The Black Box Method
Whether your organization needs to develop an overarching talent strategy, solve a persistent challenge or address a specific need, an engagement and assessment framework we apply called “The Black Box Method” can prove critical to your success. This approach yields deep insight in developing both an actionable, detailed plan and the means to put that plan into practice. The Black Box Method is built on four key steps:
- Link talent operations to business results: One of the most important, and often overlooked, aspects of talent strategy is the connection to core business goals. This is understandable, as talent decision makers focus on addressing specific and known talent challenges, such as a slow recruiting process, high turnover or quality or performance. The Black Box method begins with a look at your talent operations as they relate to business goals.
- Architect and envision the future: Building from a current-state picture of our talent operations and broader business goals, we can then develop a snapshot of the desired future state of operations needed to drive optimum business impact. This includes addressing the specific challenge or need being addressed as well as the related functions that may influence performance.
- Perform a gap analysis: Where do current systems and processes support your future vision, and where do they fall short? These are the questions we answer when establishing strategic priorities. By identifying the specific gaps that stand in the way of your goals, we can ensure that you apply the right allocation of time and effort to the top priorities.
- Develop a roadmap to close the discovered gaps: Based on the impact and effort needed to close the discovered gaps, Black Box can then develop a roadmap for action that is based on clear priorities. This is a tremendous advantage, particularly in the very common situation where different parties are promoting conflicting interests. The result is a plan that is best positioned for adoption and support by all stakeholders.