developing quality and innovation through strategic operations and alliances in the voluntary...

Developing Quality and Innovation through Strategic Operations and Alliances in the Voluntary Disability Sector

The Pavilion, North Campus, University of Limerick DFI/UL Symposium, 29 November 2013.

In partnership with

Improved Optimisation Through Cooperation, Learning and the Adaption of

Incremental Improvement Techniques

Dr John F. Noonan

Enterprise Research CentreFaculty of Science and Engineering

University of Limerick.

www.disability-federation.ie

Background to the Presentation1. Interaction with the students from the DFI/UL

Introduction to TQM course (2 years/4 Cohorts)

2. Interaction with the Voluntary Disability Sector students & Researchers on the Lean Specialist Diploma (UL)

3. An examination of other initiatives

Aim: To formulate a perspective that might provoke reflection


Presentation Structure

• A catch phrase• A perspective: The hymn sheet• Some Reports and Findings• Unique challenges• TQM Applied• Lean Applied• An age old argument• The nature of highly effective voluntary disability

organisations• The way forward


A Catch Phrase

“Think Big Work Small”1. Incremental improvement

2. Smaller organisations have just as much to contribute

3. Many views one vision

4. Systems Thinking {TQM & LEAN} i.e. Improved Optimisation Through Cooperation, Learning and the

Adaption of Incremental Improvement Techniques


The Hymn SheetTQM Course (UL/DFI)

• Systems thinking: systems are more than the sum of their parts, so well organised relationships between the parts are paramount

• Lean Thinking: Value to the service user through provider Involvement & relentless elimination of Waste

• TQM: corporate culture characterised by increased service user satisfaction through continuous improvement, in which everyone participates actively.


Reports & Findings: SystemsChildren England

(Birmingham 2009)Mission; a fairer world for children, young people and families - The ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda• “Progress does not need to involve huge change; what is

important is that progress is being made, however incremental”

• “importance of infrastructure, which includes small organisations and that is carefully developed to be locally appropriate, being ‘owned’ by the VCS.”

Children England was formerly the National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations, NCVCCO


Reports & Findings: Lean Thinking

Public Sector Scotland (2010)Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Service (Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council)

Progress Made 2008 November 2009 November

Avg. End-to-End time 675 days435 wait and 240 install

64 days

Flow Steps:1st point of contact to completion of work

291 34

Cost of physical work AVG/Case

£7000 £6300


Reports & Findings: TQM Cedar Foundation

(Belfast), 2001(Physical Disability Services)

“The pursuit of excellence is not optional in the voluntary sector, it is essential”

1993-2000

Driver: The level of growth and the increase in range, choice and quality of services to users

• Customer Service Excellence awarded (customer & value)

• ISO 9000 certified (documented quality system)

• EFQM self assessed

2012- 2015

“development and delivery of innovative and effective Services” Despite economic challenges

8


The ChallengesExplored in the Assignments

1. Defining greatness and calibrating success without business metrics (increasing effectiveness to better utilize scarce financial resources)

2. Leadership and getting things done within the dispersed structure of voluntary disability organisations

3. Building teams and getting the right people engaged within voluntary disability organisations’ constraints and opportunities

4. Increasing and securing the flow of resources to the voluntary disability organisations without a profit motive;

5. Building momentum through brand reputation of the voluntary disability organisations.

6. The customer: taxpayer, elected official, governing body, or the individual who receives a service?

7. Political leadership is transitory

Adapted from The challenges Five Issues that Separate CVOs from Businesses: Collins (2006) 9


(Up for the challenge)

TQM Tools Applied: FMEA - Service

Group work / Facilitation Skills Training

10

Function Potential Failure

Effects of Failure

Severity

Potential Cause of Failure

Occurrence

Current Control

Detection

RPN

Recommend Action

Actions Taken

Use of Role Play in Training

Participant does notengage in role-play

No opportunity to apply or practice the skills being developed

7 Insufficient skills (trainer)

3 Reference checking

6 126

Minimum requirements process introduced

Loss of confidence in the ability of trainer

Lack of planning in creatingtraining resources

Planning and review group set-up

Ongoing evaluation

Paul Partnership


(Up for the challenge)

TQM Tools Applied: FMEA – Product

11

Function Potential Failure

Effects of Failure

Severity

Potential Cause of Failure

Occurrence

Current Control

Detection

RPN

Recommend Action

Actions Taken

Operation of Hoist

Hoist mal-function

Client falling from hoist

10

Hoist not maintained

6 Check hoist is

maintain-ed.

