certification project template

Project Synopsis: The client is a multidenominational non-profit organization providing their community with more than half a dozen service ministries, while operating in a high-pressure and highly emotional environment. To an outsider, it looked as if they were “trying to save the world, one person at a time”. They think of it simply as “giving a hand to people who need a little assistance”. I was initially asked by their CEO to help them “resolve Director-level collaborative conflict”, but it quickly became apparent that everyone was passionate, caring and committed. My suggestion was to examine the way they were working and how their Ministries interacted, in order to determine the causes of conflict. We started our first meeting with the following phrase: “There are People problems and there are Process problems. Process problems will always cause People problems”. Enough Directors nodded agreement for us to position our project as solving for problems with their Processes, not with their People

“Need A Ministry” (NAM)

Ministry Services Project

Presented by Richard Petty

Part 1 – Define The Project

1. Recognize the Opportunity

Business

Impact:

We have limited funds with which to assist our In-Need/Homeless Clients. Anything we can do to make

easier access to our services will allow us to help more people and better achieve our mission.

Opportunity/

Problem

Statement:

An “existing” client’s access to assistance program services is limited by the high number of

applicants and the inability to service demand due to finite funds, limited phone line capacity and a

chronic lack of volunteers. This is further exacerbated due to the absence of internal integration across

our service departments. This results in an ongoing situation where the client’s needs are delayed or

entirely unmet.

Defect: Any negative impact (wasted time or energy) for Volunteers, Community Resources, Covenant

Congregations or other Non-Profit Partner organizations. Any decrease in the number of “existing”

clients served. Any client designated as “No-Potential” being processed.

Goal: Increase the number of “existing” clients usage, and ease of access to our Ministry Services.

2. Develop the Charter and Project Plan

“Existing” Client (Defined):

Has previously received a service from one of

our ministries, and therefore:

A. Is already entered into Radii Database

B. Has been ‘pre-verified’ as meeting

“General Minimal Requirements”

Part 1 – Define The Project

3. High-level Process Map (L-maps) – Assistance Appointment Process

Existing client has

“need”

Client asked to call

Assistance

Line

Assistance

Appointment processService Delivered

Service Request is

Processed

Client

Shows up

Client

Completes

Required

paperwork

Assessment

Guidelines &

Eligibility are

applied

Recovery

Expectations are

acceptedClient

Calls

Client

waits

on hold

Client Gets an

appointment for

tomorrow

4. Obtain the voice of the customer

- I couldn’t get through to a live person

- I had to wait on hold for hours.

- No music on line to let me know I hadn’t

been disconnected (clicks)

I got my service but it

took forever or

(came too late)

**No one was ever completely happy**

Part 2 – Validate Measurement System

People or Groups

Enthusiastic Support: Will work

hard to make it happen

Help it Work: Will lend

appropriate support to implement

solution

Compliant: Will do minimal

acceptable and will try and erode

the standard

Hesitant: Holds some

reservations; will not volunteer

Indifferent: Will not help; will not

hurt

Uncooperative: Will have to be

prodded

Opposed: Will openly act on and

state opposition to the solution

Hostile: Will block

implementation of the solution at

all costs

Stakeholder Analysis

Required Level of

Commitment for

Success

Current Level of

Commitment

Amount of

Change

Needed

DMAIC

Execu

tive

Caro

l L

/ R

ita F

/ A

lma Y

Dir

ecto

rs(P

os

itiv

e)

Ch

ery

l G

/ D

eb

ora

h M

/ D

on

na

A

Dir

ecto

rs(N

eu

tral)

Jim

N /

Beatr

ice G

/ P

am

piB

Dir

ecto

rs (

Neg

ati

ve)

Lyn

n M

(Assis

tan

ce L

ine)

No

n-T

eam

Dir

ecto

rs

Level of Commitment

1. Identify key metrics

CTQ(s)

