Operating Model & Cadence

An operating model defines who decides, who executes, and how information flows. Cadence is the routine of daily, weekly, and monthly reviews that keep performance and controls on track. Together they turn process design into repeatable results.

Overview

Processes work when ownership is unambiguous and information reaches the right level at the right time. The operating model fixes roles and decision rights; cadence fixes the review clock. Clear tiers (front line → team lead → department → enterprise) allow local action and fast escalation.

Principles

One owner per outcome

Every process step has one accountable role (RACI: exactly one A). Shared ownership causes delay.

Short loops, few metrics

Review only the critical few KPIs and KCIs. Act within the review window; don’t let issues age through cycles.

Same facts, all levels

Daily, weekly, and month-end views use the same data and logic. No side files. ISO 9001 emphasizes consistent “documented information.”

Structure (tiers, roles, decision rights)

Tiers

  • Tier 1 – Front line: today’s work; defects, blockers, on-time tasks.
  • Tier 2 – Team/area: trend view; staffing, backlog, systemic fixes.
  • Tier 3 – Function: flow across teams; policy and capacity moves.
  • Tier 4 – Enterprise: cross-functional trade-offs; portfolio and risk.

Decision rights

Publish a decision catalog (owner, inputs, thresholds, SLA) and link to Delegations of Authority (DoA). Use RAPID/DACI where cross-functional decisions stall.

Role clarity

  • RACI per process step (one A; appropriate R/C/I)
  • Escalation path per risk class (time to escalate, target tier)
  • Named backups for critical roles

Daily cadence

Purpose

Stabilize flow: surface blockers, assign actions, and confirm today’s plan. 10–20 minutes; stand-up where possible.

Agenda (example)

  • Yesterday’s completes vs. plan; today’s plan
  • Blockers and defects (owner, due date)
  • Safety/quality alerts; control breaks

Signals & rules

  • Green/amber/red based on threshold breaches
  • Each red has an owner and next step
  • Escalate within a fixed time if unresolved

Weekly cadence

Purpose

Trend and improvement: review KPIs/KCIs, remove recurring causes, and coordinate cross-team work.

Agenda (example)

  • Lead time (median/p90), FPY, backlog aging
  • Control health (late approvals, failed reconciliations)
  • Top issues, root cause, and countermeasures

Decisions

  • Re-balance work; pull help from other lanes
  • Approve small standard changes
  • Escalate unresolved risks to monthly forum

Monthly & quarterly rhythm

Monthly

  • SPC/control view (common vs. special cause)
  • Benefits tracking vs. plan; cost per unit
  • Policy/standard updates; retire redundant controls

Quarterly

  • Capability/portfolio alignment; capacity and skills
  • Audit/readiness checks (ISO 9001, COBIT/COSO where relevant)
  • Refresh targets and improvement backlog

Consistency

Use one board per tier with the same KPI/KCI definitions (operational definitions, time base, data source). Avoid redefining KPIs per forum.

Change & release windows

Why windows

Consolidating changes into approved windows reduces disruption and eases rollback. Aligns with ITIL Change/Release practices.

Rules of thumb

  • Risk-based approvals (Standard/Normal/Emergency)
  • Pre-deployment checklist and rollback plan
  • Post-deployment review within the weekly forum

References

Escalation & risk

Escalation ladder

  • Time-based (e.g., 24h unresolved → Tier 2; 48h → Tier 3)
  • Impact-based (safety, compliance, customer)
  • Documented in decision catalog; visible on boards

Risk registers

Keep a short, living list with owner, likelihood/impact, mitigations, and review dates. Escalate if risk breaches thresholds.

Incident → learning

Use lightweight post-incident reviews with action owners and due dates. Close the loop in the weekly cadence.

Visual management & boards

Board content

  • KPIs (flow/quality/cost) and KCIs (control health)
  • Actions with owners/dates; aging and status
  • Risks, changes scheduled, upcoming releases

Good practice

  • Same layout across tiers to speed comprehension
  • Green/amber/red thresholds match operational definitions
  • Drill-through to evidence and SOPs

Remote & hybrid norms

Rituals

  • Video on for daily/weekly; agenda and minutes by default
  • Time-boxed updates; rotate facilitators
  • Shared board; decisions and actions logged live

Etiquette

  • Start on time; end with owners and dates
  • No parallel chat for decisions; record in the catalog
  • Publish recordings only when policy allows

Operating model artifacts

Decision catalog & DoA

Recurring decisions with owners, thresholds, SLAs; linked to Delegations of Authority.

RACI & SOPs

One A per step; SOPs tied to maps; versioned with change log.

KPI/KCI board

Operational definitions, thresholds, owners, and drill-through to evidence.

90-day starter

Days 0–30

  • Pick one process; appoint one accountable owner per step.
  • Stand up Tier-1 daily board with 3–5 KPIs/KCIs.
  • Publish decision catalog for top 10 decisions.

Days 31–60

  • Launch Tier-2 weekly; add SPC to one KPI.
  • Define change windows; test a small rollback drill.
  • Install escalation timings and risk register.

Days 61–90

  • Start Tier-3 monthly; align targets; retire vanity metrics.
  • Run first conformance check (map vs. reality) and close gaps.

References

  • ISO 9001 process approach & documented information — iso.org
  • RACI / responsibility matrices (PMI) — pmi.org
  • Decision roles (RAPID) — bain.com
  • ITIL change/release (AXELOS) — axelos.com
  • COBIT governance — isaca.org
  • Lean daily management & visual management — lean.org

Set the model. Run the cadence. Keep one story of the truth.

If you want a starter kit (decision catalog, DoA, board templates), ask for a copy.

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