Innovative technology and multiple methods of communication with the public have made government agencies more responsive to the needs of citizens. But a focus on Agile practices, Lean Six Sigma and continuous process improvement could make a difference in how successfully governments put new technology to work.
Today, people expect the government to have the same mindset as private companies, including the need for institutional agility, consulting firm Gartner found in a recent report about strategic technology trends for government.
Government leaders must create “a nimble and responsive environment by adopting an agile-by-design approach,” according to Gartner. This approach should identify principles and practices for developing more agile systems and solutions for government.
Used properly, Agile also increases trust between government agencies and the public. It also can create better trust among government employees, as Agile calls for rapidly addressing challenges using small, interdisciplinary teams that work well together.
Agile Leads to Efficiency
Efficiency in government is something every agency seeks, but few in the past have obtained. That’s another reason why so many government officials have turned to Agile and Lean Six Sigma for solutions to long-standing problems.
In a report on adaptation of Agile in governments, Nextgov reported that many governments face a trifecta of challenges: shrinking budgets, a smaller workforce and more demands from the public for efficient service.
The original Agile manifesto has 12 principles. Nextgov reports that most governments should focus on these four:
- Embrace change
- Operate on short timetables
- Evaluate and adjust
- Work together, talk together
The Need to Embrace Change
Many of the examples involving governments putting Lean, Six Sigma and Agile into action involve embracing change. This can prove a difficult mindset to create in public agencies where things may have been done the same way for decades.
Agile and Lean Six Sigma do not focus on producing a “final result.” They instead focus on creating a culture of continuous improvement. As Gartner pointed out, this is especially important with new technology that allows public agencies to quickly handle tasks that once took large chunks of time to complete.
Saving process time, eliminating mistakes and cutting down on wait time for citizens are three of the biggest areas needing improvement in government. Many have found Agile and Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques can help. Examples include:
- A host of military projects that have led to enormous cost savings, improved logistics and many military personnel earning Green Belts and Black Belts in Lean Six Sigma.
- The federal government taking a Six Sigma approach to merging large departments and creating efficiencies
- State governments using process improvement to create a culture of continuous improvement and better serving those in the community most in need of government services
- City and county governments across the country are putting Lean Six Sigma and Agile strategies in place to improve issues such as bolstering emergency management shelters and training employees in process improvement.
For many government agencies, the cost of training employees and supporting Agile programs has provided a strong return on investment.
Structural Change Is Needed
While the projects noted above all had great impact, the largest influence public agency leaders can have is supporting structural changes within government. Only then can they move away from outdated approaches and begin to make a real difference in the lives of citizens.
Many aspects of Agile can make a huge difference in often-lumbering government processes, as noted by Nextgov. They include:
- Failing fast and making small changes quickly
- Working on multiple streams of work for a project simultaneously
- Using sprints to accomplish project work. Sprints involve a team intensely focusing on one aspect of a project to reach a milestone
- Short daily meetings to ensure projects remain on track
- Doing away with the idea that they can simply take old, long-term planning methods and break them down into smaller tasks and create shorter deadlines. As Nextgov notes, “this is not the same as being agile.” A complete change in how projects are approached is needed.
- Maintaining constant lines of communication between team members that includes short meetings, shared task lists, frequent updates on progress and completing daily assignments
None of this is easy for governments, but process improvement methodologies can help. Doing so will require a new approach that emphasizes flexibility, fast failure and innovation.
