Lean Government Working Smarter and Faster for

Environmental Protection

July 2010

United States Environmental Protection Agency

What is Lean?

Why use Lean?

Who is using Lean? State, EPA, and other federal Lean efforts

EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

Supplementary Information:

What does it take to do Lean?

Linking Lean to EPA priorities

Lean deployment

Potential future directions for Lean at EPA

Outline

1

What Is Lean?

2

3

Lean: Lean is a set of principles and tools that help people “learn to see” and eliminate waste

Six Sigma is a collection of tools that identify sources of variation in any process to improve quality

Lean government: Enables environmental agencies to work more effectively and

efficiently to protect human health and the environment by identifying and eliminating waste in government processes

Methods include: Value stream mapping and kaizen events Kaizen = “change for the good of all”

What Is Lean?

Typical Wastes Targeted by Lean

4

Wastes Examples Inventory Backlog of Work (permits, plan approvals),

Excess Materials/ Info

Defects Data Errors, Missing Info

Overproduction Unneeded Reports and Copies,

Doing Work Not Requested

Complexity Unnecessary Process Steps,

Confusing Instructions/Requirements

Waiting Approval Cycles,

Incomplete Applications or Plans

Excess Motion Trips to Printer, Copier & Files, Unnecessary

Meetings & Travel

Moving Items Report Routing, Document Storage

Typical Wastes Targeted by Lean

5

Wastes Examples Inventory งานทีค่า้งอยู(่เชน่ ใบอนุญาต, อนุมัตแิผน), วสัดุ

สว่นเกนิ / ขอ้มลู

Defects ขอ้มลูทีผ่ดิพลาด หรอื ขอ้มลูทีข่าดหายไป

Overproduction รายงานหรอืส าเนาทีไ่มจ่ าเป็น ท างานทีไ่มไ่ดถ้กูรอ้งขอใหท้ า

Complexity ขัน้ตอนกระบวนการทีไ่มจ่ าเป็น ค าแนะน าหรอืความตอ้งการทีส่บัสน

Waiting ระยะเวลาในการอนุมัตเิอกสาร หรอื งาน แผน โครงการ การขออนุมัตทิีม่ขีอ้มลูไมส่มบรูณ์

Excess Motion ระยะทางในการเดนิไปยังเครือ่งพมิพ ์เครือ่งถา่ยเอกสารและไฟล ์การประชมุหรอืการเดนิทางทีไ่ม่จ าเป็น

Moving Items เสน้ทางการรายงาน (Report Routing), การจัดเก็บเอกสาร (Document Storage)

3-5 day event with cross- functional team

Strong leader commitment w/ experienced facilitator

Training on Lean methods

Mapping the current process

Identifying improvement opportunities

Mapping a new, improved process

Rapid implementation of new process and measurement of results

What Is a Kaizen Event?

6

“House of Lean” Methods

7 1 Point of Use Storage

Continuous Improvement

Kaizen

Just-in-Time/Kanban Cellular Design Mistake-

Proofing

Quality at Source POUS1 Quick Changeover

Standardized Work Batch Reduction Teams

Visual Controls 5S (or 6S) Flow/Layout

Value Stream Mapping

3P (Production Preparation Process)/

Design for Lean Six Sigma

8

Facilitated by Lean professional / trainer

Problem Identification/Planning • Identify key people • Develop a charter – problem definition, metrics, goals • Identify and gather data required

3-5 Day “Event” • Day 1 - “Just-in-time” training in Lean for participants • Value Stream Map or Kaizen event • Day 3 (or 5): Develop Implementation Plan

Follow-up and Implement • May take a few days or several months • Document • Additional events if needed • Review progress at 30/60/90 day intervals • Communicate successes

How Does Lean Work?

Why Use Lean?

9

Achieves environmental results

Ensures better customer service

Reduces process complexity

Enhances process speed

Produces quality products and services

Improves staff morale

Lean is “common sense uncommonly applied”

Why Use Lean?

