Internship Reflection
Lubna Jamal, Office of Process Improvement Intern
11/25/2022
My first experience with the Office of Process Improvement was at the introductory interview conducted by Director Gary Vansuch. What struck me was his accommodating and empathetic leadership. When I went on to meet the other interns and Michelle Malloy, OPI’s Program Manager, the feeling of being welcomed into an amazing team was further solidified. The interviews felt more like a conversation, and I was immediately drawn to the progressive ideas of the entire team! My first day was truly a memorable one. Not many interns can boast that they were given a guided tour of the third busiest airport of the world on their first day! Yes, that’s correct! I was greeted at the door of the CDOT HQ where we took the traditional picture at the entrance, under the “Welcome to Colorful Colorado'' sign, and soon thereafter, I was boarding the light rail with my fellow interns to go to Denver International Airport (DIA).Despite being a Colorado resident for a long time, this was the first time I had taken the Light Rail to DIA! Along the way, I got a chance to chat with the other interns, and learn about the projects they were working on. I was so impressed by their diverse talents.
Interns Lubna, Stephen, Samantha, Rebekah, and Kayley pictured at CDOT headquarters with Gary Vansuch. In front of the "Welcome to Colorado" sign.
I later realized the importance of these ‘gemba walks’. When you are on the ground looking at where the work happens, talking to folks that are instrumental in making it happen, one gains new perspectives. Being able to walk on the tarmac and understanding how their de-icing procedures work, or looking at an entire field of solar panels that sustain a third of the airport’s energy consumption, gave me a new appreciation for how much operational excellence matters in making this a smooth experience for travelers. Things that seem simple like changing a lightbulb on the tarmac, has a complex process behind it that involves federal, local and state agencies working in tandem.
Similar tours that really opened my eyes to the Operational Excellence and Safety standards at CDOT, was a visit to the Eisenhower Tunnel. It’s an iconic landmark. As a CDOT intern, I got a behind-the-scenes look at the gigantic wind turbines, the control center where they monitor traffic going in and out of the tunnel, the emergency response measures and the ongoing needs for renovation and construction updates.
The general view of internships are that they are slow and focus on a project or two. Not so with the Office of Process Improvement (OPI)! The best part was that I was involved in important projects right from the beginning. The team afforded me a safe environment to share my views and opinions. My first real challenge came less than a month after joining. I was asked to co-host an important guest speaker event in conjunction with CDOT’s Celebration of the Second Decade of Innovation. My fellow-intern, Kayley Smiley and I had already been planning the behind-the-scenes, but we ended up hosting the entire in-person event. Dr.Dean Schroeder, a renowned author and expert of Process Improvement in the public sector, was our guest speaker, and representatives from many state agencies were in attendance. It built my confidence to network with experts in the field, and utilize best practices.
Interns Lubna and Kayley pictured with Dr. Dean Schroader.
Other opportunities to present the achievements of the Office of Process Improvement occurred with two major conferences. Our team presented at the Results Washington Conference and the Colorado Lean Summit in front of a live audience. We brought to light the importance of Lean Everyday Ideas and our system of collecting innovative ideas from employees across CDOT’s diverse workforce, and storing them in our database for others to benefit from. In fact, I was a key player in the planning and execution of the last stage of the Innovations Challenge 2022, which takes these Lean Ideas and celebrates those that have high impact and transferability within the organization. I also worked closely on Concept to Project (C2P), an endeavor for project intake of business improvement projects across CDOT that builds transparency, accountability and support via best change management principles.
I had the opportunity to have a frontline view of the ADKAR principles in action. Through the Innovations Challenge, OPI was reinforcing the value of all ideas. I was closely involved in the communication plan of the C2P official Roll-out which meant that I got to sit in on meetings with senior leadership as the role of C2P was explained to them.
Office of Process Improvement interns with Gary Vansuch presenting at the CLN happy hour.
Being in the Office of Process Improvement, opened new doors for me and led to my job of Project Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Public Safety. I started looking at change and process improvement in a new light because of the skills I had acquired at CDOT. The culmination of my internship was equally strong. I participated in a 3-Day course that certified me as a Prosci Change Practitioner. Collaborating with many of my intern colleagues was the highlight of my internship because I learned so much from them! I will truly miss my CDOT family and as the 77th intern, I can only wish that this wonderful program under Gary and Michelle’s tutelage continues on for a very long time!