United States General Accounting Office

GAO

May 1995 Framework for

Implementation:

Job Process

Reengineering

GAO/OIMC-95-8

1. Introduction This document details the strategic framework and the roles and

responsibilities of the key teams and players identified in the framework.

It will enable GAO to successfully implement the process reforms proposed

by the Job Management Process Owners and approved by the Quality

Council. In addition, it will enable the Job Process Reengineering Team to

identify further reengineering opportunities that may dramatically improve

cycle time and reduce staff-days.

Section 2 of this document describes the strategic framework. It details

the objectives of the project, the structure and interrelationships of the

various teams and stakeholders, the time frames for undertaking the

projects, and the measurements that will be required to monitor and

evaluate the projects.

Section 3 details the roles and responsibilities of the key players in the

project. Where appropriate, the approach and the methodology that could

be adopted by the teams are also discussed. To lay out an implementation

plan and methodology that will fit all situations is not possible, however.

Much of the implementation plan will depend on what the “end state”

process design looks like. The plan then will identify the steps necessary

to bridge the gap and move from the “current state” to the desired “end

state.”

The work was performed with the assistance of Arthur Andersen LLP.

F. Kevin Boland

Chairman, Job Process Reengineering Team

Page 1 GAO/OIMC-95-8
2. Strategic

Framework

This section details the objectives of the project, the structure and

interrelationships of the various teams and stakeholders, the time frames

for undertaking the projects and, the measurements that are required to

monitor and evaluate the projects.

Objectives • To implement reforms in the job management process that result in a

reduction in average cycle time to produce a “product” by 100 days.

• To quantify the expected staff time (and cost) savings resulting from the

process improvements.

• To identify additional opportunities that will dramatically reduce cycle

time and reduce staff-days required.

Project Structure To enable the core project team to maximize its chances of success, the

following structure has been established:

Page 2 GAO/OIMC-95-8
Project Structure

Central to the successful rollout of the identified initiatives is the Job

Process Reengineering Team. This Team is responsible for coordinating all

the various initiatives identified by the Job Management Process Owners

(JMPO) and approved by the Quality Council.

Section 3 provides more details on the roles and the responsibilities of the

teams. Detailed below are high-level descriptions of their roles.

• Executive Committee - Made up of the organization’s most senior

people, the committee will be responsible for supporting the Team and

helping the Team overcome organizational barriers. This committee will

meet biweekly, resolve any coordination matters, and make decisions

necessary to keep the project moving toward the goals.

Page 3 GAO/OIMC-95-8
• Job Process Reengineering Team - The Team will have primary

accountability for implementing the process reforms identified by the JMPO

and approved by the Quality Council. They are ultimately responsible for

meeting the objectives for reductions in cycle time and staff-years. Central

to this will be the integration of the initiatives. The Team will monitor and

compare the pilots and the rollout with the targets. It will also be

responsible for allocating resources among the project teams and the day

to day coordination of those teams. The members of the Job Process

Reengineering Team will also participate in the project teams.

• Process Champions - For any change initiatives to be successfully

implemented in the divisions, they will require the full backing of the

respective Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs). Therefore, each

initiative will be championed by an ACG. It is likely that initiatives in each

key area (such as Job Design) will be grouped together and championed

by one individual. This does not negate the role of the Planning and

Reporting (P&R) Directors or others who will still be heavily involved in

integrating all the change initiatives.

• Process Owners - The P&R Directors as the JMPO will continue to play an

active role in the project. They will be advised on the development of the

initiatives as they are taken from concept to pilot and ultimately to rollout.

In addition, they will support the ACGs in championing the initiatives. They

will also be responsible for following up on the pilots ongoing in their

divisions and provide feedback on the success and the effectiveness of the

pilots.

• Project Teams - The project teams will be responsible for the successful

piloting and implementation of the initiatives. They will support the Job

Process Reengineering Team; their members will come from all areas of

GAO, including the Job Process Reengineering Team, and thereby introduce

diverse views and build ownership.

