The Blog

Photo of Wendy Korthuis-Smith, GMAP, Office of the Governor Wendy Korthuis-Smith, GMAP, Office of the Governor

10/17/11

When resources are thin, and getting thinner, we have to ensure that every tool we have is used in the most effective way to get every ounce of benefit out of it. Several of our state agencies are showing true innovation by following Lean principles – and the payoff is a more efficient system with more positive results. We’re seeing faster response times, less complaints and a more motivated staff. And while the purpose of lean isn’t to reduce costs, we’re seeing financial savings in some areas, as well.

Lean describes a set of proven principles, methods and tools that focus on streamlining work so that it can be done in less time, with less hassle and with a focus more on what matters most to citizens. Although Lean grew out of the manufacturing industry, over the years, Lean has spread through many industries including distribution, services, retail, healthcare, construction and government. Washington state has been using Lean tools for improvements, and is partnering with the private sector, including Boeing, to learn best-practices.

Some positive examples include:

  • Department of Social and Health Services reengineered its Community Service offices – moving more staff to the frontline to serve clients and consolidating 63 call centers into one statewide call center. Since then, DSHS saw a 99 percent reduction in wait times for community services – from 4 weeks to 5-45 minutes – and the number of dissatisfied customers dropped from 98 percent to less than one percent.

  • DSHS increased its outreach to encourage more parents to use online resources to pay and obtain child support payments. As a result, more clients are shifting to online payments and distribution – saving the agency $600,000 and improving accuracy and efficiency.

  • The Department of Corrections avoided spending $1.3 million in additional food costs by standardizing its menu at all 12 prisons across the state.

The citizens of Washington expect state government to deliver needed services with innovation, efficiency and integrity. Governor Chris Gregoire has a long-standing commitment of using Lean and other tools to improve government as part of her management framework.