Interest in product-based organization design is accelerating rapidly as companies across industries strive to enhance agility, speed, and customer-centric outcomes. This trend is especially pronounced in organizations developing products and services that are becoming increasingly digital or digitally powered. While much attention has been given to designing high-performing product teams, we believe there is an opportunity to scale these principles more broadly across the organization while ensuring that all levers of Jay Galbraith’s Star Model are aligned to support this new way of working.

Yet, we encounter considerable confusion among business stakeholders regarding this topic. The term ‘product-based’ can mean different things to different people, and there are various interpretations of the same concept. So, what does it truly mean to organize around products in this context? Who are these new models best suited for? Furthermore, what are the implications for organization design?

In this presentation, we will explore what ‘product-based’ means from our perspective and experience. As this field is rapidly evolving, we invite you to join us in pressure testing these ideas and refining our collective understanding.

Kestas Sereiva is a Managing Director in Accenture’s Strategy, Operating Model & Org Design practice. He is a global thought leader on topics of Future of Enterprises in Age of AI and Enterprise Agility.

Kestas is highly experienced and skilled in strategy-led enterprise op model transformations with focus on getting business value from digital/tech investments.

With over 18 years in consulting, he has led programs on business and digital/tech strategy, scalable business platforms underpinned by digital core, operating model design and transformation (incl. agile), global mergers and acquisitions, capabilities and skills development (e.g. for GenAI).

His client portfolio spans Financial Services (e.g., retail, commercial, investment, wealth management), Technology (e.g., blockchain and crypto platforms, IT services), and Healthcare (e.g. biopharma, providers).

Prior to Accenture, Kestas has held leadership roles at BCG with responsibilities to build and commercialize products and offerings (e.g., AI capability build), drive thought leadership on digital/tech-led business and operating model transformations. Early in his career, he was a software engineer at an industrial software products company.

Kestas holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and BS in Computer Science from University of Washington in Seattle.

In this interactive session we will explore how to create collaborative and facilitated organization design methodologies.

We will briefly trace our journey to create a methodology for systematically engaging clients in successive levels of organization design and share the rationale behind creating adaptive and agile methodologies that put the people first in organization design initiatives. Through interactive discussions we will engage on how thoughtful organization design methodology empowers clients to shape their own futures, engages potentially the whole system in the process, and thus enables sustained lasting change.

Together, we will learn how to enhance practitioners’ organization design work and equip customers to build sustainable organization design practices by building human-centered methodologies.

Dr. Gary Frank is a consultant with more than 40 years of experience. His professional focus is to help people in organizations create high performance work systems using high engagement approaches to strategic planning, organization and process design, organization development, and change management. Gary has consulted with organizations in a variety of industries and market sectors including manufacturing, sales and service, consumer food products, health care, federal government, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, higher education, and law enforcement.

Gary is a partner of Change Xcelerators, LLC. He is the creator of The Change Kit® and the Team Performance Inventory©. He serves as adjunct faculty at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Gary has presented papers and symposia at the Ecology of Work (US and Europe), Organization Development Network, Organization Design Forum (US and Europe), and the Association for Quality and Participation. His published work appears in The Change Handbook: Group Methods for Changing the Future, People in Charge: Creating Self-Managing Workplaces, Discovering Common Ground, and Large Group Interventions.

Gary earned both his Ph.D. and MPA from University of Colorado.  He received a BA at Ohio University.

In this engaging 90-minute session we will explore,

• How post-covid organization’s challenges were diagnosed and a new strategy created to grow beyond traditional motorcycle sales
• The systematic approach to organizational design, including how the team crafted a strategic FROM-TO, design principles, and critical capabilities needed to deliver on the new strategy
• Practical methods for translating strategy and design principles into a new organizational structure and ways of working that enable high performance
• Specific leadership practices that transformed employee engagement from lowest to highest in the company, including approaches to active leadership alignment and engagement & transparent communication
• Real-world examples of how the organization navigated significant market challenges while maintaining focus on both strategic execution and team member engagement
• Key insights on sequencing and pacing organizational change, balancing structural shifts with cultural evolution to maintain business momentum
• Actionable lessons learned and practical takeaways that you can apply to your own organizational transformation efforts

Taylor Ziegler, Human Resources Leader at Harley-Davidson, played a pivotal role in shaping the workforce culture at Harley-Davidson, one of the most iconic Motorcycle brands in the world. As an HR leader, Taylor led key initiatives in talent acquisition, leadership development, and organizational strategy, ensuring that Harley-Davidson remains not only a leader in the industry but also an employer of choice.

