 30 million dollars. |
| When to Use |
- Success requires both innovative thinking and widespread collaboration and support
- The change is crucial enough that it warrants engaging large numbers of people
- You want to create cultural shifts
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| When Not to Use |
- You can not support the model's underlying principles
- You want to make people "feel" involved as opposed to really being involved
- You are not committed to support and implement the process results
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| Impact on cultural assumptions |
- More people included in decision making
- Opens existing communication channels and creates new ones
- Increases system awareness and thinking
- Breaks down organizational silos and barriers thereby increasing collaboration
- Increases organizational learning
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| Creator(s) |
Dick and Emily Axelrod |
| Creation Date |
1991 |
| Historical Context Theory |
- General systems theory: Von-Bertalanffy
- STS and Search Conference: Trist and Emery
- Preferred futures: Lippitt
- Structural tension: Fritz
- Family systems: Bowen
- Learning theory: Kolb, Knowles, and Gardner
- Self organizing systems: Wheatley
- Group dynamics: Hackman, Gibb, Bradford
- Ritual: Somé and Ember-Black
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more information about Conference Model can be found at:
http://www.axelrodgroup.com/
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