Quality Improvement in Government?

In Paul Borawski’s ASQ post this month he raises the question about quality improvement in the public sector:

So, the big question of course is–why? Why do citizens expect and demand so little accountability for the poor use of resources in government? Why do so few leaders charged with leading countries, states, provinces, and cities require improved performance?

Like Paul there is no doubt of the direct applicability of quality concepts, techniques, and tools to assure improved performance in the public sector. Government agencies have found that Lean methods enable them to better understand how their processes work, to quickly identify and implement improvements, and to build a culture of continuous improvement.

Numerous government agencies, ranging from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the States of Iowa and Minnesota, are using Lean to improve the quality, transparency, and speed of government processes. Lean government proponents generally believe that the government should cut out "waste" and "inefficiency" from government organizations, which will result in overall better services and more value for tax-supported programs and services. Proponents also generally see Lean government as a means to expand the capacity of government to provide more services per unit of investment.

Yet the adoption rate versus the opportunity is remarkably low. I believe this is because quality improvement and politics don't mix very well. It’s not that I don't believe they can't mix, only that they don't mix very well. Politics in America is very short-sighted-a year, two years at the most, is all good politicians will invest before they expect a "pay-off." Simply speaking, a quality improvement effort won't pay off in such short time periods.

Government executives generally don't care about operations. Most elected officials and government executives didn't join government to manage. Instead, they are driven by a deep desire to advance a cause, a policy issue or a political agenda. They get excited about bold new programs and solving big problems

Another point is that considering a citizen as a customer is not always correct. Citizens are customers sometimes, but often they are subjects, voters, taxpayers, and users. When a parking guard or a policeman gives you a bill for incorrectly parking your car. Are you his customer? Are you in the position to say no and go to a competitor?

The nature of government has been to maintain the status quo. The trouble with this is that it leaves no opportunity for growth and improvement.

The irony is that good politicians must start doing this for our future. In the short term, quality should be implemented because it is the right thing to do. Quality improvement cannot be viewed as a particular politicians "program." If it is, it will last only the tenure of that politician.


I’m part of the ASQ Influential Voices program. While I receive an honorarium from ASQ for my commitment, the thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own.

Lean Quote: Ability, Motivation, Attitude

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"CAbility is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." — Louis "Lou" Holtz (born 1937)

We are all good at something. Knowing what you are good at can make all the difference. Your skill level determines the level at which you are able to actually do things. If you have a high level of skill, that’s good. And the better you get, the better it will be for you. To the degree that you can perform your actions at higher and higher skill levels, the more and more success you will find.

Being self-motivated is an important quality to have in the workplace. Self-motivation is a form of self-encouragement. You tell yourself that you have the capacity to perform still better and surge ahead. This keeps you pushing further until you reach your goal.

In determining how we face our challenges it is our attitude that is the key. You are not responsible for everything that happens to you, but you are responsible for how you react to what does happen to you. You have a choice as to what your attitude will be.

Having the right attitude can make the difference between success and failure. A positive attitude can motivate other people to change their negative thinking and come over to your side. Everything is possible with right attitude behind you to push you forward. And since you do have a choice, most of the time you'll be better off if you choose to react in a positive rather than a negative way.

You must have all three working together to be truly successful.

Daily Lean Tips Edition #31

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #451 - Always think about the whole system and its processes.

If you want the whole system to work well, you can't just focus on each part and optimize its performance. You have got to consider the implications of how any action will affect the whole system.

Lean Tip #452 - Commitment from management is a “MUST”.

In fact, it is the driving force. Procedures, tools, and database are all useless if the management does not want to see an improvement culture in the organization. The employees of the organization will not care, if the management themselves do not show the attitude to follow the right path.

Lean Tip #453 – Focus on processes with an emphasis on continuous improvement.

Focusing on processes helps everyone understand even further the importance of teamwork and cooperation and the interdependence of their work. It places a premium on implementing the tools that make management and improvement of processes more efficient and effective. The emphasis is on continuous improvement through the use of quality tools to measure process performance and teamwork.

Lean Tip #454 - People function best in a culture where open, honest communication is understood.

You may be surprised how many innovative solutions can be developed when the truth is consistently shared throughout the organization. An important way to encourage truth-telling is by creating a culture where people listen to one another.

Lean Tip #455 - Understand Your Customer’s Needs and Expectation

For any business the customer is the lifeblood. Every process and every action internal or external should ultimately result in the value addition to the customer and the customer’s delight. Therefore it is essential that the customer needs, wants and expectations are identified before you embark on a quality building program.

Lean Tip #456 - Want to become a better leader? Stop talking and start listening.