Each team will be responsible for a particular subprocess such as Job

Acceptance and Staffing, Job Design, or Data Collection and Analysis,

which corresponds with the structure set up by the JMPO. Initially, the

teams will design, implement, and integrate pilots and projects based on

concepts developed by the JMPO and approved by the Quality Council.

Page 4 GAO/OIMC-95-8
Time Frames The Team’s objective is to ensure that all current initiatives have entered

the full-scale rollout phase by January 1996. To do this, each initiative will

be rolled out as soon as it has been successfully piloted.

Recently, the JMPO agreed to the title and the principle and minimum

essential requirements for the following initiatives: Job Acceptance and

Staffing, Job Design, and Product Development and Division Review. The

Confirmation Letter (Terms of Reference) and the Expedited Agency

Comments initiatives are approved and the pilots have begun. The Risk

Assessment/Job Acceptance and Staffing team has begun to develop the

concept details for the pilot.

The charts below lay out the potential time frame for rollout of the

projects. As the data collection and analysis subprocess was not in the

original scope of the JMPO efforts, the full-scale rollout of any initiatives in

this area will not occur until mid-1996. (Time frames are not final for

Benchmarking, Staffing, and Product Output initiatives.)

Page 5 GAO/OIMC-95-8
Timetable for Rollout of Projects

Measurement (Goals) The teams must quantify the time that each project is expected to save.

The savings will be quantified in terms of both calendar days and staff

days saved through more efficient processes.

Performance measures provide direction and help focus efforts on

attainment of goals. In addition, they allow the organization to benchmark

its performance against that of other organizations.

Effective performance measures:

• are simple to understand and use,

• are few in number,

• are aligned with organizational strategies and focused on customer wants.

Page 6 GAO/OIMC-95-8
The performance measurement system will

• support continuous improvement,

• monitor the critical steps in the process,

• help anticipate and prevent problems,

• change as the organization’s strategy changes.

Once the initiatives have been rolled out, these measures/targets provide

the basis against which further improvements may be evaluated. The

diagram below illustrates the circle of continuous improvement.

Set Targets & 

Identify Best 

Practices

Roll Out 

Initiatives

Implement


Improvements

Measure Cost, 

Time & Quality

CONTINUOUS


ACT IMPROVEMENT DO

PLAN

CHECK

3. Roles,

Responsibilities, and

Approach

This section details the proposed roles and responsibilities of the key

players in the project. Where appropriate, the approach and the

methodology that could be adopted by the teams is also discussed. To lay

out an implementation plan and methodology that would fit all situations

is not possible. Much of the implementation plan will depend on what the

“end state” process design looks like. The plan then will identify the steps

Page 7 GAO/OIMC-95-8
necessary to bridge the gap and move from the “current state” to the

desired “end state.”

Executive Committee Made up of the organization’s most senior people, the committee will be

responsible for providing support to the Job Process Reengineering Team

and help it overcome organizational barriers. This committee will meet

biweekly, resolve any coordination matters, and make decisions necessary

to keep the project moving toward the goals.

The culture must change. Having an Executive Committee to which the

Job Process Reengineering Team reports sends a clear message GAO-wide

as to the magnitude and the importance of the reforms required. It will

lend credibility to the Team, foster participation by a wider cross section

of the organization, and enable the Team to cut through organizational

barriers. In addition, it will allow for the rapid resolution of any conflicts,

thereby enabling the initiatives to be implemented in the time frames

established.

The Executive Committee is composed of the Comptroller General, the

Special Assistant to the Comptroller General, and the ACG for Planning and

Reporting, the ACG for Quality Management, the ACG for Information

Management and Communications, the ACG for Policy, the ACG for

Operations, and the Deputy ACG for Human Resources.

Page 8 GAO/OIMC-95-8
Job Process Reengineering

Team

The Team has primary accountability for implementing the process

reforms identified by the JMPO and approved by the Quality Council. It is

ultimately responsible for meeting the objectives for reductions in cycle

time and staff-years. Central to this will be integrating the initiatives. The

Team will monitor and compare the pilots and the rollout with the targets.

