Results

Lean Business Process Improvement in the
Executive Branch of Iowa State Government
As of 12/17/09

Dept Key Sponsoring Department
FY '03 through
FY '08
FY
'09
FY
'10
TOTAL
Scheduled
ABD Alcoholic Beverages Division (Dept of Commerce)
2
 
2
ME Board of Medical Examiners
2
 
2
DAS/GSE Dept of Administrative Services, General Services Enterprise
1
1
1
3
1
DAS/HRE Dept of Administrative Services, Human Resources Enterprise
3
 
3
DCA Dept of Cultural Affairs
6
 
6
DED Dept of Economic Development
4
 
4
DHS Dept of Human Services
5
1
  
6
DIA Dept of Inspections & Appeals
2
 
2
DNR Dept of Natural Resources
31
6
4
41
4
DOC Dept of Corrections
2
1
  
3
DOM Dept of Management
2
1
  
3
DPH Dept of Public Health
1
1
2
1
DPS Dept of Public Safety
7
2
  
9
IBEE Iowa Board of Educational Examiners
 
1
ICN Iowa Communications Network
1
 
1
ICRC Iowa Civil Rights Commission
1
 
1
IDR Iowa Dept of Revenue
1
 
1
IFA Iowa Finance Authority
2
1
  
3
ILOT Iowa Lottery
1
 
1
IUB Iowa Utilities Board (Dept of Commerce)    
1
1
1
IVH Iowa Veterans Home
6
3
1
10
IVRS Iowa Vocational Rehab Services
1
 
1
IWD Iowa Workforce Development
4
4
1
9
  
OEI Office of Energy Independence
1
 
1
PLB Professional Licensing Bureau
(Dept. of Commerce)
1
 
1
TOTALS
87
21
9
117
8

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For more information regarding any events, please contact us http://lean.iowa.gov/contact/index.html

 

Dept Year Business Process Old Process New Process
ABD 2006 Accounting - Class E Invoices & Taxation Process Delays reduced 81%; steps reduced 62%
ABD 2006 Order Entry Steps reduced 65%; delays reduced 33%
BME 2005 Disciplinary Investigative Process Implemented:
  • Expanded screening process
  • Medical Advisor on staff
  • Board review checklist
  • Investigative game plan
  • Expanded use of electronic communication / record-keeping / database
BME 2006 Peer Review Delays reduced 73%; lead time reduced 51%
DAS-GSE 2006 Vehicle Fleet Specifications Reduced bid packages from 15 to 2
DAS-GSE 2009 Bidding Process Delays reduced 44%, steps reduced 42%
DAS-GSE 2009 Accounts Payable Delays reduced 60%, steps reduced 15%
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DAS-HRE 2006 Grievance Resolution Delays reduced 94% - 100%
DAS-HRE 2007 Job Classification System The team redesigned tools for easier processing, delegates authority-giving departments more involvement, utilizing training and communication to help people understand the process.
DAS-HRE 2008 Recruitment Process Team worked on following:

  • Brass Ring updates to improve access by applicants and develop candidate self screening tools
  • Targeted professional recruitment including sharing candidates among agencies
  • Internship/COOP program
  • Flexibility with selectives that fit needs of agencies
  • Ambassadors/Community events
  • Improving data reports to agencies from DAS
  • Increased Communication from DAS to agencies
DCA 2004 Section 106 Permits 142 steps, 30 delays, 29 hand-offs 74 steps, 8 delays, 11 hand-offs
State Historical Preservation Office: HUD submittals 50% defective 100% complete
State Historical Preservation Office: Review Comments Turnaround Time 20 days 13 days
DCA 2005 Arts Council Grant Application Major 10 to 12 weeks Major 4 to 6 weeks
DCA 2005 Great Places Program Design Concept Program designed in 4 days
DCA 2006 Historical Resource Development Programs Grants Steps reduced 68%; delays reduced 93%
DCA 2006 State Historical Museum - Exhibits Delays reduced 100%; steps reduced 80%
DCA 2006 State Historical Museum - Collections Steps reduced 39%; hand-offs reduced 75%
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DED 2005 Business Financial Assistance: Review Applications and Develop Recommendations Improved timeliness, accuracy, consistency and communication of process
DED 2005 Client Management System
  • Identified "best management practices" for managing economic development projects;
  • Implementing standardized practices to enhance internal and external communication with partners;
  • Baselining project "leads" to better establish goals for moving more "lead" into projects.
DED, DNR, Iowa Waste Reduction Center 2007 Environmental Business Assistance
  • Created SOP for call handling
  • Defined standard web portal for customers
  • Captured perceived deficiencies in web navigation
DED 2007 Green Cities This Design for Lean Sigma event focused on how DED can direct resources to support the development of green sustainable communities. Focus areas are: Community Development Block Grant, Housing Assistance, City Development Board, Downtown Resource Center, Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, Iowa Tourism Office and Investment Management.
DHS 2005 FIP Diversion Refocused program
DHS 2006 Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children Delays reduced 79%; decisions reduced 83%; loop-backs 99%
DHS 2006 Organizational Design & Workflow (4 processes) Steps reduced 55% to 84%; delays reduced 33% to 66%
DHS 2006 Child Abuse Appeals Steps reduced 42%; hand-offs reduced 46%
DHS 2008 Food Assistance Error Rate