Being a leader should not be viewed as a license to increase the volume of rhetoric. Rather astute leaders know there is far more to be gained by surrendering the floor than by dominating it.

Lean Tip #457 - The most profound and commonly overlooked aspect of learning is recognizing the necessity of unlearning.

We’ve all acquired knowledge, beliefs or positions that but for the protection of our ego, would easily admit are outdated. I can think of no better definition for a closed mind than someone unwilling to change their opinions. Smart leaders recognize it’s much more valuable to step across mental lines in the sand than to draw them.

Lean Tip #458 - Leadership isn’t about you – it’s about those whom you lead and serve.

There are few things as limiting and frustrating as disconnected leaders. Smart leaders spend their time starting or advancing conversations, not avoiding or ending them. The more you engage others, the better leader you’ll become.

Lean Tip #459 - If you want to improve your station in life, as well as the lives around you – read more.

The greatest leaders throughout history have been nothing short of relentless in their pursuit of knowledge. I believe Michelangelo said it best when he uttered the words “Ancora Imparo” which when translated from the Italian means “I am still learning.” Moreover, the day I stop reading, the day I stop learning – that’s the day I stop leading.

Lean Tip #460 – Empower Excellence through Encouragement

Look around you sometime with this in mind - people are trying their best to do an excellent job at something. People feel better and accomplish more when their leaders take the time to not only notice, but encourage and empower them to be excellent in what they strive toward. Empowering excellence is different than expecting or demanding it because it starts with the ambitions of the led, rather than the leader.

Lean Tip #461 - Keep Learning (and Practicing) New Things

One sure-fire way to become a more effective learner is to simply keep learning. If you want the new information you just learned to stay put, keep practicing and rehearsing it.

Lean Tip #462 - Teach What You've Learned to Another Person

Educators have long noted that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Start by translating the information into your own words. This process alone helps solidify new knowledge in your brain. Next, find some way to share what you’ve learned.

Lean Tip #463 - Utilize Previous Learning to Promote New Learning

Another great way to become a more effective learner is to use relational learning, which involves relating new information to things that you already know. Building on your knowledge and applying it to new opportunities is just another facet of learning.

Lean Tip #464 - Anything you can visualize, you will learn faster and remember longer.

Mind mapping is an ideal way to bring your aspirations and goals into vivid focus. Maps furnish a bird's-eye view that can reveal new connections, prompt new ideas. They give an extra edge when you need to recall your data. A map lights up in the mind more quickly than a list. Because it's a picture.

Lean Tip #465 - Help the Managers Develop Their Own Solutions

People generally know what is the right or appropriate thing to do. Often your job is to draw the answer out of the individual. If you give the person the answer, the manager is less likely to own and fully enroll in the solution or answer. You can provide options and recommend resources. You can give your opinion. You can answer questions, but ultimately, the answer must be the manager's.

The Six-Step Problem-Solving Process

We are all faced with problems to solve in our workday. There are many problem-solving methods, and the six-step method is just one of them. The problem for most people is that they do not use one process to solve problems and issues or to make decisions. Another problem is that people are not consistent in how they solve problems. They do not find something that works and then do it the same way over and over to be successful.

The Six-Step Problem-Solving Process is described below:

Step 1: Identify The Problem

• Select the problem to be analyzed
• Clearly define the problem and establish aprecise problem statement
• Set a measurable goal for the problem solving effort
• Establish a process for coordinating with and gaining approval of leadership

Step 2: Analyze The Problem

• Identify the processes that impact the problem and select one
• List the steps in the process as it currently exists
• Map the Process
• Validate the map of the process
• Identify potential cause of the problem
• Collect and analyze data related to the problem
• Verify or revise the original problem statement
• Identify root causes of the problem
• Collect additional data if needed to verify root causes

Step 3: Develop The Solutions

• Establish criteria for selecting a solution
• Generate potential solutions that will address the root causes of the problem
• Select a solution
• Gain approval and supporter the chosen solution
• Plan the solution

Step 4: Implement A Solution

• Implement the chosen solution on a trial or pilot basis
• If the Problem Solving Process is being used in conjunction with the Continuous Improvement Process, return to Step 6 of the Continuous Improvement Process
• If the Problem Solving Process is being used as a standalone, continue to Step 5

Step 5: Evaluate The Results

• Gather data on the solution
• Analyze the data on the solution
• Achive the desired results?
• If YES, go to Step 6. 
• If NO, go back to Step 1.