10

Example Results

Agency Process Anticipated Results

EPA Region

7 & 4 States

NPDES

Wastewater

Program

• Decreased time for EPA review of a state wastewater

program by 75-68% (from 4-19 months to 1-6 months)

• Eliminated 67% of the process steps (39 to13 steps)

Connecticut

DEP

Coastal Permit

Program • Reduced review period from 500 days to <120 days

Delaware

DNREC

Air

Construction

Permits

• Cut backlog of permits from 199 to 25

• Reduced average permit processing time to <76 days

Nebraska

DEQ

Ethanol Plant

Air

Construction

Permits

• Reduced permit review time 50%

• Cut permitting backlog by 55%

Minnesota

PCA

Wastewater

Permitting

Process

• Increased percent of permits issued within 180 days

from 9% to 75% (Six Sigma project) 11

Is Lean another “flavor of the month”?

How does it differ from TQM and other improvement efforts?

Why Lean is different:

Focuses on rapid, immediate, real-time change

Delivers fast results to build momentum

Emphasizes doing over planning

Keeps all eyes on what matters thru metrics/visual systems

Builds continuous improvement culture by empowering workforce to own the process and its effectiveness

What Makes Lean Different?

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Backlog of review and approval actions (e.g., SIPs, permits, standards)

Slow and inefficient human resource and hiring processes

Inefficient grant and contract management processes

What Problems Can Lean Solve?

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Results

Accountability

Empowerment

Action

Excellence

What Is Powerful About Lean?

14

Who Is Using Lean? State, EPA, and Other Federal Lean Efforts

15

Origins:

Lean Six Sigma

70% of U.S. manufacturing firms report using Lean (Industry Week 2008)

Rapidly expanding use of Lean in government and service sectors

Who Is Using Lean and Six Sigma?

16

Lean at State Environmental Agencies

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- State Lean Events Completed* - States Interested in Lean

- State Lean Events Completed - States Interested in Lean

28 States have completed Lean events

8 States are interested in Lean

*Events EPA is aware of as of June 2010.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Air Quality New Source Construction Permits Kaizen Event

Before Lean:

Issue ~2,000 permits per year

Average lead time: 62 days

After Lean Implementation:

Lead time reduced to 12 days (down to 6 after 6 months)

Process steps cut by 70%

Internal agency handoffs cut from 18 to 4

600 permit application backlog eliminated in 6 months

More customer friendly process and improved staff morale

Compelling State Lean Results หน่วยงานที่มีผลการท าลนีด ี

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Compelling State Lean Results

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Old

Process Future

Process Percent

Decrease

Permit

Issuance

Time

542 Days 34 Days 94%

Steps 150 38 75%

Decisions 31 5 84%

Handoffs การส่งต่องาน 18 6 67%

Delays 39 3 92%

Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

NPDES Water Quality Permitting Kaizen Event

Note: Results reflect anticipated improvements after implementation is complete.

Compelling State Lean Results

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State Agency

Permitting Process

Time Before (days)

Time After (days)

Percent Decrease

Idaho DEQ Permit to construct

270 97 64%

Indiana DEM

Title V permit modifications

164 144 12%

Iowa DNR Standard air construction

permits 62 6 90%

Iowa DNR Air quality

complex permits 214 180 16%

Michigan DEQ

Major air construction

permits 422 98 77%

Michigan DEQ

Minor air construction

permits 143 50 65%

Air Permitting Process Improvements with Lean

Note: Results reflect anticipated improvements after implementation is complete.

AO

Federal Government Lean Activity

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Over 20 federal agencies have used Lean to improve the speed & effectiveness of their processes

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Target Process: Hiring

Results: Cut hiring time by 50%

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Target Process: Multiple processes

Results: 36% reduction in work process steps; $3M+ in savings

Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)

Target Process: Human Resources

Results: 60% average efficiency gain from Lean

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Target Processes: Procurement and Hiring

Results: Loan application approval time reduced 22-30%

Compelling Federal Lean Results

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Federal Improvement Team (FIT) Community of Practice (CoP)

Sharing intellectual capital and collaborating, including best practices, training, and lessons learned on Lean, Six Sigma, & other agency improvement efforts

