Developing Quality and Innovation through Strategic Operations

1. In partnership with Improved Optimisation Through Cooperation, Learning and the Adaption of Incremental Improvement Techniques Dr John F. Noonan Enterprise Research Centre Faculty of Science and Engineering University of Limerick. Developing Quality and Innovation through Strategic Operations and Alliances in the Voluntary Disability Sector The Pavilion, North Campus, University of Limerick DFI/UL Symposium, 29 November 2013.

2. Background to the Presentation Interaction with the students from the DFI/UL Introduction to TQM course (2 years/4 Cohorts) Interaction with the Voluntary Disability Sector students & Researchers on the Lean Specialist Diploma (UL) An examination of other initiatives Aim: To formulate a perspective that might provoke reflection

3. Presentation Structure • A catch phrase • A perspective: The hymn sheet • Some Reports and Findings • Unique challenges • TQM Applied • Lean Applied • An age old argument • The nature of highly effective voluntary disability organisations • The way forward

4. A Catch Phrase “Think Big Work Small” • Incremental improvement • Smaller organisations have just as much to contribute • Many views one vision • Systems Thinking {TQM & LEAN} i.e. Improved Optimisation Through Cooperation, Learning and the Adaption of Incremental Improvement Techniques

5. The Hymn SheetTQM Course (UL/DFI) • Systems thinking: systems are more than the sum of their parts, so well organised relationships between the parts are paramount • Lean Thinking: Value to the service user through provider Involvement & relentless elimination of Waste • TQM: corporate culture characterised by increased service user satisfaction through continuous improvement, in which everyone participates actively.

6. Reports & Findings: SystemsChildren England (Birmingham 2009) Mission; a fairer world for children, young people and families - The ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda • “Progress does not need to involve huge change; what is important is that progress is being made, however incremental” • “importance of infrastructure, which includes small organisations and that is carefully developed to be locally appropriate, being ‘owned’ by the VCS.” Children England was formerly the National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations, NCVCCO

7. Reports & Findings:Lean ThinkingPublic Sector Scotland (2010) Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Service (Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council)

8. Reports & Findings: TQM Cedar Foundation (Belfast), 2001(Physical Disability Services) “The pursuit of excellence is not optional in the voluntary sector, it is essential” 1993-2000 Driver: The level of growth and the increase in range, choice and quality of services to users • Customer Service Excellence awarded (customer & value) • ISO 9000 certified (documented quality system) • EFQM self assessed • - 2015 “development and delivery of innovative and effective Services” Despite economic challenges

9. The ChallengesExplored in the Assignments • Defining greatnessand calibrating success without business metrics (increasing effectiveness to better utilize scarce financial resources) • Leadership and getting things done within the dispersed structure of voluntary disability organisations • Building teams and getting the right people engaged within voluntary disability organisations’ constraints and opportunities • Increasing and securing the flow of resources to the voluntary disability organisations without a profit motive; • Building momentum through brand reputation of the voluntary disability organisations. • The customer: taxpayer, elected official, governing body, or the individual who receives a service? • Political leadership is transitory Adapted from The challenges Five Issues that Separate CVOs from Businesses: Collins (2006)

10. (Up for the challenge)TQM Tools Applied: FMEA - ServiceGroup work / Facilitation Skills Training Paul Partnership

11. (Up for the challenge)TQM Tools Applied: FMEA – Product Mayo CIL

12. (Up for the challenge)TQM Tools Applied:Quality Function Deployment Mobile IT

13. (Up for the challenge)Lean Tools Applied: Kaizen + Value Analysis(Stream Map of Headways New Process) Headways DMAIC Kaizen New clients can access the service with approximately 30 days removed from the clients wait. 60 Days 30 Days

14. Age old Argument: “Quality Time” or “Quality all of the Time” Google’s 20% Time: for creativity and innovation (Results: AdSense, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Reader) Googlers “120% time” Larry Page (Chief Executive 2011) we need “more wood behind fewer arrows” referring to lack of focus • Reliable processes = reliable results • processes are the sum of their inputs • Continuous Improvement & Consistency • Teamwork & Routine performance Analysis • Training for all

15. The Nature of Highly EffectiveCommunity and Voluntary Organisations(Williams: 2007) • Any CVO should start with, and then continue to have, the people it exists to serve, the ‘Participants’ (users), at the heart of its organisational focus. • It might be nice to think that funding would not be such a primary and priority task to deal with. However, people (volunteers and/or staff) need resources to give life to any dreams that exist or emerge “CVOs need to be masters at making something out of nothing – of alchemy”. Ian Williams Annual Community and Voluntary Sector Conference The Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups February 1st 2007

16. The way forward:Balancing Lean with Latitude(Putting passion into compassion) Realistically: TQM : long–term success through service user care & improving processes, services, and culture Lean Thinking : embodies a set of design principles to deliver purpose more and more effectively by reducing waste Lean + TQM: Balancing value with efficiency

17. In Summary • The mission of the Voluntary Disability Sector distinguish them sharply from business • The real need among the Voluntary Disability Sector is for tools and learning developed out of their experience and focused on their specifics Above all: • Cherish achievements • Build in quality of service • Reduce complexity • Learn Look to a future state some where between the current state and an ideal state through grasping opportunities. More poetically……………

18. Anthem Leonard Cohen “ Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There is a crack, There is a crack in everything That’s how the light gets in”