From Leavitt’s Diamond to Ackoff to USM: Completing the System
Another great post by our guest editor, John Worthington. For decades, leaders have been told that transformation rests on “People, Process, Technology.” It’s catchy, but it’s not a system. At best, it’s a checklist. The roots go back to Harold Leavitt
How to Get Stability in an Unstable World
A post by our guest editor, John Worthington. In a VUCA world, operating models come and go, but a management system like USM provides the stability, accountability, and social capital enterprises need to thrive. We live in what the military fir
Service Management’s Enlightenment
A post by our guest editor, John Worthington. Somewhere between the noise of frameworks and the glow of dashboards, we seem to have misplaced our principles. We can recite ITIL practices, COBIT controls, ISO clauses, and Agile ceremonies faster than a
Practice-Based Tailoring vs. Structural Standardization with the USM Method
A post by our guest editor, John Worthington. In today’s USM Introduction Workshop we got a familiar question; ‘why isn’t tailoring ITIL-based processes (practices) the same as what USM is doing?’ Practice-based tailoring (like ITIL-inspired customizat
Thought Leadership or “Pay-to-Play”?
A post by our guest editor, John Worthington. I was recently contacted by a major research and advisory firm—one of the big names. They invited me to join one of their “Councils,” citing my experience and presenting it as a prestigious opportunity. I w
Beyond Strategy: Why Value Maturity Needs a System
Another great post by our guest editor, John Worthington. When I previewed the Dual-Lens Assessment Model, a colleague challenged me with a sharp observation. “I’m still having some doubts about the value dimension, as I think it’s often a deliberate c
A Unified Link for Experience Management
A post by our guest editor, John Worthington. USM’s Customer-Provider Interaction Model is an ideal link that can help manage experience across complex service supply chains and networks. Here’s why. Back in the 1980’s we were hell-bent on process. Thi
From Process Baggage to Management Systems: Why USM Isn’t Just Another Operating Model
A post by our guest editor, John Worthington. After nearly fifty years in IT, I sometimes wonder if the weight I carry isn’t experience — it’s baggage. Decades of “process-first” initiatives, endless levels (L1–L5), flowcharts, and frameworks have shap
Bridging Experience Management and Experiential Learning: A USM Perspective on Smarter Service Organizations
A post by our guest editor, John Worthington. In today’s service organizations, we’re inundated with data about customer and employee experiences. We track satisfaction, sentiment, and journey friction points. Yet many teams struggle to convert this ri