General Overview:
1. What is ROAD?
ROAD stands for Resilient Organizational Architecture Diagnostic. It is a systematic assessment tool to evaluate and enhance organizational resilience across dimensions like strategy, workforce, ESG, innovation, and systems-- leveraging leading strategic insights such as the McKinsey 7S, Blue Ocean Strategy, Business of Humanity®, and sustainability diagnostics from years of baseline assessments.
2. Who developed the ROAD assessment?
ROAD was developed by the Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) in partnership with The Business of Humanity® Project, the Center for Supply Chain Management, and the Center for Executive Education at the University of Pittsburgh.
3. How does ROAD align with CSB’s mission and sustainability goals?
ROAD advances CSB’s mission by helping organizations build resilient value—the ability to thrive financially while taming societal, environmental, technological, and economic disruptions. It equips companies to make sustainability part of how they evolve, not just what they report.
Assessment Process:
4. How long will it take to complete the ROAD assessment?
Most participants complete the ROAD assessment in 20–30 minutes, depending on the level of organizational complexity and context you want to reference when reviewing your diagnosis.
5. Can the assessment be completed individually or in a team?
Yes, ROAD can be completed by an individual leader or as a group/team activity.
6. Can the assessment be paused and resumed later?
Yes, the assessment can be paused and resumed. Be sure to use the same link or login method and return to where you left off.
7. What is the structure of the ROAD Framework, and why is it structured that way?
ROAD uses a layered structure:
- Vectors (Top-level Resilience Themes) - three simultaneous to look at the organization to provide a systemic view
- Dimensions (Intermediate categories like Opportunity Quadrant, SMART Power, AI Integration) -- to show how organizations translate strategy into action.
- Key Result Areas (22 core outcomes across strategy, leadership, talent, innovation, ESG, and more) -- to look at the organization in detail and where strategic interventions need to take place.
8. What is the structure of the Assessment?
- The Assessment has 6 pages:
- Page 1: Your information so that you receive a copy
- Page 2: Your perspective in relation to your organization
- Page 3: Assessment of Inspirational Transformative Ambition
- Page 4: Assessment of Innovative Value Network
- Page 5: Assessment of Hybrid Intelligence Ecosystem
- Page 6: Completing the ROAD Assessment
9. Is the ROAD assessment applicable across all industries and organization sizes?
Yes. ROAD is sector- and industry-agnostic. It was designed to flex across a range of contexts—from large enterprises to micro-organizations—by focusing on universally relevant drivers of resilience rather than industry-specific practices.
Data and Privacy:
10. What company information should be prepared before beginning the ROAD assessment?
Participants should have a general understanding of their organization's strategy, leadership structure, talent practices, innovation approach, ESG initiatives, and operational systems.
11. How does the ROAD assessment ensure company information is protected?
All responses are treated as confidential and stored securely in accordance with university data governance and privacy standards.
12. Who can view the ROAD assessment results?
Only the CSB has access to the results to send them back to you.
13. How is the ROAD assessment data stored and used?
Data is stored securely by CSB and used in aggregate (anonymized) to benchmark trends and develop actionable insights for leaders. No identifiable data is shared without consent.
14. Will my company’s responses be shared with third parties?
No. Responses are not shared with third parties unless explicit permission is provided by the participating organization.
Benefits and Insights:
15. What does the ROAD assessment measure?
ROAD measures resilience across three interdependent bands: strategic orientation, organizational systems, and people capabilities. It surfaces where strengths align—and where gaps exist—across these layers, offering a holistic view of how well an organization can adapt, sustain performance, and emerge stronger from disruption.
16. How will the ROAD assessment benefit our company?
You receive a personalized 4-page report that includes:
- A diagnostic snapshot of your organizational resilience
- General Guidance on Key Result Areas and Related Actions Leaders Can Take to Increase the Resilience of Their Organizational Architecture
17. Can ROAD results support strategic decision-making or reporting (e.g., ESG, sustainability)?
Yes. ROAD links directly to ESG scorecards, sustainable KPIs, and systems design, making it a useful input into reporting frameworks and strategy planning.
18. Are there any benchmarks or peer comparisons available in the results?
ROAD results include internal benchmarking—organizations can compare themselves against a 5-out-of-5 standard for each Key Result Area. We also offer aggregate peer benchmarks based on anonymized data from past participants, which are available at the end of the assessment.
19. Does ROAD offer follow-up resources, support, or recommendations after the assessment?
Yes. Your report will include curated resources, and CSB offers optional advisory sessions to walk through your results and create an action plan.
Logistics and Access:
20. How do we access the ROAD assessment?
The ROAD assessment is available through a secure online form provided by CSB. Contact CSB or visit the ROAD webpage for access links.
21. Is there a cost to take the ROAD assessment?
The ROAD assessment is FREE during the pilot phase. Future pricing may apply for expanded diagnostic and consulting services.
22. Do we need to register for an account to use ROAD?
No formal registration is needed for the assessment form, but email authentication may be used to send your results or follow up.
23. How often should our company take the ROAD assessment?
We recommend using ROAD after any significant organizational or strategic shift, if not at least annually.
24. How will the results be delivered, and how quickly will they be available?
Results are emailed as a downloadable PDF. In some cases, a personalized report will be generated and sent manually.
Support and Contact:
25. What should I do if I encounter a technical issue during the assessment?
Contact CSB’s support team at csb@katz.pitt.edu or email Muhammad.jami@pitt.edu for assistance.
26. Can we receive a personalized consultation to interpret our results?
Yes. CSB offers personalized consulting sessions and can guide your team in using results for strategy, workforce development, or ESG planning.
27. Is training available for our staff to understand and implement the ROAD insights?
Yes. CSB offers customized workshops and onboarding support for organizations wanting to integrate ROAD insights into operations. For one, organizations can access training through CSB’s ReSET program, which provides workshops, onboarding, and hands-on support to help teams apply ROAD insights and build lasting resilience.