Lean thinking, smarter processes

Public sector organisations across the UK have had numerous drivers for change over the years, but they are now coming under ever increasing pressure to respond to strict government-set efficiency targets.

To meet these targets, a wide range of institutions including council departments, universities, the health service and housing associations are turning to Lean methodologies.

So what is Lean? Lean is a method by which an organisation reviews the whole value stream from process input to output -driving out waste to ensure that every step adds value in the eyes of the customer. Some of the many benefits include processes that can be delivered faster with less human input, less space and ultimately reduced costs.

With these widely publicised benefits, it’s not difficult to see why Lean has been adopted by the public sector in the search for rapid benefits. And while quick wins may be evident through the application of techniques such as value stream mapping, Lean is not a method to achieve short term financial gains, rather a customer focused way of working that must encompass every part of the organisation.

So, where do institutions start and how can meaningful and lasting change be achieved? The steps are simple:

• Understand what the customer perceives to be of value
• Identify activities across the entire process and whether they add value or not
• Look at the flow of activities and ensure that they move towards the customer
• Develop the process so the customer pulls services through
• Keep reviewing and improving the process to strive for perfection

To embed Lean thinking takes time – it requires a fundamental shift in the way people work and how continuous improvement activities are practiced. Long-term commitment from employees at all levels is fundamental to the success - communicating and living the philosophy is vital.

Due to the current demand for Lean advisory services, arvato government services has recently launched AGS Consulting - a consultancy that supports the entire transformation journey with regular workshops on culture change, strategic planning, staff training and project management.

AGS Consulting helps institutions to achieve practical process improvements applying lean techniques to eliminate waste and six sigma techniques to reduce variation in process delivery. Its package of services support the entire transformation journey and include workshops on culture change and strategic planning, training, ICT reviews and project management.

Knowledge transfer is an essential part of their approach, ensuring employees are left empowered to make further changes with their newly acquired knowledge and skills.

During a recent project at a council’s domiciliary care department, AGS Consulting managed a review of financial administration processes.

This evaluation – which identified savings of £400,000 - included a comprehensive analysis of the customer’s requirements, interviews with providers, process mapping and identifying hard and software that would provide enhanced visibility of service provision.

For more information on AGS Consulting, please contact Debbie Simpson on agsconsultancy@arvato.co.uk or 0782 4591222 or go to the arvato website www.arvatogov.co.uk.