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New Systems Thinking
Featured Article
Tripp Babbitt
In This Issue
No Tool Zone Improvements
Spend Less on IT
Tools and Fools
Government - Keeping Score
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System Thinking in the Public Sector Freedom from Command & Control
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bryce Harrison offers Health Checks for Organizations and Call Centers.  Find out more.
 
 
 
Looking for a New Path for Your Organization?  Check out Systems Thinking Interventions, begin your new path with a 3-day workshop.
 
International service organizations have said working with the Vanguard Method has been the most important change in thinking they have experienced in their working lives.  Come join us! 
Dear Systems Thinker,

My first article for my column at Quality Digest comes out tomorrow under Command and Control Disasters.  Be sure to look for it tomorrow at the Quality Digest homepage.  Quality Digest is not just for toolheads anymore.
 
The Canada mention in my last newsletter was met with overwhelming response.  I didn't know you cared.  There are several Canadians engaged in helping to bring systems thinking to their city, government or group.
 
Interestingly, I have received multiple calls and emails this past moth on outsourcing and shared services.  Most are struggling with prickly issues. 
 
One gentleman said that once he started to look at failure demand that his center was running over 70% failure calls with his outsource vendor.  He couldn't believe the waste that he had outsourced for lower transaction costs.  Scary?  Absolutely, but now he knows.
 
Shared services . . . a different issue whether HR, contact centers, government or anything else many are not getting the gains they expected.  The problem is the assumptions about demand and work design (whether they needed a back office in the first place).  
 
Other Canadian readers emailed me about how W. Edwards Deming changed their lives and see the world through a different perspective.  Many have read Freedom from Command and Control and found John Seddon's writing as a fresh view for service.
 
Systems thinking has to begin with curiosity about a better way.  John McConnell called it "Safer Than a Known Way."
The No Tool Zone - Changes to Blog 
 
Based on feedback from readers we have lightened the background, darkened the text and made the font bigger.
 
You will also see that I have added John Seddon's video on Deliverology and links to columns I write for Quality Digest and IQPC.
 
In the future, you will see more webinars, video (including an introduction to systems thinking) and upcoming seminars.
 
Tell me what you think about the changes at [email protected].
 
Spend Less on IT
 
And who doesn't want to reduce their IT spend?
 
My friend David Joyce formerly from the BBC has discovered redesigning the work based on demand reduces IT spend . . . drastically.  Most IT companies are interested in you spending more on automating a poor design.
 
Read more about what David found in my post Since IT Can, Should It?
 
David has a video (in above post) that descibes how he used systems thinking.  His discovery  . . . less IT spend, better performance and happier customers.  And David is an Agile geek . . .  and semi-reformed toolhead.
From Tools (and Fools) to Thinking
 
 
I had a few articles appear at CustomerManagementIQ  this past month. 
 
The BP Oil catastrophe has many in the column writing and blogging community weighing in.
 
 
The plight of Call Center Cindy at the IRS is still one of my favorites and also makes me uncomfortable. 
 
 
My latest edition at CustomerManagementIQ was founded on the on-going argument on AHT (Average Handle Time).  I admit I threw in FCR (First Call Resolution) to stir things up a bit.
 
 
Strangely, a post that I thought little of got rave reviews and hits from readers at Quality Digest.  Organizations must find their inner "innovative juggernauts."
 
Read it at: The Droids We Build.
 
 
I continue to write about 5 posts/week.  For those of you interested in the latest posts go to (and don't forget to check out the changes):
 
 
To learn more about how systems thinking can improve your organization.  Contact me at [email protected] or call me at (317) 250 - 8885.
 
Government - Keeping Score
 
Indianapolis city government seems to be following the path of state government in Indiana (please read - City Government Modernization - The New Money Pit).  $16 million dollars is planning to be spent for a PeopleSoft implementation to track expenses.  In the mean time, city libraries are planning closure or other cost-cutting measures.  I have seen Indiana state government overspend for the same implementation.  Both Democrats and Republicans are excited about the prospects of tracking expenses . . . but in reality it is no more than keeping score.
 
Why is it so many governments enter these agreements and waste taxpayer money?  The result will be predictable, another money pit, $16 million spend will only be the start.  This thing will double or more to get implemented and still tell us nothing about the causes of costs.
 
The government management thinking seems to be that we can and should know to the nickel how much is being spent . . . and waste more money to know that the deficit grows.
 
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Meanwhile, the Indiana Welfare Eligibility Modernization project that led to a huge waste in resources and a canceled contract with IBM has been piloting a hybrid system.  My understanding is it is running better, but sources tell me that this is still with an employment increase of 30% or more with added vendor bodies on toop of that.
 
Add the lawsuits between the State and IBM and we have a real model for modernization of government.  Taxpayers will be footing that bill for years to come in the Hoosier state.
 
The design of the system is badly broken and needs an overhaul but from knowledge and not political dictates.
 
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If you are in government make sure you familiarize yourself with these posts:
 
 
 
The Vanguard Method takes this approach and is working exceptionally well with sustainable results throughout the world.
 
Read more about the Vanguard Method and Government at:
 
 
Curious to learn more?  Call me at (317) 250-8885 or email me at [email protected].
That's it for this newsletter.  Best wishes with improving your system.
 
Sincerely,
 

Tripp Babbitt
Bryce Harrison, Inc.
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Phone: (317) 849-8670 Email: [email protected]