Governments everywhere are struggling with deficits and rising costs.  All over the country, jurisdictions find themselves needing to do more with less.  In order to confront this dilemma, many public officials have started looking at the government processes to evaluate wasteful, inefficient, and unnecessary steps.  

Lean Government emphasizes making government more efficient, responsive, and satisfying to citizens and employees alike while simultaneously respecting individuals and changing the way people think about government.  

In Fiscal 2013, the City launched its Lean Government Initiative with the purpose of evaluating City processes and making tangible improvements that result in greater efficiency and better customer service.

Through the Lean Government initiative, the City initiated a culture shift that empowered employees to think dynamically, work toward continuous improvement, and ensure Baltimore’s municipal processes are adding value for residents. The initiative was comprised of the following:

• Training: The City offered three levels of training free to employees
  • Beginner: Get acquainted with Lean philosophy, strategies, and examples of practical applications.
  • Intermediate: Take a deeper dive into the different Lean tools.
  • Advanced: Train to become a certified Lean facilitator.

• A3 Problem Solving
  • Employees were empowered to use this planning tool to engage in process improvement in their workplace.
  • The A3 can help you clarify your issue, narrow your scope, and communicate the outcomes of your proposed improvement.
  • This is a way of documenting change and recording the impact had on the service's metrics and performance.

• Process Improvement Events
  • For larger scale change, the City worked with outside vendors to facilitate two to five day events.
  • Employees worked together to map complicated processes, make small changes quickly, and set a 90-day action plan.
  • City programs and services saw dramatic results from engaging in these events.

By clicking the Process Improvement Events link on the lefthand menu, you can explore results of past Lean Government events in Baltimore.