Throughout her career, Taylor has been passionate about fostering a culture of impactful change and employee development; by driving business initiatives that prioritize business strategy, talent development, & employee growth.  She is known for her strategic mindset, people-first approach, and commitment to the business by creating high performing teams.

Taylor holds a BA in Marketing & Human Recourse Management, from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Continuously dedicated to evolving & advancing HR practices, embracing new technologies, and being a champion for the business and workforce.

In the pursuit of continued revenue and rapid market expansion, many of us have endured common design, change, and talent dilemmas. We will share example scenarios, ‘solutions’, and pitfalls from high-velocity growth clients, with a particular focus on…

• Aligning the Executive Team on the need for change and the new operating model vision
• When company culture becomes a growth-limiting factor
• Translating the business strategy and new operating model into actionable talent implications

Session participants will explore pragmatic, human-centered frameworks and tools, and will have the opportunity to practice applying them through a small group exercise.

Achieving the extraordinary often requires that people work together in new, unfamiliar ways. These new skills and behaviors don’t magically appear; they require focused and intentional practice to develop and master. 

Through a collaborative and interactive format, participants will explore the critical role of creating space for practice when activating a new organization design. Drawing inspiration from other practice-intensive disciplines, the session will demonstrate how structured practice can accelerate activation by building confidence, strengthening collaboration, and fostering innovation. 

Participants will have the opportunity to co-create and exchange knowledge, highlighting the power of relationships in shaping successful organizations.

The whiplash of short-term market chaos, evolving customer demands, fractured supply chains, and volatile operational capabilities pose a serious risk to businesses that fail to adapt.

This experiential session challenges participants to rethink organizational design using a ‘tear down to build up’ approach. Many organizations attempt to create human-centered workplaces but still rely on outdated ‘best practices’ designed for a more predictable and stable world. These practices, while once effective, are no longer sufficient in an era of exponential disruption.

Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, participants will gain actionable insights to dismantle barriers and build more flexible, human-centered organizations for today’s complex environment.

Brad Clark is a Partner of Organization & Talent at Navigate Corporation. He brings over 20 years of experience in Organization Development, helping companies of all shapes, sizes and industries challenge the traditional design principles that just aren’t working in today’s ever-changing markets. In addition to leading Navigate’s Organization & Talent Practice, Brad is a professor at the University of Cincinnati where he teaches Masters of Psychology students on the principles and practices of Organization Development, Design and Change.

Decision-making is a fundamental part of every aspect of organizational life, yet the methods we use are often unexamined. This leads to slow, inefficient processes that hinder progress and rarely produce optimal outcomes.

In this practical workshop, August partner Mike Arauz and Pivot Energy CEO, Tom Hunt illuminate challenges in organizational decision-making and share a simple, intuitive framework that will help your team make better, faster and more inclusive decisions. 

Using examples and outcomes from Pivot Energy’s recent decision-making transformation, Mike and Tom will share examples from their proven toolkit and provide opportunities for you to apply these practices to your own scenarios.

Participants will learn…

• Why RACI doesn’t work, and what to use instead
• The 3 fundamental mindset shifts needed for Empowered Decision Making
• How to choose a Decision Owner
• Who to include in a Stakeholder Map
• How to ditch consensus in favor of “Safe to Try”
• A toolkit of Empowered Decision Making practices to try right away with your teams

Tom Hunt is the CEO of Pivot Energy, where he has overseen the organization’s rapid growth and strategic expansion within the complex, high-impact world of renewable energy. He is a vocal advocate for empowered decision making as a lever for meaningful impact and healthy company cultures. Prior to joining Pivot, he served as Senior VP of Corporate Development at Clean Energy Collective and Senior Policy Advisor at the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office. In these roles he has overseen construction and operations of solar projects, created multiple state markets for community solar, and initiated significant investment in electric vehicle charging stations. He has an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and has earned two graduate degrees in energy economics.

Participants will explore how these relational approaches foster organizations that are connected, adaptive, and truly human-centered. Through case examples, interactive exercises, and collaborative learning, we offer techniques to help organization designers support structures that reflect the complexity and interdependence of their systems. Whether you are designing for startups or large-scale organizations, we hope to empower you to add people at the core.

In this interactive workshop, we will learn with and from each other.

