ABSTRACT
The first step when designing a sub-unit is to agree on the goals (i.e., functions) of the sub-unit. It is useful to start by formulating a mission or a mandate that can be the basis for identifying lower-level functions (or functional requirements). A key goal is to define self-contained teams and departments within the sub-unit. In order to do this, one needs to consider the nature of the work that is performed, and more specifically, the work process interdependencies. The key issue is often to choose between partitioning (dividing a unit into smaller sub-units) and integration (increasing the level of interaction between, or formally merging, two or more units).
