Key takeaways – something to leave with you

___________________

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Michael Watts Interview for Transformation Manager Helping Maidstone Borough Council deliver its priorities through the transformation of processes

& services

Review of the

framework used to

engage with

members of the

public & partner

agencies to:

a.

give better value for money

–

expectation of savings

b.

reduce resource implications –

reduction in officer & Councillor time

c.

remove duplication & repetition

–

less meetings, groups & tiers

d.

give people a stronger, more effective

voice –

talk directly to decision makers

Setting the ground

rules – a solid

foundation

1

.

Understood needs & scope of the project

- initially agreed deliverables, resources

& timeframe

Created & agreed Project Profiler to

outline what was involved, what success

looked like

& what everyone needed to know

Developed Business Case & gained

agreement before developing project

documentation & establishing Project

Group

2

.

3

.

Start with why -

discovery phase1

.

Started by looking at why the existing

framework existed – and what need

it was meeting

Mapped existing systems, processes &

user experience, & identified return on

investment

Researched other examples & identified

current trends, & scoped the current &

future resource constraints

2

.

3

.

How do we make it

better - options

appraisal

1

.

Started with a blank sheet to consider

“if we were to develop this from scratch

now, what would it look like?”

Drew up options for different models

based on next practice & modelled

expected cost savings & resource

benefits

Gained agreement on option with clear

savings expectations, & then

implemented new model

2

.

3

.

A B

C D

What did it achieve

– what’s happened

since

1

.

Saved 90% of original cost

- against target of 50%

Saved 81% of original staffing cost

- against target of 20%

Reduced 50% of original Councillor time

- against target of 20%

Increased number of people

engaged by 700%

- including over 1,400 people that

had never been engaged with

before

And since then, we have refined,

improved & strengthened…

2

.

3

.

Ask.

Listen.

Learn.

Refine.

And again…

What did I learn? -

how it changed me1

.

Better communication

Communicate.

Then communicate again.

Then again. And once

more.

So, I have…

Used tools to communicate

& share real time

information – such as Trello

2

.

Better grip

Control on all work to

monitor progress, resource

implications & workloads

So, I have…

Studied Agile to manage

projects - 5 development

stages, sprints & releases

3

.

Better belief

Research, ask & learn from

others – but go with

options I believe in

So, I have…

Listened to others – but

trusted my gut more