It will also be responsible for allocating resources among the project

teams and the day-to-day coordination of those teams. The members of the

Team will also participate in the project teams.

Any changes in the job management process will have implications on the

training curriculum. Therefore, the Training Institute must be involved

throughout the project, both on the Job Process Reengineering Team and

on project teams, where appropriate. In addition, because the proposed

changes will have policy implications, it will be necessary to get

representatives from the Office of Policy involved early in the process and

at all levels.

While the project teams will be responsible for individual subprocesses or

initiatives, certain activities are not confined to project boundaries. The

Job Process Reengineering Team should create the appropriate

infrastructure necessary to support the project teams. This support may

include providing skilled facilitators, advice on appropriate

methodologies, providing automated tools, and assisting in planning and

documenting the various efforts. In addition, the Team will be responsible

for

• identifying the barriers to change and developing a change management

plan;

• developing and executing a communication plan;

• executing an activity analysis to determine how people currently spend

their time;

• developing the transition plan, including establishing performance

measures; and

• identifying and prioritizing further opportunities for process

reengineering.

Page 9 GAO/OIMC-95-8
Change Management Plan The objective in developing the change management plan is to anticipate,

avoid, and solve implementation problems that stem from peoples’ feelings

about change. To develop an effective change management plan, one must

first clearly identify the sources of resistance. To do this one may consider

the following questions:

• Why have previous initiatives failed?

• What will be the employees likely reactions?

• How do the performance measures/appraisal systems support/detract

from the initiatives?

• What barriers to change exist within the current culture?

Communications Plan A well-planned communication strategy is required to inform the rest of

the organization of the projects objectives.

An effective communication plan will accomplish the communication

goals of an organization by providing accurate, useful, and timely

information. Specifically, an effective communication plan will

• exploit existing communication channels in the organization;

• convey accurate and useful information to targeted receivers;

• present information in a timely fashion relative to certain events;

• provide feedback channels;

• replace the rumors which can hinder acceptance of change; and,

• foster commitment to the changes.

Activity Analysis An activity analysis is a tool designed to identify how people spend their

time. It will enable the project teams to determine whether the demands

being placed on staff are reasonable and therefore whether the workloads

expected as a result of any process reforms are acceptable. The analysis

process can be a powerful and effective way to understand key processes

and interfaces. It identifies key activities, attributes them to functions or

business processes, and identifies specific activity drivers.

The results of the activity analysis will also provide the basis for

quantifying the potential time savings.

Transition Plan The objective of the transition plan is to develop an “end state road map.”

It is a translation of the high-level concept, supplied by the JMPO, into the

operating requirements for the process. Michael Hammer (Reengineering

the Corporation) uses the Business System Diamond to describe the

changes necessary.

Page 10 GAO/OIMC-95-8
Business Process (or Subprocess)

The business process should be focused on meeting or exceeding the

expectations of the customer. To do this, the team should first identify and

describe the customer. After doing this, the team should address the

following questions when planning the integration of the initiatives:

• What are the major subprocesses and tasks?

• Where is the work done?

• What are the process triggers and outcomes?

• How does this business process link to other processes?

• What are the primary customer impacts?

In answering these questions, the Team can plan for the implementation.

Jobs and structure 

Once the redesigned business process has been established, the Team

should then examine how the work will be done. Any changes to the

process will affect the nature of the staff’s jobs and potentially, how staff

are grouped. The following questions should be addressed:

• What new jobs are created?

• What current positions are affected?

• What are our preliminary training requirements and capabilities?

• What are the fundamental structural implications?

• Will we have individual or team oriented work?

• How will we reward people?

Page 11 GAO/OIMC-95-8
Management and Measurement Systems (Stakeholder Impact)

Changes to the business process will have implications for jobs and

structures, which in turn, may affect the management systems. Integrated

processes typically give rise to multidimensional jobs. This could require

that staff be organized more in teams, which could affect recruitment,

evaluation, and compensation. Listed below are some of the management

systems that may be affected.

• recruitment,

• communication,

• compensation and benefits,

• education and training, and

• career development.

