Organisational Architecture - Free Template

The toolkit sets out all seven layers of the architecture on a single page - vision and strategy, target operating model, organisation design, the operational core of people, process and technology, and governance and reporting - with culture and leadership named as the climate that shapes every layer. Each layer has a one-line definition, so the whole stack reads as a dependency chain rather than a checklist. A summary card distils what the model is, when to reach for it, how to work through it layer by layer, and the common traps to watch for - a reference you can bring into a design or diagnostic conversation.

Start at the top and confirm vision and strategy before opening any question below them. Work down one layer at a time - each layer constrains the choices available to the next, so treat people, process and technology as consequences of your organisation design decisions rather than starting points. Check culture and leadership at every layer, not as an afterthought: it has no box on the pyramid because it shapes every layer's outcome. And watch for the most common failure - starting at the bottom, buying technology or restructuring before the design questions above them are settled.