The best operating model software to streamline operations

What is an Operating Model?

An operating model describes how an organization structures its people, processes, and systems to deliver on its strategy. It answers the question: how do we actually work? OKRs sit within an operating model as the goal-setting layer, alongside rituals like check-ins, reviews, and retrospectives, and break down when the broader operating model doesn't support transparency and accountability.

Is your strategy getting lost in execution? You’ve set bold goals, aligned on priorities, and kicked off the quarter with momentum. But now things feel off. Progress updates are vague. Processes don’t scale. Teams are working hard—but not always on the right things. You know the strategy is solid, but the execution isn’t landing.

This is where a strong operating model can help bridge the gap. But even the best-designed models can fall apart without the right systems in place. You need tools that bring visibility to your structure, track performance, and help teams stay focused on what matters. The right operating model software doesn’t just support day-to-day operations—it reinforces alignment, improves accountability, and keeps your strategy on track.

In this guide, we’ll explore the best operating model software to help streamline your operations, support decision-making, and drive continuous improvement.

What is an operating model (and why it matters):

An operating model is the blueprint for how your organisation runs. It outlines the key elements—your people, processes, structure, systems, and governance—that work together to deliver on your strategy. It answers questions like:

  • How are teams organised?
  • How do decisions get made?
  • What processes and tools support execution?
  • How is success measured?

Think of it as the bridge between strategy and execution. While your strategy defines what you want to achieve, the operating model defines how you’ll make it happen.

A strong operating model ensures alignment between teams, consistency in delivery, and the ability to scale effectively as your business evolves. It provides the structure needed to prioritise work, allocate resources, and adapt to change—whether you’re launching new products, entering new markets, or navigating internal transformation.

Without one, even the best strategies can fall flat. Teams end up working in silos, priorities get lost in translation, and decision-making becomes reactive instead of strategic.

Benefits of managing an operating model effectively

1. Improved efficiency

By streamlining processes and eliminating redundancies, your organisation can operate more efficiently, saving time and resources.

2. Better decision-making

A clear understanding of the operating model enables leaders to make informed decisions that are aligned with your organisation's objectives.

3. Enhanced agility

An effective operating model allows your organisation to adapt quickly to changing market conditions and customer needs.

4. Increased customer satisfaction

By delivering value consistently and efficiently, your organisation can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

You need the right tools to manage your operating model effectively and reap its benefits. In the following sections, we will explore some of the top tools available.

Best strategy execution software

Strategy execution software can help organisations align their actions with their strategic goals. These platforms serve as a centralised hub for managing and monitoring the execution of strategic initiatives. They ensure that everyone in the organisation is working towards the same objectives. 

Benefits of using strategy execution software

1. Alignment

Strategy execution software helps ensure that all departments and individuals are aligned with your organisation's overall strategy, reducing the risk of misalignment and wasted efforts.

2. Transparency

These platforms provide a clear overview of your organisation's progress toward its strategic objectives, enabling leaders to identify areas of success and areas that require improvement.

3. Accountability

Strategy execution platforms foster a culture of accountability and responsibility by assigning ownership of specific initiatives and goals to individuals or teams.

4. Data-driven decision-making

With built-in analytics and reporting features, strategy execution software enables leaders to make informed decisions based on real-time data and insights.

5. Collaboration

These platforms facilitate collaboration and communication across departments, ensuring everyone works together towards common goals.

Best strategy execution software

1. Tability

Tability is a user-friendly strategy execution platform that helps organisations simplify the execution of their strategic plans. It offers features such as AI-powered goal setting, OKR tracking, customisable OKR dashboards, and advanced reporting, making it easy for teams to stay aligned and focused on their objectives.

ℹ️ See how Tability can automate your OKR process.

2. Cascade

Cascade is a strategy execution platform designed to centralise strategic plans, align daily work to strategic priorities, and track real-time progress through integrations with work management tools.

Cascade

3. ClearPoint Strategy

ClearPoint Strategy is a cloud-based platform for strategic planning, goal management, and performance tracking. Key capabilities include data integration from multiple sources, organisation-wide alignment on objectives, and automated strategy reporting.

ClearPoint Strategy

Business process management (BPM) software

BPM software helps organisations optimise, automate, and manage their business processes. It enables companies to streamline workflows, reduce inefficiencies, and improve overall productivity. 

Benefits of using BPM software

1. Improved efficiency

BPM tools help identify and eliminate bottlenecks, redundancies, and inefficiencies in business processes, resulting in faster and more streamlined operations.

2. Enhanced visibility

With BPM tools, your organisation can gain a clear overview of its processes, enabling you to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

3. Enhanced collaboration

BPM tools foster collaboration among teams by providing a centralised platform for communication, task assignment, and progress tracking.

4. Increased agility

By automating processes and reducing manual intervention, BPM tools can help organisations adapt quickly to changing market conditions and customer demands.

5. Better compliance

BPM tools help ensure that processes adhere to industry regulations and internal policies, reducing the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties.

Top BPM software

1. Appian

Appian is a low-code BPM platform that enables organisations to build, automate, and optimise processes. It includes features like process modelling, case management, robotic process automation (RPA), and AI-powered decision-making.

Appian

2. Workato

Workato is an integration-centric BPM tool that focuses on automating processes across different applications and systems. It provides a low-code platform for building integrations and automating workflows.

Workato

3. Kissflow

Kissflow is a cloud-based BPM tool that allows users to design, automate, and optimise business processes. It provides features like drag-and-drop process modelling, workflow automation, real-time tracking, and reporting.

Kissflow

Data visualisation and analytics software

Data visualisation and analytics tools provide insights into your organisation's performance, identify trends, and enable data-driven decision-making. These tools help transform raw data into visually compelling and easy-to-understand formats, such as dashboards, charts, and graphs.

Benefits of using data visualisation and analytics software

1. Monitoring KPIs in real-time

Data visualisation and analytics tools enable leaders to track critical metrics and KPIs in real-time through interactive dashboards. This allows them to quickly identify areas of the business that are performing well and those that need improvement.

2. Identifying patterns and trends

These tools can analyse historical data to identify seasonality, correlations, and other insights that may not be immediately apparent.

3. Communicating complex information effectively

Data visualisation tools transform complex data into visually appealing and easy-to-understand formats, such as charts, graphs, and infographics. This enables organisations to communicate insights effectively to stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise.

4. Measuring the impact of strategic initiatives

Data visualisation and analytics tools help organisations measure the impact of their strategic initiatives and operational changes by tracking relevant metrics and comparing performance over time.

Top data visualisation and analytics tools

1. Tableau

Tableau is a powerful data visualisation tool that allows users to create interactive dashboards, charts, and reports. It supports a wide range of data sources and offers advanced analytics capabilities.

Tableau

2. Microsoft Power BI

Power BI is a business intelligence and data visualisation tool from Microsoft. It provides a user-friendly interface for creating interactive reports and dashboards, with built-in data modelling and analysis features.

Microsoft Power BI

3. Qlik Sense

Qlik Sense is a modern data analytics platform that provides a comprehensive set of capabilities for data integration, visualisation, exploration, reporting, and embedding analytics.

Qlik Sense

The wrap

Investing in the right software for managing your operating model is not just a short-term fix; it is a strategic decision that can have a lasting impact on your organisation's success and sustainability. By empowering your teams with the right software and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you can position your organisation to thrive in the face of challenges and seize new opportunities for growth.

Author photo

Jeremy Yancey

Head of Content, Tability

Share
Weekly insights for outcome-driven teams
Subscribe to our newsletter to get actionable insights in your inbox.
Related articles
Read more →