Whole-Scale® Change Approach
Listen to the podcast on Podbean
Our Whole-Scale® Change methodology has been used to create rapid and sustainable change in organizations and communities around the world. We believe the wisdom needed to create successful change is in the people, and our role is to help them uncover, combine, and apply that wisdom to accomplish the results they are seeking.
Our core competencies include engaging large and small microcosms of the organization as the key elements of the change process. We work with groups as small as ten and as large as 1,000. These interactions of large and small groups allow a “critical mass” of the organization (or a sub-system within the organization) to build a common database and form a common intention for action. Whole-Scale® processes are robust: they work in many different circumstances with people from all parts of the organization.
The Whole-Scale® approach is a flexible methodology that can be used at different levels and at different stages of the change process. We stress that Whole-Scale® is a journey and each step can create “critical moments” in the process but only in the context of a sound change strategy that includes clear strategic goals, strong leadership alignment, adequate training and concerted implementation follow-through.
Core Beliefs and Values
- Creating Empowerment and Participation
We believe in engaging the entire organization in ways that lead to ownership of and commitment to a shared purpose and future direction. - Creating Community
We believe that when you foster an environment where employees can come together, they can create and believe in something larger than themselves. - Using Reality as a Key Driver
We believe the change process must keep a continual focus on the simultaneous and sometimes conflicting realities that exist in the internal and external environments of the organization. - Building and Maintaining a Common Database
We believe that a “level playing field” of information and common understanding of the strategic issues informs the discretion of people at all levels so that they can make wise decisions, individually and collectively.
- Creating a Shared Preferred Future
We believe creating a collective “image of potential” for the future forms the basis for action today. - Creating Change in Real Time
We believe in simultaneous planning and implementation of individual, group and organizational changes. - Practicing Action Research
We believe that only through continuous re-examination throughout the process can our clients adjust their approach to ensure reaching their vision of success. - Transferring Learning
We have a strong value for creating self-sufficiency and against creating dependency on us in our client systems. Our goal for the completion of a project is that participants will make our methods their own so they can feel confident and capable of carrying on with or without Dannemiller Tyson Associates.
Key Models of Whole-Scale® Change
D x V x F > R
This formula is a cornerstone of Whole-Scale work. It explains what it takes to bring about real change in an organization. The D stands for shared data including dissatisfaction that builds a case for change. The V stands for vision of a shared picture of the future that everyone yearns to see. The F identifies the first step actions necessary to move the organization toward achieving that preferred future. All three must be present to overcome R resistance to change.
Our Action Learning Model provides a continual “plan-do-check-act” set of processes. It pictures how we see incremental emergence of wholeness, generating, releasing, and focusing individual and organizational energy.
The Converge/Diverge Model shows the change journey in which an organization moves, over time, through a series of activities that create and sustain change. It represents a connected flow that integrates the individual, small groups, and the whole system to expand their database (diverge), combine their multiple realities (converge), explore possibilities (diverge), and make system-wide decisions (converge.)
Our Star of Success model is a practical tool that helps organizations think through system-wide change. It causes the organization to ask itself six vital questions. Do we have the right: Strategic direction (vision and goals)? Functions (work processes and systems)? Form (reporting and functional relationships)? Resources (people, facilities, finances)? Information (shared with right people at the right time)?
Source : Dannemiller Tyson Associates
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does Whole-Scale Change offer compared to other change initiatives
In which contexts can it be used?
• Post-merger integration and large restructuring
• Digital and AI transformations that cross functions
• Culture shifts where trust and collaboration are fragmented
• Multi-stakeholder programs with regulatory or customer impact
• Turnarounds where speed and coherence are critical
What would be a typical example of using this approach in an organization?
How are objectives defined and how is success measured in Whole Scale Change?
• Outcomes: customer, financial, risk, and employee goals tied to strategy.
• System: decision rights, accountability, and workflow coherence across functions.
• Adoption: participation, commitment, and behavior change in critical roles.
Typical metrics include cycle time from decision to deployment, first-time-right rates, time to onboard new AI agents or capabilities, percentage of decisions made at the right level, employee net promoter score for change, and benefit realization against a signed business case. Measurement is built in from day one with a baseline, a benefits tracker, and monthly “evidence of progress” reviews.
How does it differ from Open Space Technology, and when does it make more sense to use it?
What will we take away from the workshops to apply in our organizations?
• A draft operating model including value streams, roles, decision rights, and tiered governance
• A dependency and risk map that links business, technology, people, and compliance
• A prioritized backlog and 30-60-90 day action plan with named owners and checkpoints
• Communication artifacts and facilitation guides to run local cascades
• A simple benefits tracker and review cadence to sustain momentum