Participants will:

• learn about polarities as energy systems inherent in us, our teams, our organizations, and our broader business ecosystem, and explore how they work for us and against us
• identify key polarities at play in their own / their client organizations.
• practice mapping how the tensions of these polarities are playing out and impacting those organizations
• identify high leverage design choices for optimizing flow
• Leave with tools for seeing, mapping, and leveraging polarities that they can take into their work with their organizations / clients.

AI is not just a disruptor—it’s the catalyst for a wave of continuous transformation. As organizations navigate the complexities of human-machine collaboration, adaptability becomes the defining characteristic of success. But what does it take to become truly adaptive?

In this interactive session, we’ll explore Slalom’s Adaptive Organization Framework, a holistic approach to embedding resilience, continuous learning, and future-focused leadership across your organization. We’ll dive into the Adaptive Quotient (SHIFT AQ), a groundbreaking tool designed to measure and enhance adaptability at both the organizational and individual levels.

Participants will leave with practical insights and tools, including a self-assessment to evaluate their organization’s adaptability and concrete strategies to foster an adaptive culture. Join us to gain the mindset, skillset, and toolkit needed to thrive in a future of unrelenting change.

Tamarah Usher is a recognized leader in technology strategy and AI innovation, with more than 20 years of experience shaping transformative solutions. At Slalom, she leads generative AI initiatives, helping organizations leverage cutting-edge technologies to drive growth and innovation. Tamarah’s expertise lies in bridging foresight and execution, delivering AI-enabled strategies that create measurable impact. Named an AI Innovation Leader by Consulting Magazine in 2024, Tamarah is a forward-thinking strategist known for her ability to guide organizations through the complexities of the AI era. Learn more about Tamarah on LinkedIn.

As OD professionals, we understand the value of both organizational design and workforce planning. In practice, however, it is often seen as two separate disciplines and implemented as such. This session will demonstrate the importance of integrating both through Organization Planning & Analysis (OP&A).

Participants will gain practical tools and learn how to break down work performed, identify root cause, design roles, and aggregate demand to better position modeling and org design.

Kristie Tran is Director – Professional Services, North America at Orgvue. Kristie has dedicated her career to supporting organizations on their unique transformation journeys. She is Prosci change management certified and has a background in management consulting at EY, based in New York, NY, and Calgary, AB. Throughout her career, Kristie has worked with a variety of Fortune 500 companies across different industries, guiding them through mergers and acquisitions and large-scale transformations.

Currently, Kristie leads the Professional Services team in North America at Orgvue. Her team empowers clients with technology to support their transformation needs, focusing on understanding their current governance and processes to enable them with an Org Design and Workforce Planning tool.

Kristie firmly believes that sustaining and growing an organization requires keeping humans at the center of it all.

Organization design is well used in the corporate sector but infrequently undertaken by nonprofit organizations. This session seeks to bridge the gap between organization design’s vast experience in the corporate world and the potential for more application to the nonprofit space.

We will share two case studies to show how we have applied some of the fundamental concepts of organization design to meet the unique needs of nonprofit organizations. Our approach takes an outside-in and inside-out look at the relationship between corporate and nonprofit organizations. In one case, we will look at a 20-year-old nonprofit experiencing hypergrowth and business model innovation (outside-in, corporate to nonprofit) and in the other we will examine the realignment of a philanthropic foundation within a corporation (inside-out).

We will share specific takeaways and tools from these cases and help participants apply some of them to a third case that we will work on collectively.

Objectives:

1. Understand the similarities and differences between org design in the corporate and non-profit sectors
2. Learn how we applied first principles to adapt corporate organization design tools to social impact organizations
3. Practice adapting your design approach and tools to a social impact case

Social Impact organizations are often human-centric in their external work and internal practices. In translating our tools to a new(ish) and underserved sector for organization design practice, we are working to expand the practice of organization design to serve social impact organizations.

Brandon Curry is the Founder and Managing Advisor of Work Arts, where he advises senior management and their teams to build more effective and engaged organizations. He founded Work Arts after 20 years in industry, where he led teams spanning 5 continents in HR, Talent Management, Organization Development, and Continuous Improvement roles. His knowledge base is informed by diverse global experience delivering performance improvement, increased capability, and high-stakes organizational change initiatives including global M&A and integrations, organization design, divestitures, business segmentations, start-ups, restructuring, and global technology deployment. 

Brandon is a Certified Organization Design Professional (CODP). He earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Training and Development degrees from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.