Kaizen Event		 Implemented process improvements in the Food Assistance application process which resulted in: Steps reduced by 62%, hand-offs reduced by 58%, decisions reduced by 51%, and developed a new process for ongoing monitoring, learning, communication, and continuous improvement.
DHS 2009 Food Assistance Employment and Training (FSET) Examined current program for DHS, IWD and sub contractors and how to expand it.
DIA 2006 Health Facilities Complaint Intake Delays reduced 80%; steps reduced 56%
DIA 2008 Dependent Adult Abuse Investigations in Licensed Facilities Steps reduced from 72 to 38 and handoffs reduced from 15 to 10.
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DNR 2003 Air Quality New Source Construction Permits 62 days 6 days
DNR 2004 Air Quality Complex Permit 214 days 180 days
DNR 2004 Clean Water Construction Project Permits 28 months 4.5 months
DNR 2004 Landfill Permits 187 days 30 days
DNR 2004 Leaking Underground Storage Tanks Corrective Action Decision 1,124 days 90 days
DNR 2004 NPDES (Wastewater) 425 days 15 days
DNR 2004 Sovereign Lands Permits: Environmental Reviews 163 days 86 days
DNR 2005 Animal Feeding Operations Construction Permits 66 days 36 days
DNR 2005 Floodplains Permits Implemented:

  • Permit redesign

  • Pre-design meeting & outreach strategy

  • Database design
DNR 2005 Land Acquisition: Best Case 2 years 9 months
Land Acquisition: Worst Case 22 years 6.3 years
DNR 2005 Legal Services: Administrative Orders Consent orders, unilateral orders, Attorney General referrals 40%-90% improvements in lead time reduction
DNR 2005 Magazine Production Allows on-time quality production while meeting day-to-day communication needs
DNR 2005 Magazine Redesign New magazine designed for January '07 launch
DNR 2005 Manure Management Plans Incomplete submittals reduced by 50%
DNR 2005 Vehicle Dispatch Pool vehicles reassigned to DAS-GSE
DNR 2006 SIFIC (State of Iowa Facilities Improvement Corp.) Delays reduced 58%; lead-time reduced 53%; Steps reduced 29%
DNR 2006 SRF Cross-cutters Delays reduced 40%; Steps reduced 32%
DNR 2006 AQ New Source Construction Permits Steps reduced 19%; hand-offs reduced 33%
DNR 2006 Open Feedlots Construction Permits Steps reduced 68%; loop backs reduced 87%
DNR 2006 Regulatory Assistance Mapping Inventoried current services provided by IDNR and IDED business and regulatory assistance services.
DNR 2006 Honey Creek State Resort Park Established process for managing all aspects of the development and operation of the first state resort park.
DNR 2007 Snowmobile & ATV Titling and Registration Steps reduced 90%; loopbacks reduced 100%; delays reduced 96%
DNR 2007 Environmental Emergency Notification Delays reduced 67%; lead-time reduced 35%
DNR 2007 ESD Staff Allocation Implemented:
  • Set top 10 priorities for workload
  • “Blurring” lines of field offices
  • Communication /Teamwork between field offices
DNR 2007 Construction Procurement Process
  • Reduced the # of steps from 258 to 139 (46%)
  • Reduced the # of handoffs from 104 to 40 (62%)
  • Reduced the # of decisions from 27 to 12 (56%)
DNR 2007 Water Quality Standards (WQS)
4 states and EPA
 Iowa DNR, along with Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri worked together with EPA Region 7 and EPA Headquarters to determine a better process for working on water quality standards and how the EPA interacts with the states.
  • Reduced EPA steps from 50 to 26 (48%)
  • Reduced EPA handoffs from 17 to 14 (18%)
  • Reduced EPA decisions from 6 to 3 (50%)
  • Designed a meeting to take place to discuss upcoming WQS issues and how the entities will work together
DNR 2007 Service Contracts Established a process for service contracts which includes an idea development phase and early legal and management review.
DNR 2007 Geological Survey Strategic Planning session: Accomplished the following:
  • SWOT Analysis
  • Determined need to work with an “Advisory Board”
  • Identified work to define role of the State Geologist
DNR 2008 Wildlife Depredation Identified improved communication with constituents utilizing brochures, website, landowner/hunter incentives and focus groups to enhance the depredation program.
DNR 2008 Legal Services Re-visited event done three years ago. Verified process map, enforcement priorities and role of enforcement coordinator.
DNR 2008 Boat Registrations Reduced steps from 91 to 26, handoffs from 58 to 6, decisions from 18 to 3 and delays from 26 to 7.
DNR 2008 Education programs Established a process to improve the way we deliver natural resource education in the state.
DNR 2008 JAD/Kaizen Stack Testing Database Established criteria for new database and determined new process for entering data.
DNR 2008 NPDES Permits Reduced loop backs by 66% and decisions by 70%.
DNR 2008 Capital Assets Reduced delays by 54%, steps by 44% and decisions by 50%.
DNR 2009 Construction Procurement

