Instead of an overt focus on “fit” and “congruence,” designers must recognize the complex environment of organizations. “Organizations face multiple environments and these environments evolve continuously. Designers should avoid rigid configurations of components and tight alignments with environmental elements” (p. 17). Designs can be evaluated for agility rather than fit (Alberts, 2012).

Instead of a focus on hierarchy and structure to guide behavior of organizational members, “organization designs should emerge from ‘design thinking’ by invoking principles that generate empathy with users, identify related worlds, and test new ideas via rapid prototyping” (p. 17). They can pilot design efforts on a smaller scale before bringing them throughout the organization.

Instead of a focus on design to control behavior and contribute to stability, designs should be emergent. “Organization designs should propel organizations away from equilibrium for that is where self-organizing processes can occur. Designs should set in motion novel actions in pursuit of novel goals” (p. 17).

Instead of developing designs to fit with an existing environment, “designers may seek to change environments to render them more munificent for and receptive to organizations” (p. 17).

Instead of designs being abstract and theoretical ideas, “design principles can be elicited by behavioral simulations in the laboratory and discovered by acting within 3D virtual environments” such as with avatars in virtual worlds where designs can be tested. (p. 17)

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Future Trends in Organization Design Theory and Practice

Big data

Digital technologies, platforms, and business models

Sustainability and the triple bottom line

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Anderson, Organization Design

SAGE Publishing, 2019