Part V
Our Lean Journey
Colorado formally began utilizing Lean in 2011. In the first 5 years, employee teams have executed hundreds of projects, streamlining processes and saving immeasurable time and resources for our employees and our customers.
In the spirit of continuous improvement, we need to take a hard look at how well it is working. The truth is that our method of process improvement…needs some process improvement.
We’ve learned some lessons that are helping us chart a new course. Here’s what to expect:
Simple is powerful
Simplify materials and remove jargon; strive for simple, engaging materials that are self-explanatory and easily accessed
It takes all of us
Create ways for every employee, even those without training, to spot waste in their work area … and then do something about it
Innovation is valuable
Simplify materials and remove jargon; strive for simple, engaging materials that are self-explanatory Adopt “better practices” from ALL state departments and continually update materials to better equip our solvers
Linking improvements is critical
Develop knowledge around how align strategic Lean projects and focused front-line efforts to ensure our hard work delivers maximum benefit
Why Lean is Critical for Colorado
Colorado State government faces several operational challenges:
We have challenging missions: Public servants are asked to perform challenging tasks for which there is no profit motive. We fill gaps in our communities, striving to make sure that we protect our citizens, our environment, and our economy.
We have complex processes: Many of our processes and systems are antiquated and no longer make sense. They have not been designed for our current reality and don’t always help our employees deliver the results that matter for their customers.
Our workforce is changing: As of 2016, it’s estimated that 40% of the State government workforce will be eligible for retirement within 5 years. We rely on their institutional knowledge and that knowledge is not faithfully recorded.
Lean helps us address these challenges by focusing on value, streamlining processes, and making jobs more fulfilling.
Expectations
General Expectations:
Incremental improvements are better than no improvements
Lean methods/tools are used to create capacity (where people state they are too busy)
Lean is used to solve a wide variety of operational problems
Use Lean methods and tools as part of a career development:
Leaders can use Lean to align and focus the organization’s operations
Managers can use Lean projects to help give their staff leadership opportunities
Frontline employees learn effective problem-solving skills
A Lean culture (culture of continuous improvement) takes 5 – 10 years to develop
Roles & Expectations
Lean Champion
Acts as Advisor/Coach to Agency – the “go-to” person for Lean
Takes Initiative – continuously deploys lean through a variety of methods
(e.g. newsletters, training, coaching, projects, etc.)
Remains Persistent – makes incremental progress (does not take an all or nothing approach)
Is a Change Agent – uses change management to increase adoption
Shares Lessons Learned – across agency and with other Lean Champions
Senior Leaders
Supports Lean – makes Lean part of the agency’s strategic plan and/or values
Acknowledges Managers and Staff – publicly and/or privately recognizes individuals who are making improvements
Incorporates Lean into Management PDs and Performance Plan – makes
10% of manager’s duties related to supporting & using Lean
Managers
Uses Lean Methods/Tools – emulates Lean behavior by using Lean to solve problems
Supports Lean – encourages staff to make improvements using Lean methods/tools
Incorporates Lean into Staff PDs and Performance Plans – works with staff to develop relevant measures related to process improvements
Removes Barriers – helps staff prioritize work so improvements can be implemented
Is Open to Testing New Ideas – allows for pilots of new processes by not discouraging staff from participating
Frontline Staff
Learns Lean basics
Gathers feedback from customers on their likes/dislikes with our current process
Identifies areas for improvement in their own work and remains open to new ideas
Common Lean Myths
Click on each myth to see what the reality is.
Lean is code for cutting staff
In reality, Lean helps free up staff capacity by focusing on value-added activities, and that may cause a few job duties to change.
Lean is only useful in manufacturing
In reality, Lean has been successfully used in Federal, State, and Local government for more than a decade.
Lean is only beneficial for the private industry because the government does not have any customers
In reality, Lean defines customers as the end-user of a process; therefore the customer may be internal (another division or section within an organization) or external (clients, providers, citizens, legislature, etc.).
Lean is used only by a handful of people
In reality, Lean is not a program or initiative -- it is a way of thinking and operating that everyone in an organization uses.
Lean cannot be used without extensive training
In reality, Lean uses common-sense tools and methods, many of which can be learned in minutes and used by anyone.
Lean is not applicable to what I do, my work is unique
In reality, Lean provides a basic framework for solving problems and improving processes from policy and rulemaking to processing invoices and hiring and more.
Lean is the "flavor of the month/year"
In reality, Lean is non-political. Lean continues in Government through several administrative and political changes.
Lean is not related to our mission or strategic plan
In reality, an organization's mission and strategic plan gets done by applying Lean methods and tools to day-to-day work.
Lean is too time-consuming.
In reality, Lean is a means of building capacity (e.g. spend three hours making an improvement that will save you 80 hours per year)
Lean is a substitute title for leadership
In reality, Lean requires leadership support, otherwise Lean efforts are likely to fail. However, a majority of the Lean efforts fall on the employees to make the process improvements.
Lean is another task that leads to employee burnout
In reality, Lean helps prioritize limited resources and time so that individuals are focused on value-added activities.
Lean is a method that reduces the individual to a part of the process
In reality, Lean is a people-centered approach that empowers employees and managers to collaborate, solve problems, and make improvements that ultimately benefit the customer.
Lean is only focused on eliminating steps in a process
In reality, Lean creates an environment where problems are viewed as opportunities and sharing lessons learned is a common practice.