Improving our processes...

deliveringexcellence

...growing our University

Brighter futures begin with GCU

Contents01 GCUPACE

02 PACEPrinciples

05 ThePACEContinuousImprovementCycle

07 PACETools

SIPOC CriticalToSuccess Datatools-Histogram andRunChart ProcessMapping SevenWastes

16 PACESpace

RolesandResponsibilities ImprovementOwner ImprovementTeam Facilitator SteeringGroup

21 Howdoyougetinvolved?

IdentifyaPACEproject BepartofaPACEprojectteam

GCU PACEDoyousometimeswonder‘IfIdidthiswork

inthiswayitwouldbemuchquickerandeasier’ordoyoufindyourselfthinking‘Thisisareallycumbersomewayofdoingthings’.Well,thereasoncouldbethattheprocessesyouare

workingwithcoulddowithanupdate.

PACE(PeopleAchievingthroughCollaborativeExcellence)isasignificantoperationalinterventionwhichspanstheUniversity.Thebroadaimistosupportthereviewofour

processesremovingwaste,challenginginefficienciesandbureaucracy.PACEisnotaboutreducingworkforcebutabout

freeinguptime,andmoreeffectivelyusingotherresources,toreduceworkloadonstaffandfocusourenergiesonvalue

adding,andmorerewarding,activity.

Aim of the GuideTheaimoftheguideistointroduceyoutotheideas

underpinningtheUniversity’sOperationalExcellencejourneyandtosomeofthetoolsandtechniquesitwilluse.Theguide

alsooutlineshowyoucanbeinvolvedinPACE.

Processesareessentialtoensurethatworkisdoneinaparticularorderwithinputfromtheright

peopleattherighttimeandtoproduceoutputswhichaddvaluetothecustomer.Oftenourprocessesworkwellhowevercircumstanceschange,forexamplenew

rulesandregulationscomeintoplace,departmentsandteamsrestructure,customerexpectationschangeor

advancesaremadeintechnology.Thesedriversmeanthatprocesses,whichserveduswellinthepast,areno

longersufficientorcouldworkevenbetter.Soperiodically,weneedtoreviewhowwedothingstolookforopportunities

toimprovetokeepusaheadinourcompetitivemarket.

Usingasimplekitofwelltestedandrecognisedtools,PACEequipsstaffwiththecapabilitytoexamineandimprove

processesinasystematicway.PACEengagesstafftobeagentsofchange,ratherthanbeingthesubjectsofchangeanddevelopacultureofcontinuousimprovement.Indoingsowecreaterobust,

slickprocesseswhicharefitforpurposeandwillsupportthegrowthanddevelopmentaimsofouruniversity,deliverexcellenceforour

studentsandothercustomers.

01

PACE Principles PeopleArevitaltoeffectiveprocessimprovement.Theinvolvementofprocessexpertsisparticularlyimportantastheyworkwithintheprocessdaytoday,andcanbringauniqueinsightandaclearunderstandingofhowtheprocessworks.

Achieving Theultimateaimofprocessimprovementistoachieveefficiencyandeffectiveness.Thissenseofachievementwillonlybepossibleifpeopleatalllevelsareinvolved,astherewillbeasenseofownershipandresponsibility.

Collaborative Involvingprocessexperts,includingpeoplefromacrossfunctionalboundariesisvitaltoprocessimprovement.Acollaborativeapproachcombinesknowledgeandexpertise,anddevelopsanunderstanding,appreciationandrespectforothers.Bringingtogetherprocessexpertsfromeachstageintheprocessgivesanoverviewofthecurrentsituationandfromthere,itispossibletobuildandimplementtheimprovedprocess.

Excellence Processimprovementidentifiesandsetsprocessperformancestandards,focusingoncustomers,qualityandefficiency,monitoringandreview.Thiscycleofcontinuousimprovementhelpstodevelopoptimisedprocessesandsupportsthedrivetoachieveexcellenceineverythingwedo.

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04

Identify theprocess issues

andperformance

measures

Start

Get theexperts in theroom for an

RIW

Map the As-Isprocess

Look for value,identify and remove

inefficiencies,bureaucracyand waste

Review

Map theTo-Be process

Implementthe changes

Monitorimprovement

The PACE Continuous

Improvement Cycle

PACEprojectsfollowasimple,systematiccycleofeventswhichsupportakey

principleofprocessimprovement–thatit’scontinuous.Teamsworktogetherthrougheachstageoftheprocessfromprojectconceptionthroughimprovementand

implementationandbeyondtofurtherreview.

