PUBLIC SECTOR TRANSFORMATION
There is a tendency among managers to try to address organizational shortcomings by focusing on human resources—the “right” people for the right jobs—or by purchasing technological products to in an effort to make workers more “efficient.” Or both. Unfortunately, the area that gets short shrift—the policies and procedures that people follow every day in the performance of their jobs—is the area that offers the greatest opportunities for improved performance. If your processes are wrong, the best people in the world conducting them with the greatest technical efficiency will still achieve poor results. UPD provides a wide range of management consulting services that can help you improve performance and position your organization to get the most out of staff and technological resources.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
We can help you plan out a multi-year strategy that positions your organization to take advantage of changes that have already occurred and others that are coming. Our recommendations are colored by our own hands-on experience at implementing programs and projects within local governmental organizations.
PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING
The first step to improved performance is understanding how your processes work...or don't work. Many public sector procedures were created years ago and may be obsolete or even counterproductive. We break down your operations in minute detail and put them back together in ways that improve productivity. Staff training on the new systems is included in our services, and if you need new data systems built, we do that, too.
EFFICIENCY & EFFECTIVENESS STUDIES
Even when there's an organizational will to improve, often managers don't know where to begin. UPD staff have conduted scores of efficiency and effectiveness analyses for school districts, housing agencies, credit unions, Empowerment Zones, and more. We can help you figure out what you're doing well, where you can improve, and where you should start. Our extensive knowledge of "best practices" around the country will help you decide which path to follow.
STAFF CAPACITY ASSESSMENTS & REORGANIZATION PLANS
Organizations, large and small, should assess their organizational structure frequently to ensure they are aligned with their mission. In practice, however, reorganizing is one of the most painful processes a public sector agency goes through, and the larger the organization, the more difficult it is. UPD can evaluate your staff capacities, determine whether training or process re-engineering is the answer, and help you to reorganize your agency in a way that takes advantage of the skills you have at your disposal.
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