Dr. George Dagliyan on Standardization Without Stifling Innovation

The tension at the heart of scale

Dr. George Dagliyan describes a familiar tension: standardization makes organizations efficient and predictable, but taken too far it can crowd out the experimentation that innovation requires.

The question is not whether to standardize, but where standardization helps and where it harms.

Standardize the foundation, free the edges

Reflecting his Template Builder thinking, Dr. Dagliyan suggests standardizing the operational foundation — the repeatable, high-consequence processes — while leaving room at the edges for teams to experiment.

A strong, consistent core actually creates the stability that makes safe experimentation possible.

Templates as enablers of adoption

Well-designed templates lower the cost of doing things right, which makes them adoption facilitators. When the standard path is also the easiest path, people follow it without feeling constrained.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Dr. George Dagliyan balance standardization and innovation?

He recommends standardizing the high-consequence operational foundation while leaving room at the edges for experimentation, using well-designed templates that make the right path the easiest path.