Politics Information

Six Sigma Can Improve Government Practices


Government bodies at any level, local, state, and Federal, can implement Six Sigma to improve customer service and increase the effectiveness of government. Although Six Sigma has its roots in private-sector manufacturing, it works just as effectively in governmental organizations and government will reap the same benefits as corporations.

Many top companies have produced outstanding results with Six Sigma, dramatically cutting costs, increasing profits, and improving customer service. Governments aren't looking for profits, but they still have motivation to reduce their costs and reduce the inefficiency and waste that causes cost overruns. The reduction of variation and defects within processes is the goal of Six Sigma and that goal is just as valid in government as in any other industry.

Any government institution is a service organization and its customers are the citizens it serves. Like a private sector service business, a government benefits when it learns how to serve their customers better by increasing quality and efficiency. In any service organization, the critical factors in quality and efficiency are the flow of information and interaction between people, especially interactions with customers. Transforming the process of these flows will yield quality results. At the heart of every service business are the opinions, behaviors and decisions made by people. Analyzing and modifying human performance in service environments is as complex as any manufacturing situation. Six Sigma achieves documented bottom-line strategic business results by initiating an organization-wide culture shift.

The governmental institution must understand that it needs to redesign its processes from the ground up to be as efficient as Six Sigma enables. No more "business as usual." Until a process focus-rather than a task focus-is developed, the scope and endurance of improvements will be limited. Analyzing and modifying human performance in these environments is complex, but Six Sigma provides the tools and methodology required to achieve significant long-term improvements.

Six Sigma will help government operations groups, such as public works, law enforcement, and sanitation improve their processes to deliver services more efficiently. It will help departments that handle transactions, such as finance, libraries, and human resources, improve their processes to reduce waste and save money. It will help relationships with contractors and assure that contractors apply best practices to their own programs. Six Sigma will also instill a new attitude of efficiency and responsibility from governmental employees. The organization-wide culture shift comes from Six Sigma's recognition of meeting the needs of customers and the value of lower-defect business processes.

Six Sigma is still new to government. Fort Wayne, Indiana may be the first City in the country to implement Six Sigma. The City of Fort Wayne is using Six Sigma to initiate improvements in a number of different departments, including fire, community development, water pollution control, right of way, human resources, street, transportation engineering services and solid waste. Six Sigma has decreased costs, improved customer service and increased productivity throughout city government. Projects have resulted in over $3 million of savings or cost avoidance for the City.

The use of Six Sigma demonstrates a government's commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. Leaders in government will find many benefits to adopting Six Sigma methodologies and training their employees in Six Sigma.

Peter Peterka is President of Six Sigma.us and has over 15 years experience including implementation of Six Sigma in Government with a variety of organizations. For additional information please contact Peter Peterka at 6Sigma.us

  


MORE RESOURCES:

Bleacher Report

Mixing politics and football, and other pressing issues
Los Angeles Times, CA - Nov 22, 2008
You seem a bit lost when you have to mix politics with sports. Better luck next time. Answer: I'm hoping to Hattiesburg that ordering a Justice Department ...
A Barack Obama Strategy to Change College Football Bleacher Report
Even Obama can't master politics of BCS Scripps News
all 123 news articles


Washington Post

Ted Stevens: Farewell and 'To Hell With Politics'
Washington Post, United States - Nov 20, 2008
"My motto has always been 'to hell with politics, just do what's right for Alaska.' And I've tried every day to live up to those words. ...
Video: Ted Stevens Defeated CBS
The Politics of Entitlement Wall Street Journal
Preston on Politics: A senator’s bitter birthday present CNN Political Ticker
KTUU - NPR
all 3,144 news articles


Politicians prefer priceless politics
DetNews.com, MI - 5 hours ago
It is the world of political rhetoric. No wonder so many people are attracted to that world. It would be a great place to live. After Arthur Goldberg had ...


Politics: Crisis Calls For Real Engagement
Hartford Courant, United States - 10 hours ago
Compared with 1991, the politics are mixed. Then, Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. was an independent alienated from his former Republican Party and open to new ...


Challenge readers know their politics
Durham Herald Sun, NC - 6 hours ago
Challenge readers know about back-room politics, including Susan Peacock in Chapel Hill who knew the answer to the following Challenge: "What decision did ...


POLITICS: So long Hillary, hello Byron?
Niagara Gazette, NY - 4 hours ago
By Mark Scheer If Clinton is nominated as expected by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of state, at least one local state senator thinks ...


Letter: Divisive politics makes an ugly return
Enterprise-Record, CA - 3 hours ago
For the past two years, I have been proud that the historically divisive politics in Chico have been marked by a new, more inclusive and respectful dialogue ...


Councilors should respect diversity, avoid politics when choosing ...
Duluth News Tribune, MN - 5 hours ago
The eight sitting city councilors should respect voters’ wishes when considering candidates who clearly have political ambitions. Among the News Tribune’s ...


Dolores Carr: Decision by district attorney's office wasn't ...
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 10 hours ago
When a case involves politics, controversy is likely to be intense. My first, and I hope last, experience with this dynamic is the case of Tony Arreola and ...


Washington Times

Inside Politics Weekend
Washington Times, DC - 18 hours ago
And in keeping with the season, some observers are calling for civility in politics as the year lags and the great, glittering, inevitable Inauguration That ...

politics - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.