Phase 2 — Functional Alignment: Comprehensive Study Notes Summary & Study Notes

🔍 Overview

Phase 2 — Functional Alignment focuses on reorganizing work and decision-making to strengthen the functional integrity of standards, operations, and client interactions. The phase emphasizes keeping work within intact teams, clarifying accountability, and re-homing activities so teams can deliver consistent value.

🎯 Expected Outcomes

The primary outcomes are improved experiences and strategic clarity: increased Client XP and Team XP, continuous improvement of TSBC, consistent metrics across sectors, a more strategic focus on standards development, and an enhanced ability to shape the organisation's technology profile.

🔁 What’s Shifting / Δs

Key shifts include reassigning ownership and responsibilities (re-homing work) and strengthening accountability & decision-making within intact teams. The item listed as STL is a driver of these functional shifts.

🧩 PSDs D.V. (Design Variables)

Important focus areas for PSDs D.V. include interconnections, role-setting, momentum and tools, increasing mindset shifts, motivating risk engagement, prioritising strategic standards, and formalising how to document decisions & scanning of the environment.

👥 New Role Profiles

New profiles include Senior Technical Advisor and expanded responsibilities for team members. Most people want to remain involved in standards development (SDs). Teams will need to apply multiple role facets beyond current job titles. There are 12 coordinator/role profiles, plus specialists and members who choose not to re-apply.

❓ Preg: Staying?

The original note says "Nothing :)" — interpreted as no guaranteed automatic retention; roles may be reassessed during alignment.

🏫 SD Development Training Days

Training will include 1:1 support and Tier 2 internal client support. Training targets practical SD skills and role transitions to ensure continuity of standards delivery.

🧭 Tercera

Tercera's remit/title is unclear and will need definition. Expect more structure, planning artifacts, new findings to be integrated, and a shift toward non-technical responsibilities.

🛡️ SSO’s (Service/Support Officers)

SSOs will be reduced to about half current numbers while maintaining their roles inside team structures and ongoing work. This implies role consolidation and clearer scope for remaining SSOs.

🧾 Adding Admin Specialist Support (S.S)

An Admin Specialist role is proposed to improve efficiency in areas such as email inboxes, continuous improvement processes, and basic automation (e.g., chatbots). This support frees specialists to focus on higher-value work.

👥 Client Segments & Processes

Client handling remains current and certification (+) processes continue. New mark-end processes are being defined across three areas, clarifying handoffs and completion criteria.

🔎 Learn / Assess

Assessment priorities include clarity around creation processes, evaluating team abilities, and scoping the needs of new teams/new roles. Learning loops should capture gaps for targeted development.

📅 Team Activities & Planning

Team activities should be planned and scheduled to increase predictability and coordination. This supports smoother re-homing and clearer role accountabilities.

🛠️ Design Registration & Handover

Design registration practices have shifted, causing staggered ramp-ups. There is a planned two-year handover to teams. Historically, teams did not always have a tech-oriented person involved—this gap should be addressed during Phase 2.

⚙️ Support Scoping Model (D / scoping model of support)

Define a clear scoping model for support that outlines service levels, escalation paths, and the roles responsible for each support tier.

📈 Extent Aim: Year 2–3 Goals

Phase 2 aims to solidify Year 2–3 goals: stabilise re-homed functions, embed new role profiles, improve metrics consistency, and position standards work to be more strategic and technology-aware.

🔀 Implementation Considerations

• Map current work to new role profiles and identify gaps.
• Sequence re-homing to avoid knowledge loss (use handover checkpoints).
• Build training and 1:1 coaching into the roll-out timeline.
• Maintain a lightweight decision log to capture documented decisions & scanning outcomes.

⚠️ Risks & Mitigations

• Risk: loss of continuity during re-homing. Mitigation: staged handovers and 2-year transition plans.
• Risk: unclear remit for roles such as Tercera. Mitigation: define remit and success metrics early.
• Risk: reduced SSOs overload remaining staff. Mitigation: allocate Admin Specialist support and automation.

✅ Next Practical Steps

1. Finalise role profiles and publish them to teams. 2. Run SD Development Training Days with 1:1 support. 3. Create a two-year handover roadmap for design registration. 4. Define Tercera remit and the SSO transition plan. 5. Implement admin specialist pilots (inbox management, chatbots).

These notes capture the core elements of Phase 2 — Functional Alignment and provide actionable areas to plan, train, and monitor during the Year 2–3 transition.