Less waiting, fewer corrections, more time for what matters
What is Lean in administration?
Lean in administration is the application of Lean Management principles to office and public administration processes: wherever the "product" is information, a document, a decision or a payment.
In an office, waste cannot be seen with the naked eye. Cases do not sit on pallets but in mailboxes, IT systems and folders. An invoice waits for a signature, an application is sent back for missing information, the same data is retyped into several systems. Working on a case often takes a few dozen minutes, while the case itself spends several weeks in the process.
Lean helps you see the whole process from the customer's perspective - external, internal or the citizen - and shorten waiting time. The goal is not to work faster, but to wait less, return fewer cases and remove unnecessary steps.
The training brings proven Lean tools to the office: value stream mapping, 5S, standardised work, visual management, flow and pull, poka-yoke and structured problem solving. It also takes into account the specifics of public administration: legal requirements, statutory deadlines, document workflow in electronic records management systems and audit requirements.
Training objectives
The aim of the training is to prepare participants to identify waste in office processes on their own and to plan and implement improvements in their own team.
Participants learn to:
- define the customer and value in office and public administration processes,
- recognise the 8 types of waste in office work,
- distinguish value demand from demand caused by errors and unclear information (failure demand),
- distinguish the work time spent on a case from the total lead time,
- map office processes: SIPOC, swimlane diagram, transactional VSM,
- apply 5S in the office and digital 5S: folders, file names, mailbox,
- create simple standards: checklists, templates, one-point lessons,
- make work visible on a team board and limit work in progress,
- design forms and processes that prevent errors (poka-yoke),
- solve problems using PDCA, 5 Why and the A3 report,
- select simple flow and quality metrics,
- plan first improvements and sustain them.
Training options
1. Introductory training
The training lasts 4 to 8 hours.
Participants learn about:
- Lean principles and how they apply in offices and administration,
- value and the customer in office processes,
- the 8 wastes in office work,
- lead time, queues and the effect of working "in batches" on waiting time,
- the basics of 5S, standardisation and visual management,
- how to select the first improvements.
The training includes an exercise in identifying waste using examples from offices and public authorities.
2. Training with simulation and exercises
The training lasts 1 to 2 days.
In addition to the content of option 1, it covers process mapping, flow and pull, quality at the source and problem solving. Practical exercises are an essential part of the training, including:
- a three-round document flow simulation - from batch processing to single-case flow,
- SIPOC and process mapping with sticky notes,
- digital 5S,
- improving a form and preparing a checklist,
- designing a team Kanban board,
- root cause analysis and an A3 report.
I select the modules according to the needs of the group. The programme is modular, so the focus - for example on mapping, standardisation or visual management - is agreed before the training.
3. Implementation workshop on your own process
The workshop consists of two stages of about 1 day each.
Stage 1 - current state analysis
Participants select a process, define its boundaries, follow real cases through it and prepare a current state map. They collect data on work time, waiting time, work in progress and the number of returns.
Implementing actions
Between the sessions, the team introduces the agreed changes and measures their effects. This period usually lasts from a few weeks to two months. Remote consulting support from the trainer is available.
Stage 2 - results review and standardisation
Participants evaluate the results, refine the solutions, prepare standards and a team board, and plan the next steps.
The workshop can result in:
- a current and future state map of the selected process,
- a list of problems and their causes,
- first improvements implemented and their effect measured,
- work standards and a team board,
- a plan for further actions.
I adapt the scope and course of the training to the selected option and process. Ask for a detailed training programme.
Course of the training
The training is based on examples from two environments: company offices (finance, HR, purchasing, customer service) and public administration (records office, specialist departments, handling of applications and decisions).
The theory is short and immediately translated into exercises. Participants work on descriptions of typical situations and, where possible, on their own processes and documents. Each participant finishes the training with an action plan for the coming days and weeks.
In public administration, I pay particular attention to what can be changed without changing the law: the number of approvals, forms and letter templates, document flow rules, the order of work and deputy arrangements.
Benefits of implementing Lean in administration
- shorter case processing times,
- fewer requests for missing information, returns and corrections,
- fewer customer inquiries about the status of their case,
- a more even workload within the team,
- less time spent searching for documents and information,
- easier deputising and onboarding of new employees,
- transparency of team work and faster detection of problems,
- employee involvement in improving their own work.
Application
Lean in administration can be applied wherever work consists of processing information and documents. Most often in:
- central and local government offices,
- finance and accounting departments,
- HR and payroll departments,
- purchasing and administrative logistics,
- customer service and complaints handling,
- shared service centres,
- secretariats and records offices.
Who is the training for?
The training is intended for:
- heads of departments, units and teams,
- specialists, case officers and administrative staff,
- records office, secretariat and customer service staff,
- people responsible for management control, quality and work organisation,
- people responsible for Lean and continuous improvement.
No prior knowledge of Lean is required.
Number of participants and team composition
The recommended number of participants is 6 to 15.
I recommend that representatives of all stages of the analysed process take part, including from other departments. A case passes through several organisational units, and the greatest losses usually occur at the interfaces between them.
For the implementation workshop, the participation of the area manager, who can make decisions about changes in the process, is recommended.
Preparation for the training
Before the training, it is worth agreeing on:
- the purpose of the training: introduction to the method or the start of an implementation,
- the processes that are most important or most problematic for the organisation,
- the content focus and choice of modules,
- for the workshop - the process to be analysed and the availability of the people who carry it out.
Information on the following is also useful:
- the number of cases or documents per month,
- case processing times and on-time performance,
- the number of returns, requests for missing information and corrections,
- the systems used (e.g. document management, ERP) and how documents flow.
Training location
The introductory training can be held at the client's premises or online. The training with simulation and the implementation workshop take place at the client's premises. The workshop requires access to the real process, documents and the people who carry it out.
Training cost
The price of the training or workshop is set individually. It depends on the selected option, duration, number of participants and the scope of implementation support.