Performance Improvement Council (PIC)

Executive Order, Improving Government Program Performance, 11/07

Assist President, through OMB in making recommendations to Congress

Performance Improvement Officer (PIO) – SES from each agency

Working Group on Process Improvement (WG-PI) for PIC

Members include subset of FIT CoP

Cross-Agency Federal Organizations & Activities

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Federal Improvement Team Agencies

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Defense Agencies:

• Defense Logistics Agency

• Office of Under Secretary

of Defense for Acquisition,

Technology, and Logistics

• U.S. Air Force

• U.S. Army

• U.S. Coast Guard

• U.S. Joint Forces

Command

• U.S. Marine Corps

• U.S. Navy

• Environmental Protection

Agency

• Federal Aviation

Administration

• Federal Bureau of

Investigation

• Internal Revenue Service

• National Archives and

Records Administration

• National Institutes of Health

• National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration

• Office of Management and

Budget

• Pension Benefit Guaranty

Corporation

• U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

• U.S. Dept. of Homeland

Security

• U.S. Dept. of Housing and

Urban Development

• U.S. Dept. of Labor

• U.S. Dept. of the Treasury,

Comptroller of the Currency

• U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs

• U.S. Forest Service

• U.S. General Services

Administration

• U.S. Geological Survey

• U.S. House of Representatives

• U.S. International Trade

Commission

• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission

• U.S. Postal Service

Goal - Improve the performance of Federal functions

Provide advice (analyses, options, & recommendations) to help:

Increase capacity and capabilities to improve performance through process improvement (e.g., BPA)

Improve the performance of targeted operational functions (e.g., hiring)

Link and promote the development and use of effective improvement practices throughout the Government. (e.g., FIT, PIC, other councils)

Working Group on Process Improvement (WG-PI )

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Joint Events with Other State & Federal Agencies:

4 State-EPA Region 7 Clean Air Act State Implementation Plan (January 2010)

4 State-EPA Region 7 Wastewater Permitting Review (August 2008)

EPA OW Endangered Species Act Consultation with USFWS & NOAA Fisheries (May 2008)

4 State-EPA Region 7 Water Quality Standards Review (June 2007)

EPA-only Events:

EPA Region 6 Pesticides Enforcement Case Review (October 2009)

EPA Region 4 funded five State events (August – December 2009)

EPA OCFO Annual Budget Review (June 2009)

EPA OCFO Corrective Action Tracking (December 2008)

EPA Lean Kaizen Activity

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Compelling EPA Lean Results

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Process Time

Before Lean

Improvements

Process Time

After Lean

Improvements

Percent

Reduction

OCFO OIG

Correction

Action Tracking

Process

324 hours 104 hours 68%

Region 6

Pesticide

Enforcement

Case Resolution

455 days 216 days 53%

Region 7 / Four

State Clean Air

Act SIP Process

7.4 years 3.2 years 56%

Note: Results reflect anticipated improvements after implementation is complete.

State-EPA Lean Collaboration: Clean Air Act

State Implementation Plan

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EPA R7 & HQ, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, & Nebraska

Clean Air Act State Implementation Plan (SIP) Kaizen Event

Approach:

5-day kaizen event in January 2010; follow-up activities

Scope: Improve SIP process from time EPA promulgates a rule that requires States to prepare/modify a SIP to final EPA approval

Results:

Improved working relationships, collaboration, and efficiencies

When fully implemented, the new SIP process is expected to:

Reduce total processing time from 7.4 to 3.2 years (↓56%)

Cut best case delay time from 4.7 to 1.1 years (↓77%) and worst case delay time from 8 to 1.3 years (↓84%)

Decrease process steps from 165 to 134 (↓19%)

Free staff time to address and prevent backlogs

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EPA R7 & HQ, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, & Nebraska

Water Quality Standards Review Kaizen Event

Approach:

Focus on improving State-EPA collaboration

5-day kaizen event in June 2007; follow-up activities

Results:

