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Organizational Diagnosis

Student Life Development Department (SLD)
Long Beach, CA

In my Issues in Organizational Development course, two graduate students and I partnered with the SLD department to identify current challenges and offer recommendations for improvement. This involved collecting data, applying a organizational development model to diagnose the department, and proposing targeted interventions to support positive change.

Organizational Diagnosis

An Organizational Development (OD) diagnosis is an assessment of an organization’s structure, culture, and processes to identify challenges and opportunities for improvement. This process involves collecting data through methods such as surveys, interviews, and observations. The goal of an OD diagnosis is to uncover and address organizational issues, ultimately supporting positive change and increased effectiveness.

Background

The Student Life and Development (SLD) department at California State University, Long Beach, oversees the development and management of all student organizations on campus. Its mission is to provide co-curricular opportunities that foster community, ethical leadership, and personal growth. SLD is organized into three core teams: Clubs and Organizations, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and Club Sports and Recreation. This structure enables SLD to effectively support a diverse student population and enrich the campus experience.

My team and I conducted an OD diagnosis to evaluate the structure, processes, and effectiveness of the SLD department. Our goal was to identify areas for improvement and provide recommendations to enhance their operations and better support student organizations.

Data Collection

My team members and I utilized the group-level diagnostic model, which focuses on evaluating team dynamics, communication, and overall group effectiveness, to guide our data collection and analysis.

1) We began by distributing surveys to supervisors and student assistants in the Student Life Department to assess its organizational climate.

2) Using Qualtrics, we developed four surveys based on the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire to capture both objective observations and employee perceptions, focusing on job facets, role characteristics, general attitudes, and workgroup functioning.

3) The Director distributed the surveys to staff and student assistants with a one-week deadline, allowing us to gather valuable insights into the department’s structure, processes, and employee experiences.

Our team used direct observation to gather valuable insights into the group’s functioning, communication, and interpersonal dynamics in a real-world setting.

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We attended a staff meeting, where we took detailed notes on the team’s attentiveness, problem-solving strategies, and emotional responses during the discussions.

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By observing the staff in action, we gained a deeper understanding of their collaborative processes, how they support one another, and how they work together to achieve their shared goals.

This method allowed us to capture the subtle nuances of the team’s interactions that might not have been evident through surveys. Which provided us with a deeper understanding of team dynamics and success factors.

My team members and I conducted interviews to gain deeper insights into potential issues within the SLD department.

Two sets of interview questions were developed: student assistants shared their experiences, views on leadership, and ideas for improving cohesion, while advisors discussed leadership, team dynamics, challenges, and communication.

During the interviews, two team members led the sessions while one took notes, providing rich qualitative data that deepened our understanding of the department’s dynamics and improvement areas.

Our team carried out 17 interviews in total, consisting of 11 advisors and 6 student assistants.

To enhance our analysis, our team incorporated objective data, such as objective measures, alongside subjective insights. We focused on three key metrics: turnover rates, individual performance evaluations, and student learning outcomes within SLD.

We collected turnover data from May 2018 to April 2024, outlining the number of filled positions, vacancies, and reasons for employee departures.

We also reviewed annual performance evaluations for advisors and examined student learning outcomes, which measure the impact of SLD’s programs on students.

This data provided valuable insights that helped us assess the department more thoroughly and pinpoint the key areas of concern.

Data Analysis and Results

To analyze the data, the group-level diagnostic model was utilized. The data collection from the surveys, observations, interviews, and objective measures highlighted key areas for improvement:

Most issues were linked to external factors, such as university policies, interdepartmental conflicts, and increased workload
- Staff noted challenges with university policies, such as contractor restrictions and delays from unions and state agencies
- While there were interdepartmental conflicts with student organizations, no major internal issues were reported
- Some staff felt overworked and requested more support
Turnover was a concern as employees left for better pay or remote jobs
There was a lack of performance evaluation of group goals for staff
Based on our analysis, we did not find any major issues at the group level, indicating the team's internal functioning is generally effective

Recommendations for Action Steps

1. Team Performance Evaluations

After analyzing the SLD department using the group-level model, we did not find any system for evaluating team performance. We recommend implementing annual or semester-based surveys to assess team dynamics and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, we suggest incorporating peer reviews from other student organizations to provide external feedback on the department's effectiveness, fostering accountability and continuous improvement.

Reflection

What I Learned:

This project is one of my proudest because it confirmed my passion for consulting and organizational development. We conducted an organizational diagnosis to assess the organization’s health and uncover issues affecting performance. By analyzing its structure, culture, and processes, we identified areas for improvement. Our team developed tailored recommendations to boost efficiency, employee satisfaction, and overall success. Experiencing this process firsthand was incredibly rewarding. It reinforced my commitment to helping organizations thrive and solidified my goal of building a career in this field.

Future Considerations:

For future considerations, I would have selected a different diagnostic model to more effectively capture the organization’s underlying issues. This would have provided deeper insight into the department’s structure and dynamics. I also hoped to interview the entire SLD team to ensure all voices were heard, but time constraints limited me to only a subset of participants. Moving forward, I recognize the importance of selecting a model that aligns better with my goals and allows for more comprehensive input across the organization. In future projects, this will enable me to develop more well-rounded insights and solutions that truly address the needs of the entire organization.

Organizational Diagnosis