Improving services requires close examination of all components that influence the system as a whole.  Underlying infrastructures should be evaluated and improved, where required.  Take a look at each of these infrastructure “building blocks” and ask:

• Core Business Processes: Are the steps in the development services process integrated and efficient and reflect a customer-based culture?
• People Interactions: Are communication mechanisms for staff, customers, and citizens structured to share information freely, manage projects effectively, and resolve issues or conflicts as they occur? Is staff trained to have compentency in their individual roles?
• Regulatory Framework: Are the policies, codes, and support documents that drive the review and construction process understandable, objective, and reasonable?
• Technology Tools: Do the tools available to staff and customers provide for accurate and real-time information, tracking of customer projects, and assist in informed decision-making?
• Physical Space: Does the physical environment reflect a user-friendly, service-oriented approach for customers and citizens that interact with the process?
• Organizational Structure: Is the organization structured to be cost effective, provide appropriate resources to staff, measure performance and support a project management approach with accountability?

Disbelief, n. 1. the inability or refusal to believe or to accept something as true. 2. amazement; astonishment.

It is no secret that making changes in government can be difficult due to a number of challenges brought about by funding shortages, unclear authority to make changes, and the difficulty in gaining customer and elected official support.  “Suspending disbelief”, very simply, demands that all staff and customers involved in the change effort keep an open mind, “park” their current biases or department views, and assume that system changes can and will happen.

“Suspending disbelief” usually starts with a blank page.  Forget what your current perspectives, and possible obstacles, are telling you when working to design and implement a recommended improvement.  Think creatively!  Look for the best possible customer service solution.  By “suspending disbelief”, you don’t ignore solutions that would otherwise appear unfeasible in normal city or county government mode of operation.  Believing you can accomplish something often removes barriers that would otherwise keep you from pursuing a perfectly grand idea or solution.

Experience has shown that if an idea is a good one for service, customers will support you.  If customers support you, then typically your elected officials will support you.  You will be surprised to see how “obstacles” will be removed when everyone is in support.  I think we can, I think we can…. therefore it will.

Yes, this approach does require a leap of faith.  But if the ideas are sound (they help implement the regulations and support great customer service), what have you got to lose?  Staff and customers are empowered to come up with the best solutions, and most of all, you get to dream a little.  And maybe if you “suspend disbelief” for long enough changes will happen and you will be “amazed” or “astonished”.  Give it a shot.  Suspend disbelief!

Performance measurement is usually a hodge-podge of measures derived from other “best practice” communities or some ideas from a national, professional organization.  Or, it is some overly simple program for a “dashboard” view of the organization.  But, do we really measure what is important from the customer’s perspective and what we need to?  Or do we just meet the next “flavor of the month” or what those benchmark cities or counties have done.  Do we even relate real customer perceptions into the measurement program?  My guess is….probably not.  Why not?

My philosophy is that a true performance measurement “program” should have two very clear and comprehensive objectives:

1. Measure customer satisfaction with the development processing system: How do they feel about various aspects of service delivery for information, project processing, etc.?
2. Measure all phases of a customer’s project timeline (application process, review & issue resolution,  inspections, and then overall processing time) and then more about workload and efficiencies.  Customers really care about time.

Without both these elements a part of a performance measurement program, how do you know you are meeting customer needs?  One part tells you the customer’s perception…the other part the actual, numerical data about how the process is working.  So, if the customer generally perceive that services are good and staff is meeting all their goals….life is good.  However, if staff is meeting all their goals and customers perceive that services are a problem…what then?  Perception vs. calculated times or efficiencies has to be the result we compare.  Otherwise, we measure the calculated time and we meet it and it is a false comfort level of existence.  If customers perceive problems, are we really successful?  I say no.  A comprehensive measurement program is an opportunity to gauge perception with reality.  Will we fail at this test or are we up for the challenge?

Horizon Centre has been successful at working to create development performance measurement programs for clients with surveys to gauge satisfaction and a compliment of measures to determine timeliness and efficiencies of processing all stages of projects.  Every community is different, but most communities face the same type of measurement challenges.  Above all…think through measurement as a means to determine whether your process works, not just an exercise for finance.  It can be useful, but you have to go back to basics…what does the customer feel are the success factors.  Measure that!  If you meet that challenge, then measurement will truly be worthwhile and not just an exercise.

One of the first things to consider is the job description for Development Services. Often, the HR departments of your city or county creates a job description from a canned questionnaire that was created by a 3^rd party consultant. This ends up as a job description that does not fully match the job that is being filled. Start by asking for the job description and the root of that description. Go through it with a fine tooth comb considering not only what the current role is going to be, but also what the future position will morph into. You may be pleasantly surprised and end up with a higher pay classification allowing you to hire better qualified staff.

Secondly, consider the environment this person will work in. What are the most important traits you want to emulate from “excellent” staff, or what are things that are going to be important in the future of the organization. For example, it does not take a crystal ball to see that technology is rapidly changing and you must find a team member who is not only a professional in their respective field, but is also highly proficient in many other areas. In the midst of a changing business process, it’s important to look for characteristics and traits that show this potential team member can think their way out of a box. This can show up as taking voluntary or “acting” assignments during the course of their employment or it can show up as participating in various civic or professional organizations. Often these types of team members are looking to soak up as much information as possible. They don’t come along very often in the development arena, so when they do, it’s important to snatch them up as soon as possible.

Lastly, one of the most significant pieces of the staff or team puzzle, is how well the “fit” with the other members of the organization. You may hire the best qualified person for the job who looks great on paper, but can not seem to get along or work well with other members of the team. Its important to remember you will hire the personality as well as the person and neither change very easily.

Whatever the scenario, it’s important to remember that change happens incrementally and people move out of their comfort zones much more slowly than you would like. Help your team along by working closely with your HR department to understand what the job descriptions entail, ensure they are accurate and clearly depict what is actually being done, and help your HR department understand what work your team does. Often it’s a lack of communication and clear understanding of the importance of your department to the City’s overall success.  Don’t be afraid to push the envelope with HR.  In the long run, if you don’t, your position classifications will not meet your process and customer service needs.