Re-visited event done two years ago.  Verified process map and determined where gaps have been.
DNR 2009 Flood Plain Mapping Established a process to organize a flood plain mapping system for the State of Iowa.
DNR 2009 Flood Plain Mapping project review Established a plan to eliminate the backlog, improve the quality of applications and the review process.  Reduced the delay time by 89% and the steps by 49%.
DNR 2009 Communications Created 1 new standard process in place of 9 existing processes.
DNR 2009 Accounts Receivable Reduced steps by 54%, decisions by 37%, loop backs by 75%, and handoffs by 80%.
DNR 2009 Flood Plain management Identified 8 Opportunity categories with 19 recommendations and 31 action steps.
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DOC 2005 Offender Re-entry Implemented:

  • Reception process

  • Targeted release date

  • Community Coordinator

  • Release Coordinator

  • Re-entry Plan

  • Communication / Teamwork
DOC 2006 Procurement, Inventory Management & Distribution Steps reduced 75%; delays reduced 98%
DOC 2008 IMCC Reception process Steps reduced 41%; delays reduced 90%
DOM 2006 Emergency Evacuation and In-place Shelter Established protocol and plan for state office buildings
DOM 2007 Local Government Budget Analyst Determined two new processes, ultimately heading towards a web based platform for local governments to access and change their data. New process
  • 52 steps, 11 Hand offs
Web process

  • 13 steps, 10 Hand offs
DOM 2009 Empowerment This design event helped define Empowerment’s role in a world class early care, health and education system at a state and local level, to help young children and their families be successful.
DPH 2008 Vital Records Steps reduced 25%; handoffs reduced 38%
DPH 2009 Service Contracting Implementing the following: SOP across departments for contract process; Standardization of application forms and Implementing strategies for improved communication with external and internal customers
DPS 2005 Intelligence Analysis Implemented training to streamline analysis process
DPS 2005 Life Safety Code (Fire Prevention Inspections) Reduced the number of widespread or immediate jeopardy deficiencies 15-20%
DPS 2005 Private Investigator Licensing 14 days 7 days
DPS 2006 Above Ground Storage Tanks Reduced steps 27%; delays reduced 38%-92%
DPS 2006 Building Code Value Stream Mapping Developed high-level process map for building health care and K-12 education facilities
DPS 2006 Peace Officer Applications Delays reduced 60%; steps reduced 41%; hand-offs reduced 52%
DPS 2007 Fire and Arson Investigations Developed policy priority of incidents to respond to; developed plan to eliminate backlog of open cases; created policy for responding with multiple agents when necessary
DPS 2008 Electrical Inspections Utilized Design for Lean Sigma to develop processes for the new State of Iowa Electrical Inspection program.
DPS 2008 Travel Authority and Reimbursements Delays reduced 83%; steps reduced 75%; decisions reduced 70% and loop backs reduced 66%.
ED-IBEE 2005 Teacher Licensing Reduced steps 55%; hand-offs 42%
ICN 2005 Customer Requests for Voice Services Implementing:

  • Improved communications

  • Team approach

  • Project Manager accountability

  • Tracking number

  • Electronic processing/web order entry

  • Customer feedback
ICRC 2008 Housing Complaints Reduced steps from 141 to 122, handoffs from 47 to 38, decisions from 18 to 14 and delays from 19 to 16.
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IDR 2005 Tax Credit Analysis Implementing:
  • Database design

