Journey 4 · Looking back to 2016The organisation keeps changing. Its model needs to keep up.A transfer, vacancy or temporary assignment changes the organisation. Keep the person, position and effective dates distinct when reviewing how the system represents that change.Retrospective · Written 8 October 2026Beyond a fixed organisation chartIn November 2016, our guidance on organisational structure discussed reporting relationships, position assignments and historical records. The problem was practical: organisations change, while many systems expect a tidy hierarchy that stays still. A team may reorganise, a person may hold several responsibilities, or a reporting relationship may exist for only part of the year.Separate the person from the responsibilityA position can remain when its occupant changes. One person may occupy different positions at different times. A temporary assignment may apply alongside the person’s usual work. Keeping these distinctions visible helps HR describe the real organisation instead of rebuilding responsibilities around each individual account.Time is part of the relationshipAn assignment needs context, including when it applies. A future transfer should not silently describe today’s responsibilities. An ended assignment should not remain a basis for a new decision. Historical records can also help explain a change, although reconstructing every past approval requires more than simply retaining employment history.Describe the structure people actually useThis remains an important starting point for StarGarden’s wider model. Reporting lines, roles, communities and assignments can contribute different kinds of context. The aim is to make the relationships useful to work and decisions, while keeping the rules understandable. An organisation should be able to evolve without losing sight of the responsibilities it needs to carry forward.Historical reference: Earlier StarGarden article (historical source). The date identifies the earlier writing, not the publication date of this retrospective.