Atthecoreofaprocessimprovementprojectistheindividualprocessreview–theRapidImprovementWorkshop(RIW)wheretheteamcomestogethertomaptheexisting

process,identifysignificantbutquickwins,andactionplanforimplementation.

RIWsmaylastaslittleasafewhourstoseveraldaysdependingontheof

theproject.Thetimescalesforprojectswillvary,dependingonscopeandcomplexity,butwillfundamentally

followthecyclerepresentedtotheleft.

05

PACE Tools Supportingprocessimprovementprojectsarearangeoftoolsandtechniqueswhicharewelltriedandtested.Differenttoolsareusedatdifferentstagesoftheprocessimprovement–Define,Measure,Analyse,ImproveandControl.YoucanaccesslotsofimprovementtoolsviathePACEwebpage:www.gcu.ac.uk/pace.Belowisabriefoutlineofkeytoolswhichareusedinjustaboutallimprovementprojects.

SIPOCistypicallyusedduringthedefinephaseofaprocessimprovementproject,asithelpsusclearlyunderstandthepurposeandthescopeofaprocess.SIPOPCisanacronymforSuppliers-Inputs-Process-Outputs-Customers.TheoutputfromtheSIPOCcanbeseenasahigh-levelpictureoftheprocess,inabout5-8steps,thatdepictshowthegivenprocessisservicingthecustomer.ThetemplatebelowcanbeusedtoidentifyvariouselementsoftheSIPOC.Thetoplevelprocessstepsarethenidentified.

The definition of each SIPOC element –

Suppliersprovideinputstotheprocess

Inputsdefinethematerial,serviceand/orinformationthatareusedbytheprocesstoproducetheputputs

Processisadefinedsequenceofactivities,usuallyaddsvaluetoinputstooutputsforthecustomer

Outputsaretheproducts,services,and/orinformationthatarevaluabletothecustomer

Customersaretheuseroftheoutputsproducedbytheprocess.Inserviceprocesssuppliercanoftenalsobecustomersoftheprocess.

TheexampleontheleftistheSIPOCinthePostgraduateAdmissionsdepartment.

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Scope the process

Supplier Inputs Process Outputs Customer

Agentsorstudents

AdmissionsOffice

ExecutiveBoard

HeadofDepartment

InternationalOffice/EB

ProgrammeAdministrator

UKBA

OBSU

OnlineapplicationPDFForm

ApplicationDocuments

Decisionlog

Scholarshipdecision

programmes

Entryrequirements

Feeslist

AOSCodes

UKBAPolicy

IELTSCriteria

ISISUpgrades

Decision–Enrolledstudent

Rejectedstudent

Offer

Offer/acceptance

report

Visarefusals

ISIS–studentrecords

IntOfficeprospectsreports

Studentnumbers

CommsCommission

Language+academicskills

report

CAS/Visainfo

AssistantHeadsofAdmin

ISIS

InternationalOffice

GCULondon

Agents

INTO

UKBA

Level 1 process

ApplicationReceived

InputontoISIS

Decisionmade

OfferReject

Moreinfo48-hours

DepositpaidCASissuedVisaissues

Conversationactivity

Enrolement

07

08

TimeNo. of days notice

No. of errors/complaints

Last minute change/notification

Customer satisfaction

Room utilisation

Customer feedback

Staffing/Training

Room conditions

Waste

Accuracy

Cost

Need Driver Measure

Quality

Data/Information/Resources

Critical To Success (CTS) treeTosuccessfullychangeprocessestomeetcustomerneedsandexpectationswemustusemeasurablecritical-to-successdata.

Asafundamentalprinciple,processimprovementsshouldresultinbenefitstothecustomer(s).Todothisitisnecessarytoidentifytheelementsoftheproductorservicethatareimportanttothe

customer.Howevercustomersoftenexpresstheirneedsinbroadtermsoftenusingvagueimmeasurablestatementssuchas

“Iwantagoodservice”.TheCTStreeisawayofbreakingdownthesestatementstoidentifyspecificandmeasurableproductor

serviceattributesthatthecustomervalues.

CTStreeiscompletedatthestartoftheprojectandthemeasurescanthenformKeyPerformanceIndicators(KPIs)

fortheprocessgoingforward.Wherespecificcustomerrequirementsarenotidentified,genericdriversoftime,accuracyandqualitywillhelptohelpbreakdownthecustomerneedsintospecificmeasuresofcustomers’

expectations.ACTStreeshouldbecompletedforeachcustomeridentifiedintheSIPOCexercise.

TheCTStreeoppositewascreatedintheGCUtimetableRIWin2011.ItidentifiesKPI’swhichcould

beusedtomeasuretheprocessperformance,afterthechangetoensurethatthenewdesignmeetswhatthe

customerwants.

