In many organisations, traditional tools like Excel and Visio have long been the go-to solution for org design operations. Although these tools provide a clear view of hierarchies and reporting lines, they often leave HR teams with an outdated picture of the organisation that fails to keep up with changes.
More often than not, org design is treated as a back-office function, emerging only in response to major events like restructures or leadership changes, instead of being an ongoing strategic priority.
While these methods worked in the past, today’s fast-changing business environment calls for a more agile, data-driven approach to org design.
Time to move your org design operations out of the 90s
Despite evolving business demands, many organisations still cling to tools and practices designed for the 90s. Excel and Visio might offer structure, but they often oversimplify the realities of growing and changing businesses. When your org design depends solely on these static tools, more time goes into arranging boxes than creating a structure that works. While these tools capture headcount, reporting lines and hierarchies, they miss the insights needed to shape a resilient workforce.
Here are some common challenges with traditional org design tools:
Limited visualisation: While tools like Visio and Excel can create charts, they often lack advanced visualisation options, making it difficult to represent complex organisational structures like agile teams effectively.
Disconnected from business data: Traditional tools are often disconnected from live business data, meaning that critical information like performance metrics, role duplication and workforce gaps are overlooked.
Ineffective workforce modelling: Manual tools do not support dynamic workforce modelling, making it difficult to adapt to changing business needs. This can hinder the ability to quickly reorganise teams or assess talent gaps in response to shifting priorities.
Time-consuming processes: Manual tools require significant time to update and maintain, as any changes in the workforce must be manually reflected in the charts.
Security concerns: Manual tools often lack security features such as single sign-on or user-based access controls. This can expose sensitive HR data to unauthorised users, increasing the risk of data breaches and compliance issues.
Org design operations is much more than drawing up hierarchies—it’s about building a structure that aligns with your business strategy, prepares for future challenges and enables growth.
A modern approach: Data-driven org design operations
1. Use data to shape the future
Gone are the days when org design meant just filling boxes in a chart. With real-time data, you can design structures that flex with your organisation’s needs. Metrics such as headcount, span of control and role duplication give you deeper insights into how well your structure supports current and future goals.
For instance, if you’re planning market expansion, data-driven org design tools can help assess the right balance of roles across teams and departments. You can model various scenarios and choose the one that aligns best with your strategy.
2. Align structure with strategy
Effective org design isn’t just about cost reduction or meeting headcount targets – it’s about aligning your structure with your organisation’s strategic priorities. This means designing around growth opportunities, market expansion and operational efficiency, not just controlling spans and layers. When your organisational design efforts are aligned with your business strategy, you ensure that your teams are set up to deliver on key objectives.
Incorporating data beyond traditional HR metrics—like vacancy rates, skill gaps, or retirement risks—enables leaders to make informed decisions that build a future-ready workforce. The goal isn’t to fill empty boxes but to create a structure that delivers on strategic objectives.
3. Treat organisation design as a continuous process
One of the biggest mistakes organisations make is treating org design as a one-off project. After a restructure, many companies fail to track whether the new structure is working. Are roles still aligned with strategic objectives? Are there unexpected bottlenecks? Embracing continuous organisation design ensures your structure evolves alongside your business needs.
Encourage department heads and managers to take ownership of their part of the org structure. With tools that allow them to track changes in real time, they’ll be more invested in maintaining accurate data and adapting quickly to new priorities.
4. Empower Leaders with Self-Serve Access
Org design shouldn’t be limited to HR or senior executives. Department leaders need visibility into their teams’ structure to make informed decisions. Providing real-time access to interactive org charts ensures that structural changes are collaborative and aligned with business strategy from the start.
During restructures, these org design tools also speed up communication by allowing leaders to present updated charts, cost projections and impact analyses during meetings. This reduces the need for post-meeting admin, making the process smoother and faster.
5. Plan for multiple scenarios
Instead of waiting for crises to trigger a restructure, modern org design tools let you plan for multiple scenarios. Whether you’re preparing for growth, downsizing or reorganisation, scenario planning helps you make better decisions and avoid rushed changes.
Testing different models ensures you’re ready for anything, giving your organisation the flexibility to thrive even in uncertain times.
Below is an example of a workforce modelling view in a modern org design tool that follows all of the above principles:
The bottom line: org design operations is a continuous strategy
In today’s fast-moving business world, organisation design needs to be more than a reactive response to leadership changes or market shifts. A data-driven, dynamic approach helps future-proof your business by ensuring your structure remains aligned with strategy over time.
The right tools make organisation design easier, more effective and collaborative. Want to experience the benefits of a modern org design solution? Book a free demo today and enjoy 14 days of full access to our tool—no strings attached.
