The assessment sponsor delegates the day-to-day management of the assessment to a subordinate (sometimes the process improvement manager). This subordinate is known as an organization site coordinator. The organization site coordinator helps organize both the planning phase and the two onsite phases of the assessment. He or she along with the Lead Assessor is responsible for arranging the practical details of the assessment plan and organizing all the logistics of the assessment.
The Logistical Responsibilities of the Organization Site Coordinator and Associated Staff
The organization site coordinator spends a great deal of time (at a bare minimum of 100 hours) prior to and during the onsite assessment. He or she first helps the Lead Assessor make practical choices and then ensures that all team members are available and that all interviewees for the assessment are available, scheduled, and able to appear for their sessions. The organization site coordinator also ensures that rooms are scheduled and that logistic requirements are planned and completed.
As part of coordinating the assessment logistics, the organization site coordinator must arrange lodging, food, and beverage for the assessment team members, obtain documentation needed by the team, and make plans to return documentation to appropriate people when the assessment is concluded.
Particular attention must be given to:
Scheduling A high-level schedule should be established early in the assessment process and refined as projects and participants are selected. Schedules should be coordinated with assessment participants as soon as they are selected. Detailed schedules must be provided to participants during the assessment participants briefing. Schedules should limit the assessment workday to a ten-hour maximum.
Facilities Required facilities should be established early and rooms reserved as soon as a high-level schedule is available (rooms for team training, briefings, questionnaire administration, interviews, and assessment team work room).
Tools and materials Tools and materials should be identified and a complete list documented in the final assessment plan: projectors, screens, flip charts, white boards, copiers, computers, software, supplies, and so on.
Transportation and accommodations Transportation and accommodations should be arranged for assessment team members as soon as they are selected. Any additional arrangement for other assessment participants should also be arranged as soon as they are identified.
Catering Arrangements for catering should be made prior to finalizing the assessment plan.
Support Support for the production of presentations should be arranged .
The logistical aspects of assessment planning need attention early in the assessment process and must be monitored effectively.
A Sample Logistics Checklist
The checklist below can be used as a guide for the organization site coordinator to ensure that all needed tasks are accomplished. This list is not prescriptive and should be tailored to the particulars of the organization and the assessment.