ODS Plus provides the following consulting services

In essence, OD is a planned system of change. Our consultants work with your organization to determine the state of readiness for OD, factors needed for successful change and a plan to guide the organization through the various stages of change.

• Planned. OD takes a long-range approach to improving organizational performance and efficiency. It avoids the (usual) "quick-fix".
• Organization-wide. OD focuses on the total system.
• Managed from the top. To be effective, OD must have the support of top-management. They have to model it, not just espouse it. The OD process also needs the buy-in and ownership of workers throughout the organization.
• Increase organization effectiveness and health. OD is tied to the bottom-line. Its goal is to improve the organization, to make it more efficient and more competitive by aligning the organization's systems with its people.
• Planned interventions. After proper preparation, OD uses activities called interventions to make systemwide, permanent changes in the organization.
• Using behavioral-science knowledge. OD is a discipline that combines research and experience to understanding people, business systems, and their interactions.
  

To be successful, OD must have the buy-in, ownership, and involvement of all stakeholders, not just of the employees throughout the organization. OD is usually facilitated by change agents -- people or teams that have the responsibility for initiating and managing the change effort. These change agents may be either employees of the organization (internal consultants) or people from outside the organization (external consultants.)

Effective change requires leadership with knowledge, and experience in change management. We strongly recommend that external or internal consultants be used, preferably a combination of both. ("These people are professionals; don't try this at home.")

WHEN IS AN ORGANIZATION READY FOR OD?
There is a formula, attributed to David Gleicher which we can use to decide if an organization is ready for change:

Dissatisfaction x Vision x First Steps > Resistance to Change

This overview is derived from the following article.

ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT - The Management of Change by Robert H. Rouda & Mitchell E. Kusy, Jr.