Drawing a matrix organization chart can be a challenge, particularly as the number of reporting relationships increases. Many attempts to construct a matrix organization chart end in structures that are not intuitive and clear.
Here is the way we draw a matrix organization chart. We realized that one of the problems was that we were carrying old-fashioned assumptions about what an organization chart should look like. In the past, the focus was often to use the organization chart to show grading levels so people at the same level of the organization would appear at the same horizontal level on the organization chart.
If we let go of this assumption (if you want to you can show grades with a letter in the chart box) we can make matrix organization charts much simpler by moving people with dual line reporting down a level on the chart.
This matrix organization chart shows 3 direct reports and 2 who have dual reporting into their functional heads for HR & Finance.
If you need to add another level of reporting to the matrix chart this approach can also help.
I could not find anything similar in my search on organization chart layouts on Google so I thought I would post it here in case it was helpful.
If you have come across any other simple ways of illustrating a matrix organization chart, or have ideas for improving the chart above, please let me know.
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4 responses so far ↓
1 Business blog » Blog Archive » Matrix Organization Chart // Sep 22, 2008 at 2:45 pm
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]
2 DJ // Sep 22, 2008 at 3:59 pm
No question this is a major challenge in Matrix organizations as we are still looking to graphically define our world in an org chart but the complexity of working in a Matrix organizations with direct reports, dotted line reports, functional reports, and both internal and external reports and stakeholders makes it almost impossible to adequately define graphically one’s world but people still want it to have some clarity.
3 Lui Sieh // Sep 28, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Thanks, this seems quite helpful graphically. What’s more confusing to me though revolves around the administrative (i.e. HR processes, budget management, T&E approvals etc) “mechanics” of managing a matrixed organization.
Anything like that out there?
Cheers,
4 Kevan Hall // Sep 28, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Sorry - the process side of things is pretty detailed and varies a lot between organizations (it also makes for boring blog posts unfortunately :-))
Our focus here is on the people managment aspects of the matrix. I don’t know of other sources for that level of detail on the mechanics of matrix processes on the web
Good luck though, if you find something useful please let us know
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