Process improvement in public services
TAKT clients were invited to present their experiences with the improvement of highly dynamic and complex processes in public services, at a SBO Conference in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht on Nov. 5th.
The main subject of the conference was the managment of not-so-linear processes in public services, which run through networks of interdependent organizations. Typically, the customer value of these processes is in the domain of public interest. More than 70 representatives of different local authorities and water management institutions attended the conference.
Hans Gremmen, representing the Province of Noord-Brabant, told the audience about his experience with speeding up internal processes. He highlighted how muda (waste) can be identified and eliminated in a typical public service environment. Wim van Eijs told about his experience in gemeente Haarlemmermeer, reducing the leadtime of interactively making city plans with 75%, to a more than acceptable rate of 1 per month.
These business cases and the contributions of other specialists led to an interesting debate. The general conclusion being that applying a process perspective –such as the Toyota Way philosophy- in the complex public domain, will prove to be as important a revolution as it has been in manufacturing. TAKT Consultant Herald Voorneveld chaired the conference.