1. Client Stays “on hold” (Doesn’t perceive “false disconnect” while on Assistance Line)

2. “High Potential” Clients ability to get a quicker appointment

3. Client brings required paperwork

4. Client meets Eligibility Requirements

5. Client accepts Recovery “Accountability”

6. Timeframe for Service Delivery

7. # of “Existing” Clients Served (Happy & Needs Met) – per month

Existing Client

Specs

1. Receive what they are in need of (medical, guidance, food, financial assistance, etc.)

2. Receive it in time for it to be of use (Rent/Fuel assistance, food, medical attention, etc.)

Assessment Guidelines

Applied

Customer

Eligibility Ascertained

Output

Recovery Expectations

Explained

Process

Client Accepts/Declines

Conditions

Input

Service is “Authorized for

Delivery”

Supplier

“Serviced” from one

or more Ministries

Existing Client

(With Needs Met in Timely

fashion)

Existing Client

(In Need of “service”)

DMAIC

Define

Required info and

paperwork from

Client

Part 2 – Validate Measurement System

2. Complete SIPOC

Eligibility

Requirements able to

be met

“Accountability”

Expectations

Acceptable

Part 2 – Validate Measurement System3. Analyze Measurement System

and Stratify Data

(Gathered from RADII

and Grant Writer Reporting)

70% of the available Monthly Caseworker Appointment Slots are filled by

Existing Clients: (600 per month)

14% of Existing Clients are NO Shows - includes late arrivals & must get

new appointment:

(86 per month)

10% of Existing Clients don't arrive at their appointment with all required

paperwork

(60 per month)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ONLY 67% of scheduled Existing Clients receive service (400 per month)

4. Establish Process Baseline

5. Set goals for process outputsServe 10% more clients per month (an extra 40 clients)

No Show

Mean: 85.5

No Paperwork

Mean: 60.3

Part 3 – ID Key Levers1. Model Detailed “As-Is” Process

Part 3 – ID Key Levers

2. Summarize what you’ve learned based on observations, data and analysis up to this

point.

A. All individuals (Potential/New Clients & Existing Clients who approach NAM Staff or Volunteers

do not receive any ‘Pre-Assessment’ or ‘Pre-Screening’ as to whether or not they are eligible

for any of the Ministry services – they are just told to “Call the Assistance Line”

B. We actively direct people we can’t help to call the Assistance Phone Line (repercussions)

C. In reality, there are FOUR CATAGORIES of Existing Clients

1. High Potential – This is someone we can very definitely help

2. Mid Potential – Appears to meet most, but not all guidelines

3. Low Potential – Doubtful we can help

4. No Potential – No longer meets enough criteria to receive assistance from any Ministry

D. Decided that a new process is needed to “Identify & Expedite” the High Potential clients

1. Timing is critical for these individuals & we can’t currently task the Volunteers with “vetting

them”

2. Individual Ministry Directors need to “evaluate” these individuals as soon as possible

3. Individual Ministry Directors have no process to schedule High Potential clients (those their

specific Ministry can definitely help) on their own authority – need a process

E. Decided that a new process is needed to “Identify & Redirect” the No Potential clients

1. We can’t help this type of individual, but they are still referred to (“clog”) the Assistance line

2. Any time spent with them (past an initial assessment) “wastes their time and ours”

3. Another organization may be able to help them, but we certainly can’t – Redirect out

F. Decided that a new process is needed to “Identify & Direct” Mid/Low Potentials to Assistance

Line & Prime them for success in the system (convey requirements/accountability – EARLIER)

No Service

for

Existing Customer

APPOINTMENT SYSTEM

(Caseworkers)

EXISTING CLIENT NAM VOLUNTEER

Don’t

consistently give

proper “referral

slip”

Tell everyone to

Call Assist. Line(including “No

Potentials)Doesn’t stay “on

hold” long enough

Doesn’t Call

Assistance Line

(Before 11:30 am)

No slot “flexibility”

“Waste” time on “no Potentials”(Client no longer meets criteria)

ASSISTANCE LINE

“False Disconnects”(thinks disconnected)

Long Hold Times

“Waste” time on

“no Potentials”

Part 3 – ID Key Levers

3. Develop theories of cause and effect

Doesn’t arrive for

appointment (or on time)

Doesn’t meet Interview

Guidelines (or no longer)