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Data toolsProcessdataisimportantinmeasuringtheperformanceofthecurrentprocess,settinggoalsfortheprocessimprovementandtomonitorthenewprocessinaction.Differenttypesofchartgiveadifferentviewofthesamedataandprocessperformance.Runchartsandhistogramsareusefulwaysofrepresentingquantitativedataformeasuringtheperformanceofthecurrentprocessandformonitoringorcontrollingtheperformanceoftheimprovedprocess.

Histograms displaythefrequency(occurrence)ofdataandareusedtoanalysevariationandanomaliesintheshapeofdistribution.Theshapeofthedistributionshowswhethertheprocessiscapableofmeetingthecustomer’sexpectation.Shapesthatdifferfromthenormaldistribution)asymmetricalbellcurve)indicatethatotherfactorsmaybeaffectingtheprocess.

Run chartsdisplaythesamedata,butinchronologicalorderandprovideavisualrepresentationofprocessperformanceovertime.Theycanbeusedtoidentifytrendsandspecialcauses.Runchartsalsoprovideastartpointtouncovertherootcauseofprocessbehaviouraswellasprovidingabeforeandafterviewwherechangeshavebeenimplemented.

Usedinisolation,thehistogrammayhidechangesinperformanceovertime.Likewisetherunchartmayhidetheshapeofdistributionandthusfailtouncoverunderlyingcharacteristicsofprocessbehaviour.

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PACE project overview

Improvement team (including owner) Facilitator Improvement

Owner

Implement changes

Design new process

Participate in RIW

Monitor improvement and review process

Complete project

Report progress to Steering Group

Create workshop

report

Facilitate RIW

Design RIW

Plan RIW logistics

Participate in RIW

Scope project - SIPOC

Identify project

Process MappingProcessesaresimplysequencesofactionsdesignedtotransforminputsintooutputs.

Forinstance,bakingacakewillinvolvetakingvariousingredients(inputs)andproducing

thecake(output)usingtherecipe(process).Similarly,thestepsrequiredtoapproveastudent

applicationwillinvolveaaprocess,orseriesofprocesses.

Processmappingisanexercisetoidentifyallthestepsanddecisionsinadiagrammaticformwhich–

•Describestheflowofmaterials,informationanddocuments

•Displaysthevarioustaskscontainedwithintheprocess

•Showsthatthetaskstransforminputsintooutputs

•Indicatesthedecisionsthatneedtobemadealongthechain

•Demonstratestheessentialinter-relationshipsandinterdependencebetweentheprocesssteps;

andremindsusthatthestrengthofachaindependsuponitsweakestlink.

Processmappingtakesplaceatthestartoftheimprovementactivitytomapthe‘As-Is’process.Allstepsintheprocess

shouldbeidentifiedandmappedtoensurethatitrepresentstherealityandnothowwemightlikeittobe.Followingdataanalysisoftheprocessandwasteidentificationthe‘To-Be’processisthenmapped.Thisbuildsacommonunderstandingofthenewdesiredprocessandhelpsin

creatingtheactionplantogettoimplementation.

The map to the right is an outline of the PACE project process.

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Seven WastesAprocessaddsvaluebyproducinggoodsorprovidingaservicethatacustomervalues.Aprocessconsumesresourcesandwasteoccurswhenmoreresourcesareconsumedthanarenecessarytoproducethegoodsorprovidetheservicethatthecustomeractuallywants.Inabroadsense,wastecanbeconsideredasanyactivityorresourceinaprocessthatdoesnotaddvaluetothecustomer.

Briefly the Seven Wastes are described as -Waiting Time –Timespentwaitingbetweenactivities

Transport –Movementbetweenactivities

Component Design –Effectivenessofthetool(form,system)inmeetingitspurpose

Inventory –Numberofitemsofworkateachactivitystep

Over Production –Anyeffortoroutputthatexceedsthecustomerexpectation

Motion –Movementwithineachactivity

Defective Goods –Outputsthatdonotmeetthecustomerexpectation

Note:An8thwastecouldbe-Unused Employee Creativity

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PACE Space ThePACEspaceisavailableforteamstotaketimeawayfromtheirusualworkplaceandintoadifferentenvironmenttoreview

andrefreshprocesses.Thespaceisresourcedwiththematerialsyouwillneed

toworkthroughyourimprovementexerciseandoffersanenvironmentwhereyoucan

collaboratewithothers,thinkdifferentlyaboutyourprocessandcreateimprovements.TobookthePACEspaceforyourlocal

improvementevente-mail:PACE@gcu.ac.uk

Roles and Responsibilities

PACEprocessimprovementrequiresinputfromstaffacrosstheUniversity.Threemainrolesareidentifiedwithinthe

improvementprojectandtheRIW–ImprovementOwner,TeamMemberandFacilitator.Inaddition,tosupportthe

overallmanagementoftheuniversityPACEprojectactivity,theSteeringGroupprovidedirectionandgovernance.