Process steps reduced from 50 to 26

Cut non-value added time in the process

50% drop in number of EPA decisions needed

Common understanding of and documented new improved process

Clarified roles & responsibilities, built trust, change relationships

State-EPA Lean Collaboration:

Water Quality Standards

EPA R7 & HQ, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, & Nebraska

NPDES Permitting & Enforcement Process Kaizen Event

Approach:

Focus on Inspection Lists Submittal, Review, and Approval

5-day Kaizen Event in August 2008; follow-up meetings

Goals/Objectives:

Assure programs exceed acceptable level of performance

Reduce number of permits that merit objection

Develop common understanding of process

Clarify roles & responsibilities, build/building trust

Document new improved process

Reduce/focus process steps and reporting where possible

State-EPA Lean Collaboration:

NPDES Water Pollution Discharge Elimination

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EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

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Launched in 2005 in Office of Policy

Outgrowth of EPA Lean & Environment Initiative

1.5+ FTE

Partnership with ECOS:

EPA grant ($150K) to ECOS for State Agency Lean efforts

March 2010 ECOS-Lean Government Memorandum of Understanding

Key Initiative activity areas:

1. Tool development

2. Networking and coordination

3. Communications and outreach

4. EPA Lean event support

EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

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1. Tool Development

Working Smart for Environmental Protection Lean Government Primer (2006)

Lean in Air Permitting Guide (2008)

Lean in Government Starter Kit, Version 2.0 (2009)

Lean Government Metrics Guide (2009)

Lean case studies (2006–2010)

EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

33

2. Networking and Coordination

EPA-ECOS coordination and collaboration

EPA Lean Practitioners Network

Reps from EPA offices and regions

Federal Improvement Team Community of Practice and OMB PIC Working Group on Process Improvement

Participating in network of federal Lean implementers

EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

34

3. Communications and Outreach

EPA Lean Government website www.epa.gov/lean/leangovernment

Presentations on Lean Government within EPA

Presentations/displays at meetings and conferences

Inventory of State environmental agency Lean activity

EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

35

4. EPA Lean Event Support

Assisting EPA offices with planning and conducting Lean events

Direct participation in selected EPA Lean events

Maintenance of a Lean Facilitators List

Post-event case study documentation

Briefings on Lean for EPA managers

EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

36

Contact: Kimberly Green-Goldsborough

(202) 566-2255

green-goldsborough.kimberly@epa.gov

Website: http://www.epa.gov/lean/government/

For More Information

37

Supplementary Information

38

What Does It Take To Do Lean?

39

Successful process improvement requires organizational commitment over the long term

You must DRIVE change from the top down

Communication

Proactive

Frequent

Consistent

External stakeholders at the table

What Does It Take to Do Lean?

40

Participate actively and visibly

Set vision and define boundaries

Remove obstacles to change

State unwavering support for Lean team’s work and the new process

Help people shift to value-added roles – overcome resistance from the middle

Display passion for “pursuit of perfection”

Emphasize “no job loss”– Make a commitment that no one will lose his/her job due to continuous improvement activities

Leaders Must…

41

Expect initial staff resistance:

“We’ve already tried that.”

“The focus on streamlining processes may erode environmental protections.”

“We don’t have time to focus on process improvement.”

Common Reactions to Change

42

C.A.V.E. People: Citizens Against Virtually Everything

Proactive communication and demonstration of positive results can alleviate concerns

Visible leadership commitment is essential to success

Scope Lean events carefully to address real needs and build momentum

Know who the customer is and involve them

Set realistic expectations given the process type

Success blooms from sustained and effective follow-up

“Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the

steps, we must step up with stairs.” -Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic

How Can You Plan a Successful

Lean Initiative?