  • Tracking credits transferred or

  • issued to pass-through entities

  • Desired reporting
IFA 2006 Title Guaranty Delays reduced 71%; steps reduced 27%
IFA 2008 Housing Compliance Section 8 Housing Compliance: Reduced steps from 125 to 52, handoffs from 43 to 21 and decisions from 15 to 8. Section 42 Housing Compliance: Determined process with help from IRS.
IFA 2008 Tax Credit-Affordable Housing Workflow more evenly dispersed throughout year.
ILOT 2008 Major Procurements Developed a better process that will reduce workloads for the DCI and encourage more vendors to participate in the Iowa Lottery’s major procurements. Reduced steps by 33%, handoffs by 39% and decisions by 42%.
IUB 2009 Electric Transmission Franschise IUB and electric line companies worked together to identify procedures that could reduce the electric line franchising process by up to two months in certain uncontested cases.
IVH 2005 Medication Administration 8 hours 4 hours
IVH 2006 Maintenance Work Orders Steps reduced by 62%; hand-offs reduced by 58%
IVH 2006 Medical Appointments Delays reduced 79%; steps reduced 66%
IVH 2006 Admissions Delays reduced 86%; steps reduced 62%
IVH 2007 Medication Administration Delays reduced 69%; steps reduced 49%; decisions reduced 81%; handoffs reduced 57%
IVH 2008 Pharmacy Process Delays reduced 68%; steps reduced 27%; decisions reduced 58%; handoffs reduced 69%
IVH 2008 Patient Centered Care Designed how care will be delivered in the new buildings.
IVH 2009 On-Boarding Designed a way for new employees to meet employment requirements to successfully complete the probationary period, including working with mentors who will support and guide the employee to achieve success and promote a positive work environment.
IVH 2009 Memorials Determined new process for Memorial contributions.
IVH 2009 Purchasing/Ordering Reduced delays by up to 80% and will fully implement a paperless purchasing process.
IVRS 2008 Disability Re-determinations Certified Public Manager students, along with others from DHS, IWD, IVRS, DED and Social Security Administration addressed procedures that impact young people with disabilities from age 16 to 21, who are at risk to lose or who have lost financial, health and/or related supports due to age 18 disability redetermination. The team identified and implemented enhanced communication between agencies serving this population, developed a rapid employment model, and scheduled on-going activities for the next year to improve service strategies.
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IWD 2005 Elevator Inspection (Plan review and Acceptance Inspections) 45.5

73.5 to 103.5 		10.25

2.5 to 4.5
IWD 2006 OSHA Pre-Inspection Steps reduced 58%; rework loops reduced by 66%
IWD 2006 Workers Compensation Document Handling Steps reduced 30%; delays reduced 21%
IWD 2007 Unemployment Insurance Monetary Determination Web Application Process With implementation of EZ form, 60% of claims will see:
  • # of steps reduced from 188 to 46 (75%)
  • # of handoffs from 39 to 15 (62%)
  • # of loopbacks from 21 to 0 (100%)
  • # of decisions from 100 to 16 (84%)
IWD 2008 Laborshed Studies Steps reduced in Laborshed by 29%, Regional Reports by 37% and Industry Specific by 16%.
IWD 2008 Trade Adjustments Use of an excel spreadsheet will eliminate faxing 150 documents and reduce 12 process steps per individual. Automating the trade switch will save approximately 30 minutes per customer.
IWD 2009 Unemployment Insurance Tax Collection Reduced steps by 35%; Delays by 56%; Decisions by 30%; Loop backs by 44% and Handoffs by 78%
IWD 2009 Re-Employment Services Designed a process to be used in all IWD field offices to offer specialized, intensive services to help unemployed Iowans get back to work as soon as possible.
IWD 2009 Mailroom Reduce steps by 18%; Delays by 85%; Decisions by 40%.
OEI 2007 Design for Lean Sigma event to create a world class process to launch the Office of Energy Independence Developed Vision and Mission statements, and determined the initial focus including the Energy Independence Plan, implementation of the Iowa Power Fund and expanding the role of the Energy Coordinating Council.
PLB 2008 Professional Licensing Bureau worked on three processes:
  • Real Estate Licensing
  • Engineering & Land Surveying by examination process
  • Engineering & Land Surveying comity licensing process
  • Real Estate Licensing: reduced steps by 11% and hand offs by 11%
  • Engineering by examination: reduced steps by 5%
  • Engineering by comity (licensed in other states): Reduced steps by 19% and handoffs by 8%

Implemented a communication plan which supports a culture of individual and shared accountability for learning and improvement.

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