centrex is a registered trademark of the central police training and development authority andy...

Centrex is a registered trademark of the Central Police Training and Development Authority

Andy Humphreys

Director of Performance & Service Delivery

Building Capacity for Public Sector Reform


‘Almost normal now’

Andy Humphreys




‘Systems thinking - An illness identified’

Andy Humphreys




‘Systems thinking – Used and abused’

Andy Humphreys




Total Systems Intervention in Strategic Planning

North Yorkshire Police 1994


• Creativity Phase• Interviews leading to a ‘metaphor picture’

• Choice Phase• Selection of systems based intervention

• Implementation Phase• Establish and implement specific change proposals

Total Systems Intervention


• The organisation as a machine• The organisation as an organism• The organisation as a brain• The organisation as a culture• The organisation as a coercive system

Metaphors


Creativity Phase –

• Create a ‘metaphor picture’

• Identify Dominant metaphors[Organism/Brain]

• Identify Dependant metaphors[Culture/political]



• “Autocratic decision making has been replaced by democratic bureaucracy”

• “I rely on someone to tell me about strategy, so far no one has”

• I don’t think the top corridor recognises anything we feedback to them”

• “There is some strategy – I’ve received it down the car phone from an ACPO officer”

Quotes from creativity interviews using metaphor analysis


• “At a time when I’m being encouraged to ‘let go’ the top team seem to be grabbing hold”

• “The top team are spending too much time in the comfort zone of tactics”

• “If certain Chief Officers ever found their way down this corridor the would be lost!”

• “The ACC’s are bogged down in survival mode”

Quotes from creativity interviews using metaphor analysis


Choice Phase – • Utilising the ‘system of systems methodologies’

identify appropriate systems based methodologies

• Viable Systems Model [Stafford Beer]• Interactive Planning [Russell Ackoff]



Implementation Phase – [VSM diagnosis]• A lack of co-ordination & control• Audit information was restricted• Feedback was poor/non-existent• Chief Officer interference was evident at lower levels of the

system• There was no developmental or filter function for Chief

Officers



The Planning Process Designed

Aims –

•To involve all those who could affect, or who could be affected by policing strategies in North Yorkshire

•To inform and communicate, through involvement, to avoid the pitfalls of re-telling the strategy

•To increase the relevance of strategic planning to operational policing by concentrating on the core service areas of policing

•To ensure that planning is a continuous process

•To offer a clarity of purpose for consultative forums by providing a guiding method for working within them

•To provide innovative dynamism required by the organisation in a highly unstable environment


Learning Lessons

• Even with the absence of overtly explaining ‘metaphors’ the ‘jargon used created barriers

• The ‘choice’ phase of TSI and the ‘system of systems methodology’ was of limited value

• There was a distortion affect of brining the project clients and the stakeholders together


Boundary & Structure ReviewNorth Yorkshire Police 1998


• HMI Report

• Crime & Disorder Act

• Finance • £4m shortfall• 2% efficiency savings

• Best Value

• A ‘new’ Chief Constable

The ‘Drivers’


Soft Systems Methodology

1.Enter situation considered problematic

2.Express the problem situation

7.Take action to improve the situation

6.Define possible changes which are both desirable and feasible

5.Compare models with real world actions

Real World

Systems thinking about the real world

3.Formulate root definitions of the relevant systems of purposeful activity

4.Build conceptual models of the systems named in the root definitions


• ‘Quick Fix’ approaches• Putting the wrong thing right!• A lack of a systems approach• Imposition of change• Poor communication• Lack of completion of change programme

Change management ‘failure’ factors


• Style – “The provision of a local style of policing across the Force must be enhanced in any boundary or structural changes”

• Supervision – “The provision of effective supervision levels, particularly at Inspector rank, throughout the 24hr period across the Force is essential”

• Coterminosity – “Divisions covering single or multiple council areas in their entirety are desirable”

Desired Outcomes


• Management structure – “The Force structure must balance effective management with a commitment to ‘front line first’ service delivery”

• Custody services – “The provision of custody services should be provided by an independent centrally based department, at suitably identified locations across the Force”

• Rationalisation of support services – “Any changes in boundaries or structures will provide opportunities to review and rationalise the provision of police and support services”

Desired Outcomes


• ‘Recognise the Reality’• ‘Same role, different rank, proportional to work

load and responsibility’• ‘Front line first’• ‘From the first to the ground floor’

Guiding Statements of Principle


Soft Systems Methodology

1.Enter situation considered problematic

2.Express the problem situation

7.Take action to improve the situation

6.Define possible changes which are both desirable and feasible

5.Compare models with real world actions

Real World

Systems thinking about the real world

3.Formulate root definitions of the relevant systems of purposeful activity

4.Build conceptual models of the systems named in the root definitions


Learning Lessons

• Systems thinking was only ever surfaced with the review team

• Lack of personal academic review created a vulnerability

• Concept ownership is critical


• Internal Business Re-organisation

• Developing the National Centre for Policing Excellence

Current Challenges


Andy Humphreys



Centrex is a registered trademark of the Central Police Training and Development AuthorityCentrex is a registered trademark of the Central Police Training and Development Authority

MeasuresCapabilities & Processes

Systems & Knowledge

People, Competencies & Working Principles

Vision

DNA



Systems methodology (examples)

Assumptions about Problem Contexts

Underlying metaphors

System dynamics Simple-Unitary Machine/Team

Viable systems diagnosis

Complex-Unitary Organism/Brain/Team

Strategic assumption surfacing & testing

Simple-Pluralistic Machine/Coalition/Culture

Interactive planning Complex-Pluralistic Brain/Coalition/Culture

Soft systems methodology

Complex-Pluralistic Organism/Coalition/Culture

Critical systems heuristics

Simple-Coercive Machine/Organism/Prison


Policing Knowledge Maps

• collaborative development programme that gives Centrex a good understanding of customer specific requirements to assist them in their strive for excellence in policing

• clarifies key stakeholders requirements for improving policing excellence

• enables police services to implement a continuous improvement process for the management of policing


NCPE’s Policing NCPE’s Policing Knowledge Knowledge

MapsMaps

NationalNationalOccupationalOccupationalStandardsStandards

SupportSupport forforOperationalOperationalProcessesProcesses

Codes andCodes andRegulationsRegulations

InformationInformationRequirementsRequirements

DefiningDefining ourour currentcurrent understandingunderstanding of best of best

practicepractice

Underpinning developmentUnderpinning developmentand lifelong learningand lifelong learning

A collaborative A collaborative process of process of developmentdevelopment

AA single method for single method for deconstructing deconstructing policingpolicing

centrex is a registered trademark of the central police training and development authority andy...

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