Step 6: Standardize The Solution (and Capitalize on New Opportunities)

• Identify systemic changes and training needs for full implementation
• Adopt the solution
• Plan ongoing monitoring of the solution
• Continue to look for incremental improvements to refine the solution
• Look for another improvement opportunity

The Six-Step Problem-Solving Process is an easy approach to dealing with issues and problems that you face. It is a systematic way to approach a problem with clearly defined steps so that an individual or team doesn’t get bogged down in, “WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?”

Leveraging Quality to Achieve Your Business Goals

Every year companies ratify and formally commit to their quality policies but are they more than words on paper. It should be part of the culture of the company. Employing quality methods and practices in everything you do provides a firm foundation for your business and can be a determining factor in your success.

To create a culture of quality, an organization must align its organizational processes with quality planning and desired outcomes. Quality leadership starts with the leaders who plant the seeds, create the environment for success, empower others and deploy quality throughout the organization.

Improving quality is about taking action to increase value to the customer by improving effectiveness and efficiency of processes and activities throughout the organization. Quality improvement places a stronger emphasis on leadership rather than management competencies and attributes. Leadership’s critical task is to integrate, institutionalize and internalize quality.

Successful implementation of quality improvement requires commitment, focus and patience, but the rewards are substantial. Beyond the obvious practical benefits, organizations become empowered to solve persistent process and performance challenges while raising the expectations they set for themselves. A quality organization understands that the realization of quality must be continually energized and regenerated.

As stated earlier, management commitment is vital to overcoming uncertainty, establishing credibility and providing the stability to allow change to gain a foothold in the organization. Senior managers must create and maintain buy-in for quality improvement at all levels of the organization. Leadership must manage the organization’s culture and be a visible advocate for quality--“talk the talk and walk the walk.”

Excellence in quality improves customer loyalty, elevates brand position, reduces cost, attracts new customers, and draws the best and brightest talent. A strong orientation for quality helps to achieve business goals. Achieving excellence in quality provides significant momentum for the business and is a source of pride for all employees. A comprehensive quality management system is a key attribute to the longevity and success of an organization.

Lean Quote: Continuous Improvement is About Finding Better Methods

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Continuous improvement is nothing, but the development of ever better methods." — Mary Walton

The focus of Lean Thinking is to foster an organization that is committed to finding better ways to serve its customers. Workers are encouraged to be mindful of problems that can arise and empowered to explore their work processes further to identify opportunities to improve.

As a continuous process, lean manufacturing is sometimes divided into three different stages. First, any wasted labor, space, supplies or time is removed to lessen production costs. Second, a policy of continuous improvement is implemented, where the company dedicates itself to finding newer and better techniques to use in overall manufacturing. Third, the company investigates more specific techniques that apply directly to what sort of product it is manufacturing or what service it is providing and how innovations or new methods can be used to lower costs even more.

Lean is all about finding better ways to do things, so that they require less effort, less time and fewer resources. It is not about cost reduction – penny-pinching, cutting investment, taking out people – it is about finding better ways to get work done. It is about developing a mindset, methods and tools to identify and eliminate waste in all its forms at every opportunity. It is about freeing-up resources because you no longer need to use them.

Lean requires that everyone is committed to finding better ways to do things. This means excellence in everything we do for our customers as well as ourselves. Continuous improvement is how to achieve excellence and without it, you cannot become a Lean organization.

Top 3 “Old School” Apps for Lean

We have all heard the saying “there’s an app for that.” And for most things this is surprisingly true. But for Lean there really are no shortcuts. The tools are not particularly difficult which is in-part its success. Learning what tools to use in what situations takes some experience if you are not familiar.

Now that I got your attention you are probably expecting 3 digital apps you can use on your smart phone or tablet but those really undermine the importance of going to the source and seeing with your own eyes.  Rather,  I thought I would share 3 essential tools you can use in almost every situation.

Paper and Pencil
A paper and pencil is an indispensable asset to any lean practitioner. You can take notes on observations from the Gemba, document a process flow, record data, create standard work, and more. I would never leave home without it. You can’t remember everything so it is better to write it down.

Camera
A camera is a great tool document the process. You can use it to share best practices like in single point lessons, create visual standards, or even communicate defects and discrepancy. A picture is worth a 1000 words. Along these lines a video camera is an effective way to capture a process and break it down into elements either for waste elimination or training.

Post-it-notes
Post-it-notes have become a symbol of process mapping especially value stream mapping. Where ever there is a vertical surface you can create a map. They can also be used to identify waste in a cell like a red tag card for a 5S activity. I have even used post-it-notes to do a work balance table by cutting slips to represent the process times of various steps. Post-it-notes are a versatile tool with lots of potential for the creative.

Over the years I found these tools very useful in most situations. Now they can’t you out of every situation like a “MacGyver” tool kit but they are valuable. What tools do you find particularly useful in your Lean efforts?