Governmental Reporting Lines Can Be Seen As Tripping Hazards To Project Manager’s

3 GOVERNMENTAL REPORTING LINES CAN BE SEEN AS TRIPPING HAZARDS TO PROJECT MANAGER’S SIX SIGMA IN GOVERNMENT

While numerous articles Michael Hallmen, MSEE, BSEE, PE, CAPM, LEED BD+C and case studies have documented the powerful impact of Six Sigma Engineer principles on the business Baltimore City Department of Public world, Six Sigma principle implementations in Works government have proven to be just as successful. However, this success does not mean that government agencies are ready to fully embrace the lean techniques in all facets of their operations. In fact, different governmental entities have systems and practices in place which limit the use of Six Sigma principles. Having Six Sigma professionals presents a major opportunity for government agencies to improve operations, reduce costs, and eliminate waste if they can work through governmental impediments.

What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma helps to simplify business processes through a five-phased approach. These phases include defining the parameters being measured along with result expectations, measuring the current performance, analyzing the results to determine the root cause of the problem, improving solutions to the problems that are designed and tested, and controlling the implemented changes with support systems. By incorporating the cross-functional value stream maps, agents are able to identify areas of waste and inefficiency. Many existing processes have embedded rework and workarounds, a plan or method to overcome an existing problem for persistent problems. When wasted effort is removed and the rework and workarounds are no longer needed, the remaining processes are simpler and often much easier to manage and control. This leads to a faster process, which results in better customer service and better customer satisfaction.

“By minimizing waste and inefficiencies...Six Sigma government applications can help local, state, and federal agencies attain the type of results long enjoyed by corporations.”

The lengthy process was upsetting to employees and hindered the agency’s productivity. By applying Six Sigma principles to the process, the wait time for security clearances was reduced by more than 70%, resulting in a substantial improvement in productivity and making it easier for the agency to control costs and scheduling (Villanova University, 2020). These are just a few examples of Six Sigma government success stories. In project management, it is imperative to develop a solid quality plan and to monitor and control the project quality. Each phase of quality management should be addressed in the project management plan and guided with expert judgement and data analysis to provide the correct metrics and controls needed to deliver the project within specifications. (Project Management Institute, 2017) “The Lean concept of Transparency, or visual control, broadens our awareness of problems, so that issues quickly become known to all stakeholders so that action may be taken.”

For instance, application of this Lean concept would help to expedite an otherwise lengthy process and enable quick response to agency needs.

Governmental Impediments

Government practices and policies can be prohibitive to the installation of Six Sigma principles. Whether it is a lengthy approval process that requires a number of signatures from various stakeholders, the need to include various ancillary stakeholders in the decisionmaking process, or established governmental policies, there can be any number of impediments which can hinder the success of lean government practices. This makes for a significant effort in managing stakeholders for any project manager. For example, in Baltimore City, Expenditure Authorization Request (EAR) forms require multiple reviews and approvals from 14 independent sections prior to submission to the Board of Estimates for final approval. This process can take anywhere from four to six months for final approval. The lengthy EAR approval process has a direct impact on operational costs and the efficiency to service customers. The Lean concept of Transparency, or visual control, broadens our awareness of problems so that issues quickly become known to all stakeholders and action may be taken. Visibility fosters an ‘all hands-on deck’ philosophy; stakeholders stop what they were doing to help relieve the bottleneck caused by process problems, decrease the reaction time to waste, foster responsibility, and aid in problem solving (Anbari, 2002).

Path Forward

The major tenets of Six Sigma are equally relevant to government practices as they are to other industries in the private sector. In the past, government agencies have been prone to developing overly complex and inefficient processes, making Six Sigma an even more powerful tool in managing stakeholders and projects in general. Utilizing Six Sigma implementations within the project management plan has shown the propensity to save significant time and money for government agencies, and the improved operational processes will continue to increase productivity, efficiency, and savings as the processes become more ingrained. By minimizing waste and inefficiencies and enabling workers to achieve near-perfect quality, Six Sigma government applications can help local, state, and federal agencies attain the type of results long enjoyed by the private sector.

References:

Anbari, F. T. (2002). Six Sigma Method and Its Applications in Project Management. Project Management Institute Annual Seminars & Symposium. San Antonio: Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK guide) (6th ed.). Project Management Institute.

Villanova University. (2020, March 12). Villanova University. Six Sigma in Government https://www.villanovau.com

Instances of Successful Government Implementation

By incorporating Six Sigma principles, governmental agencies have been able to streamline processes and achieve a dramatic reduction in costs. As an example, one government facility reduced the processing time for staff to receive their credentials. For doctors, the process reduction was reduced by eleven days, while the process for registered nurses decreased by eighteen days. By implementing continuous process improvements and Six Sigma, the government facility saved almost $1 million annually. The agency anticipates that rolling out the new processes to the entire system will result in approximately $114 million in savings (Villanova University, 2020). Another successful Six Sigma application in a government agency enabled personnel to obtain new or additional security clearances much faster.