Target Operating Model
Target operating model design and delivery.
A target operating model is where strategy stops being a statement of intent and becomes a set of decisions about people, process, technology, data and governance. Most TOM work fails not in the design but in the distance between the design and the organisation that has to live in it. We design operating models we are prepared to implement.
From strategy to a model that can actually run
We start from the outcomes the organisation is accountable for and work backwards: what capabilities are required, at what level of maturity, and who owns each one. That capability map becomes the spine of the design — services, processes, roles, technology and data all hang from it, so every element of the model can be traced to something the organisation needs to be good at.
We then design the current-to-target transition, not just the target. That includes the sequencing of change, the interim states the organisation will pass through, the cost envelope, and the point at which benefits begin to land. A TOM without a credible transition plan is a diagram.
Organisational design, done with the people affected
Structure, spans of control, role definitions and accountabilities are the most sensitive part of any operating model change. We work openly with HR, employee representatives and the leadership team, model the workforce implications honestly, and design consultation-ready structures rather than presenting a fait accompli.
Where roles change materially, we define the capability gaps and the training and recruitment plan to close them. Public sector clients benefit from experience of consultation processes, TUPE implications and shared-service arrangements.
Implementation and embedding
We stay through implementation. New processes are documented and taught, governance forums are stood up and chaired until they are self-sustaining, performance measures are defined and baselined, and the model is reviewed after the first operating cycle so early friction is designed out rather than tolerated.
Capabilities
What we bring
Capability mapping
The capabilities the strategy requires, and who owns each.
Process & service design
End-to-end processes designed around the customer or citizen.
Organisational design
Structures, spans, roles and accountabilities that stand up to scrutiny.
Technology & data alignment
Systems and information flows that support the model rather than constrain it.
Transition planning
Sequenced change, interim states, cost envelope and benefit timing.
Embedding & review
Governance, performance measures and a post-implementation reset.
Questions
Frequently asked
- How long does a TOM engagement take?
- Design typically takes eight to sixteen weeks depending on the size and complexity of the organisation. Implementation runs from six months to two years and is usually delivered as a programme.
- Do you handle the organisational design and consultation as well?
- We design consultation-ready structures and model workforce implications, working alongside your HR and employee relations teams who lead the formal consultation itself.
- Can you implement a target operating model someone else designed?
- Yes. We frequently test an existing design for deliverability, close the gaps, and then lead the implementation programme.
Talk to us about your operating model
Bring us the strategy and the constraints. We will tell you honestly whether the operating model you have in mind can be delivered.