From July 2014 through March 2015 , Headquarters , Department of the Army ( HQDA ) completed an organizational redesign aimed at reducing overall personnel authorizations 25 percent and reducing operating costs by fiscal year ( FY ) 2019 . This effort was known as the “ HQDA Comprehensive Review .” 1 While some would compare this task to performing liposuction on a whale , the people charged with executing it stepped up to the challenge , ensuring HQDA took appropriate
Initial diagnostic
Objectives
· Establish a factbased shared understanding
· Quantify the opportunity , develop a compelling case for going forward
Set up the program
· Reach a shared vision and commitment
· Establish design principles , targets , and detailed process and execution plans
reductions alongside the rest of the Army . This article offers discussion on the challenges , successes , and missed opportunities encountered during the redesign and ensuing approval efforts .
After a brief review of HQDA guidance and reductions , Kotter International ’ s “ 8-Step Process for Leading Change ” will serve as a comparative framework , helping illustrate the key points . 2 Finally , this article provides recommendations for organizational redesign within headquarters that support and operate subordinate to higher echelons ( e . g ., the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget ) and in response to congressional oversight .
Background and Guidance
Prior to the HQDA Comprehensive Review , HQDA leaders had already identified personnel authorization reductions as part of a focus-area review process , designed to downsize all headquarters led by a major general or higher to meet the Army ’ s end-strength requirements . Known as the FARG ( Focus Area Review Group ) within HQDA , this effort established the original 25 percent reduction target for thirty-two main Army secretariat and Army staff ( ARSTAF ) agencies , with twenty-five additional field operating agencies ( FOAs ) and all two-star – and – above headquarters throughout the Army . 3 Leaders
Structure and design the organization
Track progress and approve designs
· Optimize the organization in a way that is fast , fair , and disciplined
· Engage the organization at every level
Figure 1 . Overview of the Phased Approach to De-layer Department of the Army Organizations and Field Operating Agencies
( Graphic by authors )
soon realized that the FARG focused purely on numeric reductions and did not look at potential organizational redesign , accounting for the various work schedules and workloads specific to each organization .
On 17 July 2014 , the secretary of the Army ( SA ) directed the under secretary of the Army ( USA ), in coordination with the vice chief of staff of the Army ( VCSA ), to conduct a comprehensive review of HQDA to “ determine the optimal organization and strength and , subsequently , any adjustment of programmed [ personnel authorization ] reductions .” 4 Specifically , the review sought to optimize HQDA ’ s size , roles , functions , and organizational structure to best support its mission . The new structure would be constrained by the projected budget and the overall Army end strength while addressing senior leader priorities . The review needed to maintain a view of the future strategic environment and provide recommendations for an implementation plan no later than 31 March 2015 .
The SA guidance outlined a phased approach , as depicted in figure 1 . 5 The “ initial diagnostic ” phase established the facts , to include previous HQDA growth
16 January-February 2017
MILITARY REVIEW