If you want to understand organizational design options through role frameworks, the best free providers are usually not pure “organizational design software” vendors, but a mix of:

1. Role clarity / accountability framework resources
2. Org design consulting firms with free templates, articles, and examples
3. Open frameworks you can adapt yourself

Here are the best ones to start with:

1. BCG / BCG Henderson Institute

• Strong on org design patterns, roles, spans and layers, decision rights
• Lots of free thought leadership and practical articles
• Best for understanding modern operating models

Why useful: Helps you think beyond job titles into structure, decision-making, and accountability.

2. McKinsey Insights

• Free articles on organization design, role clarity, team effectiveness, and operating models
• Good for high-level framework thinking
• Especially useful for understanding where roles sit in the org and how work flows

Why useful: Very good for executive-level org design options.

3. Deloitte Insights

• Strong free content on target operating models, organization design, and workforce roles
• Often includes frameworks, maturity models, and examples

Why useful: Good balance of strategy + implementation.

4. Gartner (limited free content)

• Some free research summaries on org design, role models, and operating structures
• More gated than others, but the free pieces can still be useful

Why useful: Strong taxonomy around roles, skills, and operating model design.

5. The Org / Open org charts from real companies

• Not a framework provider in the classic sense, but useful for observing real role structures
• You can study how companies define leadership layers, functions, and team shapes

Why useful: Good for seeing patterns in actual organizational designs.

6. Reworked / Team topologies / product operating model resources

• Especially useful if you're designing modern product, tech, or cross-functional roles
• Team Topologies content is widely referenced and some material is free online

Why useful: Great for understanding roles in digital/product organizations.

7. WorkBoard / BetterUp / Lattice free resources

• More focused on role clarity, OKRs, and team effectiveness
• Free articles, templates, and guides
• Helpful when you want to translate org design into clear responsibilities

Why useful: Practical for role definitions and accountability.

8. NTT DATA / Accenture / PwC public insights

• These firms publish free POVs on operating models, org design, and workforce transformation
• Good for broader design options and examples

Why useful: Helpful if you're comparing traditional, matrix, product, and platform-based models.

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Best free framework-style resources specifically for role design

If your focus is more on role clarity and accountability than broad org design, look at:

• RACI / DACI / RAPID frameworks
• Team Topologies
• The Accountability Chart (popularized by EOS)
• Role charter templates
• Operating model canvases
• Skills/competency matrix templates

Many of these are available free via blogs, templates, and PDFs.

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Best starting combination

If you want the fastest path to understanding options, I’d use:

• McKinsey + BCG for conceptual org design options
• Deloitte + Accenture for operating model examples
• Team Topologies for modern team/role structures
• RACI / RAPID / Accountability Chart for role clarity

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If you want a truly free, practical approach

You can also build your own role framework using this structure:

• Mission
• Key outcomes
• Decision rights
• Core responsibilities
• Interfaces
• KPIs / success measures
• Skills required
• Span of control
• Dependencies

That usually gives you a solid role framework without paying for software.

If you want, I can also give you:

1. a comparison table of the best free providers, or
2. a free role framework template you can use to evaluate org design options.