Consensus is critical to civic innovation
Extended cycles of meetings can slow civic innovation
Local governments and community organizations face a common challenge in all areas of process innovation, development and improvement, including:
- enhancing services,
- managing costs,
- increasing community & economic development and
- implementing new technology.
That common challenge is the extended cycles of meetings required to create strong detailed consensus among multiple stakeholder groups, including community members, business and staff.
ActionMap provides software, training and delivery
for high-engagement workshops that:
– rapidly solve problems and create strong detailed consensus for action
– in complex civic initiatives
– involving multiple stakeholder interest groups.
We have delivered over one hundred workshops including with:
Testimonials for ActionMap services can be found at this link.
Sample Engagements for ActionMap services can be found at this link.
The general story of a local government / community group situation that we address
“We are responsible for a complex change situation involving multiple groups.
- We are determined to work together to create a great result for our community and stakeholders.
- We believe we have the knowledge and skills to start this on the right path and see it through to completion.
- However, we are slowed by differences in knowledge, interests and priorities.
“We need to quickly reach a strong detailed consensus
around a clear solution.”
We need a
Map to Action
ActionMap Software and Training
In addtion to workshops, ActionMap provides software and training so that organizations can conduct workshops for themselves, using the ActionMap method.
ActionMap addresses the limited access that
local governments may have to process methods
Local Government Case Studies
Please note that these meetings were conducted using flip charts
By automating information capture, organization and formatting the software greatly reduces meeting time
Case Study – Streamlining the Planning Approval Process
A North Bay city had adopted policies to encourage rapid development. The cycle time for planning approvals through the Planning and Development department had increased significantly. This led to complaints from property owners and developers and negatively impacted the Public Works, Transportation, and Police and Fire departments.
We conducted a one-day workshop of process mapping, evaluation and action planning for Planning and Development Department functions.
The outcome was strong shared understanding among the departments of both the mechanics of the planning approval process and each other’s interests with respect to the process, along identification of and commitment to key actions to accelerate the process.
Case Study – Public Agency Back Office Coordination
Two departments in a local public agency exchanged information in several areas that required high quality and timely operation. Information errors were regularly passed between the departments. Work was frequently rushed or repeated in order to meet deadlines. The departments’ managers were competing for scarce additional headcount and disagreed about the organizational position of staff members. The result was significant overwork and job stress among agency staff.
We conducted a one day workshop that produced detailed shared understanding of the need for coordination and specific action plans for how to achieve it, along with agreement on how to share a key staff member’s work across departments.
The outcome was fewer errors, less overwork and reduced stress for the staff, and improved coordination among the departments’ managers.
Case Study – City Budget Shortfall
A Bay-side city was faced with a $4.4M budget shortfall. The City enlisted a 51-member Citizen’s Task Force on Finances to work on the problem. We were engaged to help organize the effort.
In a 12-week program, we trained Task Force members to use the ActionMap method and apply it to seven different City departments and functions. The Task Force produced hundreds of suggestions for improvement, which were prioritized, brainstormed and turned into an action plan.
The outcome was that the Task Force’s final report was accepted by the City Council, successfully closing the budget gap.
Areas where ActionMap services can be applied:
– General operational and improvement reviews
– New, expanded and improved customer services
– Supporting major decisions
– Team building and staff engagement
– Project design, launch and problem solving
– Organizational transitions
Jim Johnson, ActionMap co-founder and principal consultant, brings over 30 years of experience to accelerating process change in business and technology, along with hundreds of experiences in leading high energy group meetings.
Click here to schedule a personalized demonstration on a subject of interest to you now
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