Applied Operating Models:
Design and Delivery Foundation + Practitioner

• Define an operating model
• Explain the history of the operating model concept
• Discuss the rise of the operating model in written work
• Describe the fundamental elements of an operating model
• List the benefits of defining and managing the operating model
• List the drivers, outcomes, and success criteria related to operating model transition
• Describe the reasons for having a defined and managed operating model

• Explain the difference between a methodology and a method
• List the benefits a method brings to operating model design
• List the four major components of a method
• Explain why we need a method to develop operating models
• List the steps necessary to develop an operating model

• Understand how each OMDDM phase integrates with industry frameworks
• Describe each phase of the OMDDM and its outcomes
• Understand the usage rules of the OMDDM
• Understand the integration factors
• Describe the typical activities to integrate the OMDDM
• Understand what makes a successful integration

• Describe the Content Model
• List the Level 1 and Level 2 Concepts of the Content Model
• Describe how the Content Model helps in the development of an operating model
• Explain the Context Concept and how it relates to the Structure Concept

• Explain what strategy is
• Describe where strategy is placed in the Content Model
• List organisational drivers that can result in operating model change
• Explain why operating model change might be required
• List at least 8 external drivers of strategic change
• List 2 techniques used to understand operating models and related change
• Explain what ESG is and its importance to operating model transformation
• Recognise the potential impact of SDGs on large-scale operating model transformation

• Describe what the Operating Model Transformation Office (OMTO) and Operating Model Board (OMB) are
• Explain why the OMTO and OMB are necessary
• List the similarities and differences between the OMTO and the PMO
• Discuss the change characteristics that are specific to the OMTO and OMB
• Discuss why the OMTO and OMB are necessary in operating model transformation
• Discuss example OMTO and OMB structures

• Describe what a principle is
• Explain the basic structure of a principle
• Explain the extended structure of a principle
• Explain how to develop principles
• Explain when a principle is used

• Understand why operating model design should consider the legal implications of any change
• Identify the 10 main areas of legal consideration linked to operating model design and change
• Recognise that legal advice must be provided by legal professionals

• Describe an organisation
• List the four major components of organisation design
• Explain why organisation design is important for understanding operating models
• Discuss the implications of not undertaking organisation design
• List at least 2 model approaches to organisation design
• List the generally accepted rules for designing organisations
• List at least 4 standard organisation design structures

• Describe what decision-making is
• Explain the need for good decision making
• Describe the benefits of good decision making
• Describe the support for decision making
• Describe decision governance
• List the roles involved in a decision-making board
• Describe the expectations of a decision-making board
• List the implications of good and poor decision making

• Describe what a decision right is: what they are, why they are needed, who decides and allocates those rights
• Describe how to develop decision rights
• Explain GDU, the new, relevant, and pragmatic approach to decision rights, including the definition and its use
• Explain RACI, including definitions and use
• Describe why you might use GDU instead of RACI

• Describe what a capability is
• Explain what a capability model is
• Explain the causes of change to capability
• Describe what a service is
• List different types of service
• Outline the components of a service
• Discuss the characteristics of a capability
• List different types of capability
• Explain the relationship between capability and service

• Describe the Content Model and why it is necessary for operating model development
• List the benefits of the Content Model
• List the Level 1 and Level 2 Concepts of the Content Model and their Components
• Explain why the Content Model is important for understanding operating model development
• Describe how the Content Model helps in the development of an operating model
• Discuss the Components of the Context Concept and how they relate to the Structure Concept Components

• Explain why the Scope Phase is a necessary step in developing an operating model
• Describe the inputs and outputs
• Describe the steps to take during the Scope Phase
• Explain the expected outcomes

• Explain why the Discover Phase is a necessary step in developing an operating model
• Describe the inputs and outputs
• Describe the steps to take during the Discover Phase
• Explain the expected outcomes

• Understand what the OMDDMS^® Maturity Assessment is
• Understand the purpose of an OMDDMS^® operating model maturity assessment, including establishing baseline maturity, setting target maturity, and understanding the effort, activities, and time required
• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of conducting an operating model maturity assessment
• Explain how to assess using internal and external perspectives
• Explain the objectives, process, and outcomes of the maturity assessment
• Understand how to compare the current state of the operating model against the state needed to deliver the organisation's strategy
• Understand how to map complexity and identify the typical effort required to close maturity level gaps