43

Linking Lean to EPA Priorities

44

How Lean Relates to EPA’s Mission

45

Lean government enables environmental agencies to work more effectively and efficiently to protect human health and the environment

Example Lean Applications:

• Wastewater discharge permitting

• Air construction permitting

• State Implementation Plan review

• RCRA corrective actions

• Grants

• Hiring

EPA Strategic Plan Goals

Cutting Waste Increases Time for

“Mission Critical” Work

46

Wasted time

Unnecessary work and process steps

Unnecessary approvals and handoffs

Ineffective meetings

Inaccurate or incomplete information

Errors in documents

Excess emails and copies of documents

Clean Air and Global

Climate Change

Clean and Safe Water

Land Preservation and

Restoration

Healthy Communities and

Ecosystems

Compliance and

Environmental Stewardship

Process Wastes

1. Taking Action on Climate Change

Lean was referenced in EPA’s proposed PSD &Title V GHG tailoring rule as an important strategy for improving permitting capacity

Lean concepts could be used to design new processes associated with the GHG rules for mobile sources and large stationary sources

2. Improving Air Quality

Lean is an effective tool for improving core agency processes, such as those in Administrator Jackson’s 1/12/10 priorities memo:

“Improved monitoring, permitting and enforcement will be critical building blocks for air quality improvement.”

Lean as a Tool for Advancing

Administrator Jackson’s Priorities

47

3. Assuring the Safety of Chemicals

Lean could help improve: chemical safety review, health assessment, and chemical management plan development processes

4. Cleaning Up Our Communities

Lean could help improve: Superfund cleanup process, Brownfields Program (e.g., grants process, assistance/incentive programs), and enforcement processes

Lean as a Tool for Advancing

Administrator Jackson’s Priorities (cont.)

48

5. Protecting America’s Waters

Lean could help improve: water quality regulatory and enforcement processes, grant processes, and new efforts such as the Urban Waters Initiative

6. Expanding the Conversation on Environmentalism and Working for Environmental Justice

The kaizen methodology of Lean fits with the spirit of this priority: Lean focuses on implementation, is team based, and people with outside perspectives are included in events

A Lean value stream mapping event with the Children’s Health Office could create a future state vision & implementation plan in 3-4 days

Lean as a Tool for Advancing

Administrator Jackson’s Priorities (cont.)

49

7. Building Strong State and Tribal Partnerships

This priority speaks to the need for environmental agencies to do more with fewer resources (Lean’s goal), and how “EPA must do its part to support state and tribal capacity”

EPA and ECOS entered into a Lean government MOU in March 2011 to continue joint agency commitments and partnerships to improve federal-state processes

National Program Manager guidance in FY 2011 calls on Regions to identify collaborations to improve state-EPA processes & promote continuous improvement with Lean

Lean as a Tool for Advancing

Administrator Jackson’s Priorities (cont.)

50

7. Building Strong State and Tribal Partnerships, continued

EPA’s Lean Government Initiative supports EPA, State, and other government agency Lean efforts through:

o Tool development

o Networking and coordination

o Communications and outreach

o EPA-State Lean events

Lean as a Tool for Advancing

Administrator Jackson’s Priorities (cont.)

51

Lean Deployment

52

Lean Deployment Models

53

Model Type Characteristics

Agency-Wide Model Top down driven

Comprehensive

Rapid, highly visible deployment

Major culture change

Department/

Division Model

Department leadership but agency management support

Department pilot for agency

Comprehensive at the department level

Culture change

Targeted Model

Top management leadership

Focused on a few specific agency problems

Driven by a desire for strategic impact

Culture change is not a deployment objective

Grass Roots Model Originates at the bottom of the agency

Project or problem specific

Highly motivated individuals lead the effort

Culture change is not an objective

Lean Deployment Models – Considerations

54

Model Type Deployment Considerations

Agency-Wide Model Requires significant, sustained investment and solid

leadership from top management

Large infrastructure and full-time staff

Significant planning and management, including

integration with other management systems

Need for common language and methodology

Need to address cross-agency processes

5+ years to achieve lasting culture change

Department/

Division Model

Similar to agency-wide model but on a smaller scale

Easier to start due to smaller scale

Slower pace is possible; scale up after initial success

Greater use of consultants and outside training

Less integration with management systems

Risk of not getting beyond the department level

Lean Deployment Models – Considerations (cont.)

