Program Helps Make State Government More User Friendly and Improve Business Climate
Sacramento, Calif. – Building on the Administration’s efforts to make state government more efficient, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) awarded 20 state officials across 16 state departments certificates of completion for the Lean 6-Sigma Green Belt projects which helps state government agencies be more business friendly by streamlining their individual processes.
The GO-Biz Lean 6-Sigma program has long been used by the world’s corporate leaders including Toyota, Motorola and General Electric to increase efficiency. In order to receive a certificate, participants must complete a real-life six-month project that demonstrates vastly improved efficiency within his or her department. Moreover, each participant completes the program having gained complex analytical and statistical skills that can help identify waste and inefficiencies within their respective organizations beyond this one project. The resulting improvements have a direct positive impact on governments’ interaction with the public by improving the customer service experience for businesses.
The graduation ceremony was hosted in the Governor’s Council Room and featured GO-Biz Director Panorea Avdis. “The Lean 6-Sigma Green Belt program has resulted in increased efficiencies across state government improving processes that better support our clients, the thousands of businesses across California,” said GO-Biz Director Panorea Avdis. “GO-Biz is proud to bring this private sector model program to state government agencies and looks forward to supporting future Green Belt candidates.”
Improved processes and efficiencies, included:
- The Department of Business Oversight improved processing times for applications to amend financial services licenses from an average of 100 days to 1.9 days.
- The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) improved the time it takes to deliver a personalized license plate from an average of 105 days to 62 days, and as the number of backlogged orders continues to reduce, the DMV projects that 95% of plate orders will be delivered within 35 days.
- The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) piloted improvements in CalTrans District 5 that reduced the time it takes to complete a traffic investigation report from 46.6 labor-hours per report to an average of 19.6 hours.
- The State Water Resources Control Board’s Environmental Lab Accreditation Program, which certified laboratories that test drinking water, improved average completion time from 171 days to 95% of laboratories being competed with 60 days.
- The Department of Toxic Substances Control improved the time it takes to assess penalties to hazardous waste generators from an average of 259 days to 10 days.
View the complete list of graduates and information on projects is available on the Lean 6 Sigma page.
Since 2014, GO-Biz has partnered with the Government Operations Agency (GovOps) to offer Lean 6-Sigma Training to state agencies to specifically address process-based issues within state departments that were causing delays in services to both internal and external stakeholders.
GovOps Secretary Marybel Batjer stated, “At GovOps, these 20 projects will not only improve these specific processes, but bring new ways of thinking to departments. As a result, California state government will be better able to serve all Californians.” Secretary Batjer added, “The Lean 6-Sigma project continues to transform government.”
Two of this cohort’s Green Belt participants were from the Department of Motor Vehicles. “Lean 6-Sigma training has allowed us to streamline our business process which has resulted in improved efficiencies and improved customer service,” said Department of Motor Vehicles Director Jean Shiomoto. “We will continue to use Lean 6-Sigma to improve productivity and save time.”
About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit, www.business.ca.gov.
Contact Information
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1325 J Street, Suite 1800
Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: 1-877-345-4633
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