• Describe how the Analyse Phase identifies and determines the impacts of proposed changes when designing and developing an operating model
• Describe the inputs and outputs
• Describe the steps to take during the Analyse Phase
• Explain the expected outcomes

• Explain the need for the Design Phase
• List the benefits of Communities of Practice
• Describe the objectives and outcomes of the Design Phase
• Describe the inputs and outputs of the Design Phase
• Describe the steps taken during the Design Phase

• Describe some of the causes for change
• Explain the differences between Ungoverned Change and Governed Change
• Describe how to recognise ungoverned change
• Describe the process for remediating ungoverned change
• Describe the process for governed change

• Explain what is required in the Transition Phase of operating model change
• Describe the inputs and outputs
• Describe the steps to take during the Transition Phase
• Explain the expected outcomes

• Explain what risk is
• Describe where risk is placed in the Content Model
• List at least five risks arising from operating model change
• Explain the relationship between the OMTO (Operating Model Transformation Office) and the OMB (Operating Model Board)
• List the 3 areas of the ISO 31000 risk management approach

• Explain why the Monitor Phase is a necessary step in developing an operating model
• Describe the inputs and outputs
• Describe the steps to take during the Monitor Phase
• Explain the expected outcomes

• Explain what governance is
• Explain the differences between governance and management
• Explain why governance is important across all operating model development phases
• Outline the 9 areas of the OMDDM Governance Framework
• Discuss the following concepts: principles, standard, policy, regulation, procedure and guideline
• Describe the 2 functions of the Govern Phase and explain why each is necessary

• Explain that artefacts are essentially communication mechanisms in OMDDMS^®, providing structure, clarity, and guidance
• Explain that artefacts are created or consumed by steps within a phase
• List types of artefact, including models, diagrams, documentation, checklists, plans, and roadmaps
• Understand that each phase of the OMDDM uses specific artefacts, and that there are more than 20 artefacts in total

The Combined course delivers the full Foundation and Practitioner curricula together over four consecutive days, 24 modules in total, covering the OMDDMS^® Standard, the Content Model, the Maturity Assessment, and every phase of the Operating Model Design and Delivery Method. Candidates sit two online exams, one for each level.

No. Combined is a way to take Foundation and Practitioner together. Each level is examined and certified separately, so candidates who pass both exams receive a Foundation certificate and a Practitioner certificate.

No. No prior knowledge of OMDDMS^® is required. Combined starts from Foundation, so candidates who have never encountered OMDDMS^® before can attend directly.

Pricing is set independently by each OMDDMS^® Accredited Training Organisation (ATO). Contact your chosen ATO for current pricing and dates.

40 CPD hours in total, accredited by The CPD Standards Office, Provider 51019: 20 hours for Foundation and 20 hours for Practitioner.

Foundation establishes conceptual and structural knowledge of OMDDMS^®: what the Standard is, how the method works, and how the Content Model structures operating model development. Practitioner teaches application of the full OMDDM phase by phase, from Scope to Govern, including the full artefact set and the OMDDMS^® Maturity Assessment. Combined delivers both in sequence.

Yes. OMDDMS^® Accredited Training Organisations offer private delivery of the Combined course, virtually, at your organisation's premises, or at an off-site venue. Contact your chosen ATO for group pricing and scheduling.

OMDDMS^® was designed to integrate with existing standards across eight disciplines, including ISO 21500/21502, PMI, APM and SAFe^® for portfolio and project management; IIBA and BCS for business analysis; ITIL^® for service management; ISO 31000 for risk management; TOGAF^® and BIZBOK^® for enterprise architecture; and COBIT^® 2019 and ISO/IEC 38500 for governance. See the full mapping.

Yes. TOGAF^® focuses on enterprise architecture. OMDDMS^® complements it with a dedicated method for designing, transitioning, and governing the operating model that the architecture describes, integrating with TOGAF^® and ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010:2022 across all seven OMDDM phases.

OMDDMS^® works alongside PRINCE2^®, SAFe^®, and ITIL^®. They govern how projects and services are delivered; OMDDMS^® adds the method for designing, transitioning, and managing the operating model itself, so organisations keep the frameworks they already use.

Yes. Risk is a component of the OMDDMS^® Content Model from Foundation onward, and Practitioner includes a dedicated Risk module integrating with ISO 31000:2018 across all OMDDM phases. OMDDMS^® also integrates with COBIT^® 2019 and ISO/IEC 38500 at the Scope, Discover, Analyse, Design, and Govern phases.