Organisational Development

The Big Picture

The Big Picture is an organisational development framework with built in practical tools (see Figure 3). It is designed to help people think about every aspect of their organisation and its work and to take action to improve it. People who work in and understand the voluntary sector have developed the framework. It recognises the unique qualities of voluntary organisations. At the same time it draws on good practice from other sectors.

The Big Picture is based on the following principles:

  • Enabling results

Processes should lead to results. The Big Picture encourages people to satisfy their stakeholders and achieve positive impact in their work. This is done through effective steering by the board or management committee and effective management processes.

  • Continuous Improvement

No matter where people are, they can still get better. There are acceptable standards that they all need to achieve but they should aspire to reach even higher levels. The act of questioning and learning through the use of The Big Picture will lead to a process of continuous improvement.

  • Non-prescriptive

Changes should relate to the needs of each organisation, not an external set of rules laid down by others. The Big Picture allows people to take a guided tour of self discovery. They devise their own solutions based on their own experiences. This involves identifying their strengths and areas for improvement.

  • Questions, not answers

The Big Picture is non-judgemental in its approach. People are helped to Identify the right questions, but it is up to them to determine the answers.

  • The value of practical tools

The Big Picture is intended to be useful (it meets a recognised need), useable (its format and style will encourage people to take it off the shelf) and acceptable (it will be seen as appropriate for the voluntary sector).

The Big Picture 2 framework

  • Flexible

The Big Picture is designed for use in a variety of different ways, by many different types of organisation (both large and small), at all levels within an organisation.

It has also been designed around the development/planning cycle, which is an essential tool for all organisations wanting to improve.

It operates by:

  • Identifying the needs to be met
  • Devising a plan to meet the needs
  • Doing something practical to meet the needs
  • Reviewing the extent of success in meeting these needs
  • Identifying further needs to be met.

What does it involve?

The Big Picture can be used in a variety of ways. Most commonly it is used at an away day to assess the need for change and to plan how this will take place. At a subsequent meeting the group can review the impact of this change using the framework. They can then go through the cycle again and identify the need for further changes.

The Big Picture can also be used to assess the whole organisation and as a checklist for reports, plans, training needs analysis and induction sessions.

How much will it cost?

An allowance for staff and/or volunteer time and possibly venue, refreshment and travel expenses should be made. However, travel costs could be minimised by using some of the online facilitation exercises.

The Big Picture itself costs between £45 and £76 depending on whether your organisation is a member of SCVO and whether you are able to pay in advance. A supporting pack entitled Getting Started in the Big Picture is also available. Prices for this start at £12 if purchased with a copy of the Big Picture through to £25 if purchased separately. Please note that there is an additional charge if an invoice is required.

How long does it take?

Each organisation will want to put together a plan, make changes and check how it has done. How much a time person spends and over what period of time is up to them. Some people spend a few hours over a few weeks: others spend much longer over several months. Each organisation knows best what time and energy it can give to making change.

Benefits

  • It’s simple and easy to understand
  • It’s flexible
  • It’s comprehensive
  • It raises awareness about quality issues
  • It helps people to share views and build consensus
  • It works well with other quality systems
  • It makes a difference
  • It has practical tools to support its use

Where can I find out more?

To obtain further advice contact:

The Learning Team,
SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations),
Mansfield Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6BB.
Tel: 0131 556 3882
Fax: 0131 556 0279

Link to the Tool

http://www.thebigpic.org.uk/html/ex_sots.asp

Review your activities against four key dimensions important for any voluntary organisation or private sector. These are:

Stakeholder Satisfaction, Direction, Processes and Positive Impact

If your score is not as high as you would like, you can search for courses to help you improve using the search box on this site. Use search keywords drawn from the areas in which you did not score as well as you had hoped. Further courses can be found by searching the Short Course Calendar