Lean Process for Position Changes

Dennis Van Patter, CDOT Office of Communications

March 14, 2014 

Importance of Change Management

Importance of Change Management

A Lean process that will get underway on Monday, March 17, will bring employees together from numerous Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) workgroups to tackle the issue of position changes – that is, the budgeting problems, uncertainties, and inefficiencies that can occur, and have occurred, as a result of transfers, reallocations, moving positions from one workgroup or region to another, and creation of new positions.

“Historically, CDOT has transferred budget with all positions, vacant or full,” noted CDOT Chief Financial Officer Scott Richrath, the primary sponsor for this Lean process.  “In an environment of restricted salary cap growth for the entire department matched with significant changes to the structure of the organization, moving positions requires a more thoughtful approach.”

Project sponsors hope that the outcome of this Lean process will be a recommended system, as automated as possible, that includes considerations for salary cap and cap exemptions, checklists, and approvals required for future position changes.  The considerations will go beyond the obvious question of how positions are funded, and whether or not funding for moved positions will move with them, but also to workload, sustainability, and consistency with efforts to achieve CDOT’s mission and goals.

“This will be a significant change in process,” noted Richrath.  “We have asked a group of thoughtful, serious-minded folks from across the Department to come together to tackle this issue.  I expect that the discussion about this situation will be frank and sometimes difficult.  But we’ve had outstanding results from Lean processes in other areas and I am hopeful we can bring consistency, equity, and efficiency using Lean for this important issue.”

The project team will meet for three days for its first rapid improvement event, then will meet for three more days in April before presenting final recommendations.

Project Personnel

Primary Sponsor 

Steering Committee

First Project Leader 

Second Project Leader 

Project Team

Fresh Eyes/Process Experts