Organization Development (OD) is the practice of helping organizations solve problems and reach their goals. A key emphasis in OD is assisting clients not just in meeting their goal but with learning new problem-solving skills they can use in the future.

How do OD consultants work?
OD consultants contract with clients to offer a range of services, including:

Change management -- working with departments, committees and other groups to help them plan and implement significant changes in their organizations. (See our learning topic on Managing Change.)

Group problem solving -- helping a group identify a key issue, gather information about it, and outline decisions or action plans needed to address the issue.

Meeting design and facilitation -- working with clients to help them plan an agenda, stay with the agenda, and discuss issues effectively. (See our learning topic on Designing and Facilitating Meetings.)

Team development -- helping a team to develop its ability to work more effectively together. (See our learning topic on Working on Teams.)

Business Process Redesign -- working with a group to analyze the current way of doing a specific piece of work to determine whether there is a better way to design how the work gets done. (See our site on Business Process Improvement.)

Training -- working with a group to develop or renew knowledge, skill or values relative to a group goal. (More information at http://web.mit.edu/training/.)

Leadership development -- MIT's Leader to Leader program develops leadership skills within the context of MIT's culture and aligned to the strategic needs of the Institute.

Who can use OD services?
OED's organization development services are available to all Institute organizations; consultants may work in Institute-wide, school, or departmental projects. The group's overall priorities are guided by HR and senior leaders at MIT. We try to help all who ask but when time and resources don't allow that, we will refer you to other resources that match your need.

Who can I contact to explore my organization development needs?
For additional information contact oed-request@mit.edu.

Who are OED's Organization Development Consultants?
Our OD Consultants bring a broad range of experiences and a consistent, thoughtful approach to helping clients solve organizational problems. Learn more about our consultants by reading their biographies.