Values and Beliefs

The management systems (how people are recruited, evaluated, and

rewarded) will shape employees values and beliefs. These are the issues

and concerns that GAO staff think are important and to which they pay

significant attention.

To bring about process changes, individual behaviors must change.

Therefore, both current and desired values and beliefs must be identified.

In particular, it is important to surface staffs’ values and beliefs regarding

the customer because new processes need to be focused on that customer.

In understanding these issues, the Team can identify the steps required to

move people from the current to the desired value system.

Process Reengineering Some of the initiatives to date, such as the Team Ag efforts and the

proposed risk assessment, can be considered as reengineering. To the

extent that the Team identifies further opportunities for reengineering, a

more substantial methodology may be applied.

Process Champions For any change initiatives to be successfully implemented in the divisions,

they will require the full backing of the division ACGs. Therefore, each

initiative must be championed by an ACG. It is likely that initiatives in each

key area (such as job design) will be grouped together and championed by

one ACG. This does not negate the role of the P&R Directors or others, who

will still be heavily involved in integrating all the change initiatives.

Page 12 GAO/OIMC-95-8
The champions will be involved in the design, the pilot, and the

implementation of initiatives in their selected areas. They will also act as

advocates, communicating the benefits of the reforms to others. They will

be supported in this by their P&R Directors. The Process Champions, it is

also hoped, will communicate informally with one another.

Process Owners The P&R Directors as the JMPO will continue to play an active role in the

project. They will be advised on the development of the initiatives as they

are taken from concept to pilot and ultimately onto rollout. In addition,

they will support the ACGs in championing the initiatives. They will also

follow up on the pilots running in their divisions and provide feedback on

the success and the effectiveness of the various efforts.

The Process Owners will help assure that the process reengineering

results can be implemented with a high level of confidence. They can act

as the teams’ critics, spokespersons, monitors, and liaisons. In a

process-oriented organization, process, not function or geography, forms

the basis of organizational structure. Every process continues to need an

owner to attend to its performance, especially once the process

reengineering is complete.

Project Teams The project teams will be responsible for successful piloting and

implementation of the initiatives. They will support the core Team; their

members will come from all areas of GAO, including the Job Process

Reengineering Team, and thereby introduce diverse views and build

ownership.

Each team will be responsible for a particular subprocess, such as Job

Acceptance and Staffing, Job Design, or Data Collection and Analysis. The

teams initially will focus on taking the concepts developed by the JMPO and

approved by the Quality Council and then designing, implementing, and

integrating the pilots and projects. Teams will vary in size (3 - 10 members)

and membership depending on the complexity of the change being

identified. They will consist of both full-time and part-time members.

Part-time members may include representatives from the Training

Institute; issue areas involved in similar ongoing pilots; and specialty staff,

such as congressional relations staff.

Page 13 GAO/OIMC-95-8
For those initiatives already identified by the P&R Directors, the following

steps should be completed:

1. Form project team

• Make sure everyone has the same objectives

• Include “insiders” and “outsiders”

2. Understand work to date

• Review “one-pagers” from JMPO

• Review work relating to initiatives

• Obtain briefings from key parties

3. Define attributes of the proposed initiatives

• Objectives

• Scope: defined boundaries (inside and outside)

• Process triggers

• Process outcomes

• Process flow: graphic representation of scope from beginning to end

• Process structure: graphic picture of scope relating processes to

subprocesses

• Process rules: governing statements

• Process performance targets: desired measurable outcomes

4. Design the pilot

• Develop detailed design

• Test and validate design with key stakeholder groups

5. Pilot the process

• Operate the design in a pilot area

• Measure results and refine the pilot

• Plan for rollout

• Rollout the new process design

Page 14 GAO/OIMC-95-8
The project teams should also develop detailed work plans. This is best

done by first setting goals and target completion dates and then

determining how to meet the goals by those dates. Teams should pay

particular regard to critical program requirements, such as information

technology and human resources as well as change management. It should

be noted, however, that whatever is in the plan will change!

Page 15 GAO/OIMC-95-8
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