Doesn’t bring required

paperwork

Doesn’t accept

“Recovery Accountability”

Silence/ No update or hold

music

“clicks” on line

No slots available after

11:30 am(all for next day filled by now)

Ministry Staff

“Wastes” their time

if “No Potential”

“Waste” time on

“no Potentials”Can’t immediately

schedule

“High Potentials”

Little

interdepartmental

coordination

Tell everyone

(including “No

Potentials) to Call

Assist. Line

Referred Elsewhere

(No longer a client)

Client is a “no Show”

(or too late)

Part 3 – ID Key Levers (Part 1)4. FMEA - Existing Client in need of Ministry Service(s)

Part 3 – ID Key Levers (Part 2)4. FMEA - Existing Client in need of Ministry Service(s)

Part 4 – Determine Improvement Strategy

1. Set improvement goals and Map

the To-be Process #1 & #2 & #3

(3) New Processes to be put in place:

1. “Pre-Screening Process – Allows for identification of

Client’s “Potential” more quickly, then:

a) directing “High Potentials” to “Fast-Track”

(explained below)

b) directing “Mid & Low Potentials” to Assistance Line

c) directing “No Potentials” (essentially a “defect) to

another organization and out of the NAM system

2. “Fast-Track” Process – Allows for immediate assessment

of an Existing Clients eligibility to receive services from

specific a specific Ministry (instead of simply being referred

to the Assistance Line)

a) High – Can immediately be helped by a Ministry

(if given slot soon)

b) Mid – Optimistic that client can receive service

from a Ministry

c) Low – Not likely that client can receive service from

a Ministry

d) No – Existing Client no longer meets requirements

for services

3. “Dedicated Appointment Process – Allows for Directors

of a specific Ministry to “bypass” the Assistance line and

schedule a “High Potential” the same day

(See Process Map on next slide)

2. Improvement plan

Creation of “Referral Brochure” & Modification

of Staff and Volunteer Training

(during the bi-weekly Training Sessions)

BEFORE advising clients to call Assistance Appointment Line

Volunteers will :

a. Review Appointment Line Instructions via “Referral

Brochure”, noting

• High Volume days/times to try to avoid

• Long waits – up to two hours

• “Don’t hang up unless you hear a dial tone”

• You will hear silence and “clicks”, and no music

b. Give Client New NAM “Referral Brochure”

• Addressing FAQ’s

• General Eligibility Requirements

• Overview of “Accountability” associated with

services

c. Give Eligibility Form (with instructions for filling it out)

d. Alternative suggestion - bring all requirements and trying

for a “Dedicated Appointment”


1. Set improvement goals and Map the To-be Process #1 & #2 & #3


3a. Assessed improvement plan risk and developed contingencies by updating the FMEA


4. Execute Pilot

(Children’s Clinic)

Children’s Ministry trained staff

and their Volunteers before

Start of a two week pilot:

1. Use of “Referral Brochures & Modification of Training

Documents

2. Assistant Director will be accountable for Assistance

Line “Referral Brochures” (daily restocking)

3. Director will have morning and afternoon “touch base”

with staff and volunteers working each day, for the

duration of the pilot period

4. A clip board will be set up at reception desk to track

the number of:

a. Clients referred to Assistance line (while

given new referral form and verbal

instructions

b. Number of clients referred to Director for

“Fast-Track” and “Dedicated

Appointment” Process

c. Number of Client referred to another

agency (“No Potentials”)

Goal: Increase “Happy Clients (Needs Met) by 10%

(approx. 40/month)

**5 per month / per ministry (8) =

40 additional clients served**

5. Improvement Results

(Children’s Clinic)1. 7 people in the last 2 weeks “pre-screened” as Fast-track

a. Four Existing Clients able to receive “same-day”

appointment

b. One New Client able to be “Fast-Tracked”

(BONUS!!!)