55

Model Type Deployment Considerations

Targeted Model

Easy to get started

Can work in smaller agencies

Infrastructure needs are small; generally use contracted

resources

Little systematic integration with management systems

Quick results because problems identified ahead of time

Risk of not sustaining the gains

Grass Roots Model Relatively easy to do but difficult to sustain over time

Very vulnerable to changes affecting staffing

Few if any initial infrastructure needs; no integration with

management systems

Often rely on external Lean consultants

Lean implementation approach may vary across agency

Can generate good results from individual projects

Track record for sustainable improvement is not good

Deployment Model Selection Factors

56

Desired Impact Deployment Model

Business Transformation Agency-wide deployment

Major culture change

Agency-wide Model

Department/Division Model

Strategic Improvement Targeted deployment on critical problems

Projects necessary for success or survival

Targeted Model

Problem-solving Specific operational problems

Incremental improvements in agency

performance

Grass-Roots Model

Department of Defense (Agency-Wide Deployment Model)

• Services began using Lean over 10 years ago as individual agencies, now it is systematically deployed across multiple agencies

• DoD launched “Continuous Process Improvement and Lean Six Sigma” (CPI/LSS) initiative in April 2007 to accelerate LSS implementation in DoD and to make deployment more consistent

• Extensive use of Lean consultants and in-house Lean expertise

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Agency-Wide Deployment Model)

• Launched a Lean Six Sigma initiative in 2007, creating a program, training staff and managers, and executing several Lean projects

• Significant internal resources dedicated to Lean capacity building, training, and execution throughout the agency

Lean Deployment—Examples from Other

Federal Agencies

57

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Early Lean Implementation (Targeted Model)

• NRC’s Commissioner launched a Lean initiative in 2007 targeted initially on improving the agency’s hiring process

• Add anything on reliance on external consultants?

• After this initial success, NRC has established support infrastructure for Lean and expanded implementation across the agency (agency-wide deployment)

• Housing and Urban Development (Department/Division Deployment Model)

• HUD started using Lean in January 2008 in the Office of Housing, focusing initially on loan application processes

• HUD has used outside consultant support and is working on building internal capacity

• HUD is in the early stages of Department/Division Deployment Model deployment

Lean Deployment—Examples from Other

Federal Agencies (cont.)

58

Federal Bureau of Investigation (Grassroots Deployment Model)

FBI began implementing Lean in 2006.

Ten staff members conduct events internally

Conducted ~10 lean events in the 1st year without outside support

Very limited reliance on consultant support for staff training

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (Grass Roots Deployment Model)

PBGC started a Lean office in 2007 and has 3 FTEs

Lean implementation has focused on addressing specific individual problems through kaizen events

Lean Deployment—Examples from Other

Federal Agencies (cont.)

59

Potential Growth of Lean Activity Over Time

60

Source: “Five Phases of the Transformation Roadmap” from Flinchbaugh, Jamie and Andy Carlino, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to

Lean: Lessons from the Road. (Dearborn, MI: Society of Manufacturing Engineers. 2006) page 67.

Phase Zero:

Exploration

Phase 1:

Building the

Foundation

Phase 2:

Expanding with

Tools and

Deeper Thinking

Phase 3:

Integration &

Reinforcement

Phase 4:

Building

Momentum

Lean A

ctivity L

evel

Education, Communication, Infrastructure, Application of Tools and Methodology, and

Demonstrating Results are important to all of the phases

Another View: Potential Growth of Lean

Activity Over Time

61

Continuous improvement is everyone's job

Improvement is driven by strategy & scorecard

Lean is "the way we work"

Result: Value delivered to taxpayers & customers

Management team leads process improvement

Opportunity-focused clusters

Managers applying the Lean methodology

Result: Better strategy execution, better performance, and expertise established

Lean teams drive deployment

Ad hoc projects focused on specific problems

Learning the Lean and Six Sigma tools

Result: Identify and eliminate waste, improvements in specific processes

Five or more years to a Lean culture

Tra

nsfo

rmin

g

Op

tim

izin

g

Imp

rovin

g

Grass Roots

Deployment

(Opportunistic)