Who is the Improvement owner?TheImprovementOwnerissomeonewhohasoverallvisibilityoftheprocessbeingimproved.Theyoperate

atalevelthatwillallowthemtodrivetheprojectforwardtoimplementation.TheImprovement

Ownerleadsandsupportstheimprovementteam,throughouttheRIW.TheImprovementOwnerisresponsiblefordeliveringtheimprovedprocess

byensuringthattheredesignedprocessisimplementedanditsbenefitscaptured.

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What does the Improvement Team do?AttheRIWthewholeImprovementTeamgetstogethertomaptheexistingprocess,identifywastesandperformancemeasures,maptheimprovedprocessandagreetheactionplantotaketheprojectthroughimplementationtocompletion.

FollowingtheRIWtheImprovementTeamworkstogethertoaccomplishtheprojectactionplan,meetingasrequiredtoreviewandprogressactions.TheImprovementsOwnerwillupdatethePACESteeringGroupontheprojectsprogress.

What support does the facilitator provide?Thefacilitatorroleistoenablethedevelopmentofanimprovedprocess.Itisnotthefacilitator’sroletomanagetheimprovementproject,thatresponsibilitylieswiththeImprovementOwner.ThefacilitatorwillsupporttheImprovementOwnerinscopingtheprocessandtheselectionofRIWparticipants.InconjunctionwiththeImprovementOwnerthefacilitatordesignstheRIWandagreesontherelevantperformancedatatobeused,thenfacilitatestheRIWandthedevelopmentofanimprovedprocess.OncompletionoftheRIWthefacilitatorproduces,fortheImprovementTeam,areportincludingtheimprovedprocessandactionlist.

WealreadyhaveateamoftenPACEfacilitatorsrepresentingfunctionsacrosstheuniversity–professionalsupport,academicsupportandlecturingstaff.Wewanttomaintainthispoolofexpertsupportforteamsembarkingonimprovementprojects.BecomingaPACEFacilitatoroffersyouadevelopmentopportunitytoexpandyourskillssetandtoapplythisinuniversitywideprojects,andlocallyinyourownarea.

What is the role of the Steering Group?TheUniversity’sprogrammeofstrategicimprovementprojectswillbeidentifiedandapprovedthroughthePACESteeringGroup.TheSteeringGroupwillreviewandreportonthePACEprojectplanandraiseawarenessandunderstandingofPACEamongstGCUstaffandencourageandsupportthemintheircontinuousimprovementjourney.

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What can you do next?

Identify a PACE projectAllstaffareencouragedtothinkaboutandchallengetheprocessestheyoperatein-Why things are done

the way they are? What is the purpose of this activity? What is the customer benefit of what we are doing?

Inthefirstinstancespeaktoyourlinemanagerand

proposeyourprocessforimprovementandthencontact:PACE@gcu.ac.uktoregisteryourproject.

Be part of a PACE Improvement Team Projectteamsmaybelocaltoyourteam,SchoolorDirectorateorwillworkacrossUniversitySchoolsandfunctions.Asateam

memberyouwilluseyouroperationalexpertisetohelpdesignanimprovedprocess.Youwillbeanactiveparticipantintheprojectimplementationundertakingprojectworkandbeingtheliaison

betweentheprojectteamandyourlocalworkarea.

Nowhavinglearnedsometoolsandtechniquesyoucanrunyourownlocalimprovementexercise.Changedoesn’tneedtobeonalargescale.Theimprovementteamcouldbeafewof

yourimmediatecolleaguesaslongastheprocessisrepresented.i.e.theyhavetherightknowledgeandexpertise.

Ifyouaremakingchangeslocallyusingprocessimprovement,pleasetellusaboutit.

Shareyourstoryat:www.gcu.ac.uk/pace/yourproject.YourprojectwillautomaticallybenominatedforaPACEaward.

RespectExpertise

Contribution

Measure

Eliminate WasteCustomer

ValueReward

Effectiveness

Excellence GrowthTeam

ContinuousTogether

Contact PACET:01412731829E:Pace@gcu.ac.uk

Twitter:@GCUPACE

www.gcu.ac.uk/pace