Business Process Optimization Newsletter | August 2020
Photo by Chris Mongomery on Unsplash
IT professionals could be the unsung heroes of 2020. In his book, Invisibles – The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion, author David Zweig described the often nameless individuals' critical impact without whom the quality of commonplace experiences would not exist.
Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, recently noted that we had seen two years of digital transformation in two months. eCommerce has seen growth not seen in the previous ten years.
Of course, the pace at which many municipalities have moved hundreds of staff from offices to home working arrangements introduced digital signatures and launched new digital services is nothing short of remarkable. IT staff should get a digital (socially distanced, of course) pat on the back.
In this newsletter, we explore work that we have been doing around Business Process Optimization. Ben Perry is featured on two Municipal World podcast episodes. We showcase an online panel that we hosted with IT leaders from six municipalities, hearing about what they have learned during COVID. We are delighted to share our support of Breakaway Cycling Adventure with Childhood Cancer Canada, and finally, we have our usual reading suggestions.
Business Process Optimization Services
Over the past 12 months, we have been working with numerous organizations on Business Process Optimization initiatives.
The Perry Group Business Process Optimization Process
We have been working with project teams in organizations across Ontario that are using Municipal Modernization funding from the Province to appraise and streamline their permitting, licensing, and planning, service requests, accounts payable, payroll and tax billing processes.
We have been using our own Perry Group BPO methodology, which is informed by our Lean Six Sigma and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) experience, alongside our team's years of practical application. This has been brought together into a simple 4-step process supported by a set of online and visual tools.
We are mentoring teams in the application of this BPO methodology. If you are interested in hearing more about our work in this area, read more about some of our BPO work at the Town of Lincoln, or get in touch.
Download the Town of Lincoln BPO case study here
MW Shares podcast
Speaking on the MW Shares podcast, Ben Perry shared his perspectives on how we see municipalities dealing with digital transformation during a pandemic. Ben chatted with Municipal World Editor and host Susan Garner.
"If you are the Chief Building Official, then I think you're the owner of the building service for your municipality. That means you are responsible for an efficient and cost-effective operation. You can't do that without digitizing your processes. And in 2020, that service has to be digitally enabled. Like the CBO, it should be responsible for that role to ensure that the services are digital. Of course, you need to work with IT. As the person responsible for the building service, I need to make sure that my service allows for applying and tracking permits online or booking inspections online, digital receipt of documents and redlining of drawings."
Ben also noted that "We've seen lots of digital services that have been rapidly implemented, like tax certificates online or appointment bookings or digital submission of drawings for building permits and libraries embracing curbside pickup. There has been a huge change in how online services from municipalities have been delivered. In many cases, those types of solutions have been conceived and designed, built and implemented in weeks, not months and years, which is more traditional."
Listen to parts 1 and 2 of the MW Shares podcast interviews with Ben Perry here
COVID Municipal IT Leader Panel
Ben joined IT leaders to talk about experiences during COVID, how their teams have risen to the challenge and what they and their organizations have learned.
Joining Ben on the webinar were:
• Sasha Einwechter - GM IT, City of Guelph
• Erin Britnell - IT Manager, Town of Caledon
• Grant Cowan - IT Manager, Town of Innisfil
• Dan Munns - Director of Technology and Innovation, Town of Whitby
• Brent Harlow - GIS Manager, City of Barrie
• Peter Taylor - IT Director, City of Greater Sudbury
You can watch the webinar here
Breakaway Cycling Adventure
Childhood Cancer Canada has created the COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Canadian childhood cancer families in active treatment who have been financially impacted by the current crisis. The need is enormous, and they need our help.
BREAKAWAY is a solo cycling challenge that raises funds for children with cancer across Canada and supports programming like the new childhood cancer COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Anyone can participate and unite in this fun and worthwhile adventure between July 6 to September 6, 2020.
Childhood Cancer Canada is one of Canada's leading foundations dedicated to funding national research while delivering outreach, vital educational and community programs to children and families affected by cancer. CCC's focus is on saving, enhancing and extending the lives of kids with cancer.
Perry Group has sponsored the Breakaway event this year, as well as committed to a long-term collaboration with Childhood Cancer Canada.
You can learn more about Breakaway here
Reading nook
Our latest reading nook notes two books that are particular pertinent in 2020.
"Digital technology is not all about technology; it is about changing the way you work."
It is hard to contemplate a book that is more pertinent in 2020 than Digital transformation at scale. Written by the architects of the UK's Government Digital Service, the trailblazing, standard-bearer for real digital government transformation. This book is about how they translated and applied approaches employed by modern internet firms to the UK's central government.
"We have seen too many chief executives and department heads proudly explain their organizations pioneering work on artificial intelligence, say, while in the same breadth conceding that their back-office system can't reliably pay employees on time."
Invisibles – The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion, by David Zweig.
The book to which we referred in our introduction that despite our culture’s increasing celebration of fame in our era of superstar CEOs and assorted varieties of genius they are happy to remain anonymous. IT staff could be one such group of unsung heroes in 2020.
"Their careers require expertise, skill, and dedication, yet they receive little or no public credit. And that's just fine with them," describes Zweig.