Agency-wide &

Department/Division

Deployment

(Culture Change)

Targeted

Deployment

(Strategic)

Potential Future Directions

for Lean at EPA

62

Environmental agencies fully adopt a continuous improvement culture

Environmental agencies systematically use lean methods to operate more efficiently and effectively

Environmental agencies consistently achieve better environmental results with less resource investment

A Vision for the Future

63

EPA Lean Government Logic Model

64

INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

What we invest

- 1 to 2 FTEs at Office of

Policy

- EPA Lean Practitioners

Network

- Partnership with ECOS

and grant

- Contractor resources

ACTIVITIES PARTICIPANTS SHORT TERM MEDIUM TERM LONG TERM

What we do

1. Networks and

Coordination

2. Communications and

Outreach

3. Product Development

4. Lean Event Support for

EPA and States

Whom we reach

- EPA managers and staff

- State environmental

agency managers & staff

- Other government

agencies implementing lean

(federal, state, local)

- The public (e.g., through

website)

Environmental agencies

(and EPA Offices) can be

divided into two types:

(1) Agencies/Offices that

are new to lean

(2) Agencies/Offices at the

second stage (have done at

least 1 lean event)

What the short term results

are

- Increased adoption and

use of lean at EPA and state

environmental agencies

- Improvements to

individual agency processes

What the long term results

are

- Environmental agencies

have begun adopting a

continuous improvement

culture (e.g., the culture has

changed in parts of an

agency).

- Environmental agencies

sustain the results from

individual lean events.

- Environmental agencies

shift from piloting lean

events to department-wide

lean deployment.

What the ultimate impact(s)

are

- Environmental agencies

fully adopt a continuous

improvement culture.

- Environmental agencies

systematically use lean

methods to operate more

efficiently and effectively.

- Environmental agencies

consistently achieve better

environmental results with

less resource investment.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

- # of EPA lean events

(total & per year)

- # of state environmental

agencies using lean

- Results from lean events

(reductions in lead time,

process steps, backlogs,

defects, costs, etc.)

- # of EPA offices/

programs and state

environmental agencies

adopting lean at a

department/program level

- Environmental results

(outputs and outcomes)

- Environmental results

(outputs and outcomes) per

FTE and/or per total dollar

investment

Support EPA Lean events

Plan and conduct additional EPA and EPA-State Lean events

Develop new tools/products

Lean Leadership Guide / Executive’s Guide to Strategic Lean Deployment

Guide to Scoping Lean Events

Continue networking and communication activities

Develop an EPA Lean Deployment Strategy

Identify priority focus areas and sequencing for Lean activities

Determine level of leadership commitment to Lean

Develop EPA Lean capacity building and funding strategy

Future Directions

65

What might a major EPA commitment to Lean look like?

Administrator-level support and attention to Lean deployment

Establishment of an EPA Lean Government Office and/or cross-agency Lean Steering Committee

4-6 FTE, including Lean event facilitation expertise

$500-700K in extramural resources to support EPA Lean events, tool development, etc.

Resources and contract vehicles established for supporting Lean activity in EPA offices, divisions, and regions

Development of Agency-wide Lean deployment and capacity-building strategy

Future Directions

66

Options for Supporting EPA Lean Activity:

1. Diffused Approach: EPA offices, divisions and regions fund and contract for their own Lean activity with limited technical assistance from EPA’s Lean Government Initiative

2. Centralized Contract: Office of Policy establishes centralized Lean services contract and provides some matching funding to EPA offices for Lean activity

3. Coordinated Competition: Establish a competitive internal process to select EPA offices or divisions for concerted Lean activity each year (similar to Program Evaluation competition)

Future Directions

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Should we create a Lean Steering Committee and/or a “Lean Office”?

Do we need a standard approach for Lean (e.g., use a centralized Lean contract, standard training program, etc.)?

Should we build internal Lean competency (train our own Lean facilitators)?

How will we evaluate our performance over time?

Future Directions – Questions to Consider

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