2. Relieved burden on Appt line by identifying TWELVE “NO

Potential” clients, and referring them to outside agencies

3. “Fast-track” Super Story

a. Mother of three was able to be “Fast-Tracked”

and receive rent check in three business days

(fast enough for her to not be evicted for being

three months past due)

b. The fastest ‘rent check subsidies’ normally take

10-12 Business days

6. Improvement Benefits

1. We were able to help more clients, using the same amount of

resources

2. Increased faith that process improvements could

“measurably” help in the delivery of our services

3. We can work more effectively together (“And not strangle

anybody in the process”)

4. This process improvement methodology can work with our

service model (originally there was resistance to

“manufacturing methods”) – “We need more projects!!!”

Part 5 – Make Permanent Improvements

1. Implement full scale changes

1. Finalize Training Documentation (per the Pilot)

2. Rollout New Processes to each Ministry - New

one every 2 weeks

3. Have Case workers ask about Existing clients

experience with new processes (check sheet

document)

• present by Program Director during

Monthly meeting

4. Add Agenda Item: “New Processes Feedback”

to Monthly Director meeting

5. Determine which (Ministry specific) project we

should improve next

2. Institute Control Metrics

1. Continue to monitor existing Assistance Line

Volume Metrics

2. Each Ministry to keep track of number of “Fast-

Track” and “Dedicated Appointment” time slots

used per month

3. Program Director to consider having

Administrative assistant “prep” all of the

Assistance Line Referral Brochures (instead of

leaving it to each Assistant Director (easier for

a single person to make them in batches)

4. For the past 3 months, approximately 70% of

Dedicated Appointment Time Slots are being

used by individual Ministry Directors (Lynn M.

thinks it is working well)

5. “Fast-Tracking” of clients is working

approximately 8-10 times per month

6. “Silence and Clicks” continues to be an issue,

despite communications to clients (The

executive team will revisit purchasing

“”Muzac” system at next Board meeting

7. Data on “No Potentials” is receiving less

emphasis

19% Reduction of Existing Clients as NO Shows (p < 0.05 = Significant)

(91 /month Previous 4th QTR–VS- 73 /month Current 4th QTR)

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25% Reduction of Existing Clients without paperwork (p < 0.05 = Significant)

(66 /month Previous 4th QTR –VS- 49 /month Current QTR)

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12.4 % INCREASE of Existing Clients receiving service per month (inconclusive**)

(402 /month Previous QTR –VS- 452 /month Current QTR)

**Not all Ministries have initiated the new processes, yet, but the 12.4% increase

exceeds the initial 10% increase goal**


4. Previous 4th QTR Metrics -VS- Current Year 4th QTR metrics

(Gathered from RADII and Grant Writer Reporting)

Mean TestIs F-Served/mo. greater than C-Served/mo.?

The mean of F-Served/mo. Is not significantly

greater than the mean of C-Served/mo. (p > 0.05)


6. Validate BenefitsPrevious year

timeframe(OLD Processes in effect)

Current year

timeframe(NEW Processes in effect)

5. Transfer Ownership

As of November 1st, all Directors have adopted new

processes and accepted new “Roll-Out” accountability

(per agreement at Monthly Directors meeting)

Project Tollgate & Tools Checklist

Analyze ControlImproveMeasureDefine

• Pareto Charts

• Charter Form & Project Plan

• L-Maps

• VOC and Kano Map

• Stakeholder Analysis

• Tree Diagram - CTQ

• SIPOC Map

• Measurement System –

Case Worker “Time Slot”

Utilization Data

• Individual Control Chart –

Assistance Line Usage

• Goal Statement

• Client & Stakeholder Expectation

Interviews

• PPT “As-Is” process map used

with Client

• Swimlane “As-Is” process map

• Key Levers – Observations

• Theories of Cause & Effect

- “Potential Concept”

- “Internal Integration”

• FMEA

• Set Improvement Goals

• Draft Training Aids

• Develop “To-Be” process maps

- “Pre-Screening”

- “Fast-Track”

- “Dedicated Appointment”

• Create Improvement Plan

• FMEA

• Create Pilot Plan

• Pilot Plan (Two weeks/1 Ministry)

• Control Charts

• Finalize Training Documents

• Implementation “Roll-out” Plan

• Benefits List (Reinforcement)

• Transition of Accountability

Tools