Practicing Organization Development: Leading Transformation and Change, 4th Edition

Chapter TenLaunch

Assessment, Action Planning, and Implementation

D. D. Warrick

All phases of the organization development (OD) process are important, but the “launch” phase is the heart of the OD process. The success of OD efforts depend on it. If done well, the probability of successful change will be high. If done poorly, the aftermath can be far reaching.

The term launch was coined by Warner Burke (2008, 257). It is a phase of OD in which valuable information is gathered and analyzed and a collaborative approach is used to evaluate the information, plan actions around the change process, and implement changes using methods that can significantly improve the probability of successful change. While this phase of OD can make changes that address issues, the ultimate goal of the launch process is to improve the health, effectiveness, and self-renewing capabilities of an organization.

The field of OD has made valuable contributions to the knowledge and skills needed to assess reality and plan and implement changes. This chapter presents essential information for anyone interested in successfully managing change.

The Purpose of Launch

While assessment and action planning may be used informally in the Pre-launch phase of OD and more formally in the launch phase, they are used variously throughout OD efforts. Likewise, implementation is a dynamic process that often requires frequent adjustments and may involve going back to the assessment and action planning phases. These three ...