(annual)

If not should

be reported

10

600

Ensure maintenance

contract is taken out

Ensure that staff are

trained to detect the hazardous

effect

1. a.

2. b.

3. c.

Mayo CIL


(Up for the challenge)TQM Tools Applied:

Quality Function Deployment

Direction of Improvement

Customer Requirements

(What)

Design Requirements

(How)

Lapto

p /

PC

Cours

e S

yllabys

Tra

iner

Know

ledge

Tra

inin

g V

enue

Cours

e T

ime S

chedule

Tra

iner

Tim

e S

chedule

Lesson P

lan

Experience

Improve Environment

Knowledge

Laptop / PC

Reduce Time Schedule

# Strong

Mobile IT


(Up for the challenge)Lean Tools Applied: Kaizen + Value Analysis

(Stream Map of Headways New Process)

13

VSM Pre Kaizen event Timeframe VA/ NVA

VSM Post Kaizen event Timeframe

Incoming call from potential client

Case note written up Application posted out

Day 1

NVA

Incoming call from potential client Case note written up Application posted out

Day 1

Application form returned to forum Day 5 VA 1 Application form returned to forum Day 5 Medical records requested by post

Day 6 Medical records requested by post

Day 6

Medical records returned and reviewed

between Day 8-20

VA 2 Medical records returned and reviewed

between Day 8-20

Abi forum meeting takes place - case discussed -

confirm client age, consent, meets/does not meet entry criteria

Between Day 22-25

VA 3 Abi forum meeting takes place - case discussed - confirm client age, consent, meets/does

not meet entry criteria

Between Day 22-25

Client case sent to Cork Referrals team

Day 26 Client initial needs assessment takes place

Between Day 26- 30

Case discussed at Cork referrals team - depends on the timing of the next referrals team meeting after the arrival of the case

Day 28- 54 VA 4

Client initial needs assessment takes place

Between Day 55-60

VA 5

HeadwaysDMAIC Kaizen

60 Days 30 DaysNew clients can access the service with approximately 30 days removed from the clients wait.


Age old Argument: “Quality Time” or

“Quality all of the Time”

Google’s 20% Time: for creativity and innovation(Results: AdSense, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Reader)

Googlers “120% time”Larry Page (Chief Executive 2011) we need “more wood behind fewer arrows” referring to lack of focus

• Reliable processes = reliable results• processes are the sum of their inputs• Continuous Improvement & Consistency• Teamwork & Routine performance Analysis• Training for all

The Nature of Highly EffectiveCommunity and Voluntary

Organisations(Williams: 2007)

• Any CVO should start with, and then continue to have, the people it exists to serve, the ‘Participants’ (users), at the heart of its organisational focus.

• It might be nice to think that funding would not be such a primary and priority task to deal with. However, people (volunteers and/or staff) need resources to give life to any dreams that exist or emerge

“CVOs need to be masters at making something out of nothing – of alchemy”.

Ian WilliamsAnnual Community and Voluntary Sector Conference

The Carmichael Centre for Voluntary GroupsFebruary 1st 2007


The way forward:

Balancing Lean with Latitude(Putting passion into compassion)

Realistically:TQM : long–term success through service user care & improving processes, services, and culture

Lean Thinking : embodies a set of design principles to deliver purpose more and more effectively by reducing waste

Lean + TQM: Balancing value with efficiency


In Summary

• The mission of the Voluntary Disability Sector distinguish them sharply from business

• The real need among the Voluntary Disability Sector is for tools and learning developed out of their experience and focused on their specifics

Above all:

• Cherish achievements

• Build in quality of service

• Reduce complexity

• Learn

Look to a future state some where between the current state and an ideal state through grasping opportunities.

More poetically……………


Anthem Leonard Cohen

“ Ring the bells that still can ring,Forget your perfect offering,

There is a crack,There is a crack in everythingThat’s how the light gets in”

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developing quality and innovation through strategic operations and alliances in the voluntary...

Documents

reports findings

tqm lean

physical disability

service users

appropriate dfg

hymn sheetsome reports

appropriate time people

continuous improvement