In essence, process improvement aims to standardise procedures to reduce deviations from an established standard, creating consistency and efficiency across operations. For example, in a Local Government setting, standardising the application process for building...

Processes surround us in everything we do. While they are often unseen and rarely documented, they underpin every task, whether large or small. When we seek to improve a process, any enhancement is often only temporary unless there is a structured approach to...

Enterprise process and service improvement initiatives can be highly complex, making it difficult to engage various teams within the Council. Different departments, such as revenue, rates, finance, planning, and building, have their peak busy periods, where urgent BAU...

Change begins from within. Often, we recognise a problem but see it as overwhelming and complex. We might hold onto the hope that someone else will step in and solve it for us. Take, for instance, the quality and efficiency of service delivery within our team. The...

Improving service delivery requires a dynamic approach, combining various strategies tailored to an organisation’s needs. It is crucial to understand that this process is not a one-time initiative but an ongoing cycle of assessment, action, and reassessment. As...

Process improvement is a distinct discipline requiring specialised oversight and strategic focus. Department managers in local governments may not have the capacity or expertise to drive effective process enhancements. Establishing a Chief Process Officer (CPO) role...

Here are some key questions I pose to any project team focused on enhancing business processes “on paper.” By "on paper," I mean the creation of well-intentioned as-is and to-be process diagrams, with the hope that one day these improved processes will be implemented...

Improving efficiency often comes at a cost. Sometimes, there’s no budget for it. Other times, it’s simply not a priority. But stakeholder pressure to improve service is a constant. As decision-makers, this can add stress to our roles. That’s when we can get creative...