Business today is inevitably becoming more “networked” and leaders need to both facilitate change and to manage in an increasingly networked business environment.

We help clients optimise their business relationships using a combination of organisational change management, analytical and facilitative methods:

Organisational Network Analysis
ONA is used to identify relationship patterns between people, organisations or markets, and we have improved the basic techniques to make them more appropriate and compelling in a business-focused context.

Value Network Analysis
VNA helps identify both the tangible and intangible flows across a business. Optimice uses VNA as a business modelling tool prior to a major enterprise systems implementation or organisational change.

Change Management
Optimice has designed a Business Success Framework predicated on a focus on optimising business relationships couched in an organisational change management scheme for accelerated change implementation. We have developed an alliance with US-based Implementation Management Associates for the use of some of their Accelerated Implementation Management (AIM) methods. The AIM methods are incorporated within our Business Success Framework.

The business analysis methods graphic (below) succinctly summarises the networking analysis methods that we employ by placing them aside the more familiar business process modelling approaches.

The transition from left to right identifies the migration from the industrial era, where process efficiency rules, to one where people become the core of the business; but not as process followers, but as knowledge based workers who use their creative individuality and relationships to enhance their organisations. 

Value Network Analysis (VNA) provides a holistic approach to modeling a business, capturing both the tangible process flows and the more intangible knowledge based or relationship flows. We acknowledge the pioneering efforts of Verna Allee in developing the technique, as well as providing the above graphic. You can learn more about the specifics of the technique and case studies from the burgeoning community developing around the application of VNA.

For those interested in how VNA can be used for major systems developments, read our white paper on the topic VNA & Systems Analysis .

Social Network Analysis (SNA) has a long history as a sociological tool for analysing personal relationship networks. Its application to business and consequent re-labeling to Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) is a relatively recent phenomenon. Fundamentally ONA is about discovering the often hidden trust relationships that exist in all organisations and then leveraging these relationships to help orchestrate beneficial organisational change. Rob Cross from the University of Virginia has compiled a comprehensive suite of resources on ONA and co-authored with Andrew Parker one the most practical books on the application of ONA to business.

Alternatively you can experience ONA first hand by attending one of Optimice’s one day seminars, where we go through several case studies and then allow you to experience the tools first hand.   

Optimice has extended the basic ONA techniques for application at the inter-enterprise level, for applications like alliances, mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing relationships and market research.

As you can see, both the VNA and ONA methods are very visual, using the maps to facilitate the conversations around both operational and strategic directions. The workshops, designed to convert the analysis to action, are both engaging and thought provoking for the participants. We hope you can join us in building your networked future!