MassDEP’s Agency Process Optimization (APO)

1. MassDEP’s Agency Process Optimization (APO) Summit on Lean and Process Improvement for Environmental Agencies in the Northeast May 28, 2014 Douglas Fine, Assistant Commissioner for Planning & Evaluation Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

2. Enterprise-Wide IT Redesign:Energy & Environmental Information & Pubic Access System (EIPAS) • Integrated online Secretariat-wide IT system • Automate standardized business processes • Share data transparently • Use state-of-the-art information technology • Improved tools for businesses, the public, and EEA agencies • Cost: $40 million over 5 years • Pre-Design work began in 2011 • Begin design work in July 2014 • EIPAS functions begin rolling out 2015

3. What EIPAS will do Tools for Businesses/Regulated Entities: • 24/7 access to permit & reporting status • One on-line place for reporting, compliance payments, etc. • Step-by-step permit application guidance (incl. sample permits; completeness checks,..) Tools for General Public/Advocates: • Map-based “point & click” access to regulated activities • Easy dive into deeper content (incl. permits held, spill notifications, compliance status/history,..) Tools for MassDEP: • Computerized administrative completeness & compliance screening • Automated (or IT-assisted) agency responses • Improved management tools

4. EIPAS OverviewSample Regulated Entity Portal

5. EIPAS Overview Sample “My Neighborhood” View

6. EIPAS Overview Sample Online Permit Screen

7. Pre-Design Work for EIPAS In order to maximize the value of the IT redesign, MassDEP is: • Optimizing and aligning agency work practices (called Agency Process Optimization) • Establishing common data standards across all programs and locations

8. What is Agency Process Optimization (APO)? • Before IT design begins, engage with staff who “do the work” to: • Align practices across programs & offices • Make simple improvements in work flows • Document agency processes/work flows • APO helps: • Provide clear consistent documentation to designers • Reduce the number of workflows for EIPAS • Avoid “coding” current inefficiencies

9. Core Elements of APO (“Lean Lite”) • Inventory processes(agency-wide) • Prioritize processes for APO • Identify optimizations (for a handful of processes) • mapping current workflows • identifying ways to standardize and improve • mapping future workflows • Implement optimizations(for these processes) • codifying future-state workflows • creating SOPs, template docs, etc. • Expand optimizations (across all programs, for each process)

10. APO Work to Date • Processes Inventoried (Winter 2013) • Selected three for first APOs (Winter 2013): • Permitting, Complaint Management, Reporting • Identified Optimizations (Winter 2013): • Permitting: 3 Air Permits; 2 Groundwater Permits • Complaint Management: Air, Wetlands, Strike Force • Reporting: Environmental Results Program [Done via intensive “workshops” – 2 to 4 days]

11. APO Work to Date (cont’d) • Implemented these Optimizations (Summer/Fall 2013) [Done via periodic team meetings w/assignments] • Expanding Permitting Optimizations to all permits(Winter/Spring 2014) (aka Assimilation) [Done via consultation sessions w/individuals or small groups]

12. Workshops to Identify Optimizations The Winter 2013 workshops followed 4 key steps to identify pre-design process changes and map a standardized “future state” process. Standardization Steps Identify Opportunities and Solutions Develop High Level Action Plan Map Current State Map Future State Current State Map Future State Map

13. APO for GW & AQ Permits: Implementation Project Deliverables 1.0 Standard Procedures: • Staff checklists for internal documentation of permit review • Guidance to support internal document sharing • Internal SOPs for administrative tasks & PIMS entry 2.0 Supporting Documents & Templates: • Applicant checklists for complete submittals • Document templates (Admin Review Completed, Confirming Withdrawal of Application) 3.0 New Tools & Capabilities: • Decision trees for applicants • Templates/forms for GW applicants to self-certify ownership & control and financial/operational responsibility 4.0 Staff Training on Permit Writing: • Determine need for, and contents of staff training (must first clarify the “problem to be solved”) • Develop or provide the training

14. APO “Assimilation” for Permitting(Primary APO work that has been underway Dec ‘12-now) Conduct “consultation sessions” to: • Identify key variations from a baseline workflow • Put permits into “families” • Generate permit workflow diagrams for each family • Collect standard documents & templates in use • Identify new std docs / SOPs that would be helpful • Record process improvement recommendations See sample workflow charts (on wall)

16. Continuing APO Work in 2014 • Finish Assimilation for all Permits • Additional Implementation Work (pre-EIPAS Website Changes) for Complaints Management • APO for Revenue Collection & Management • APO for Routine Reporting • Additional APO (TBD)

17. APO Level of Effort

18. Lessons Learned • Std documentation of workflows & std templates are very helpful • Some pre-design testing is valuable • Lean “Lite” isn’t enough time • Make “identification” and “implementation” the same step • More frequent sr. sponsor engagement w/teams (daily?) • Need good facilitators • Line staff need coaching to develop program-wide implementation guidance

19. APO Tools to Share • Event “playbook” (for Identifying Optimizations) • Event facilitator resources • Sample materials • Charters & scopes • Meeting invitations • Event agendas • Implementation memos, etc.

20. Change Management

21. EIPAS Fears Raised by Staff The following perceptions were raised by staff in Fall 2013: • EIPAS will limit staff flexibility thus limiting our value-added • EIPAS will replace people/result in layoffs • EIPAS is too big & ambitious to get done • EIPAS will only be a glorified fee collection system • EIPAS will fade away with the next governor

22. Communications Objectives • Establish a clear vision • Top down communication to highlight priorities • Bottom up engagement with staff to help plan for a system based on client needs and to build “ownership” of the system

23. Communications Mechanisms Routinely share EIPAS & APO information and engage personnel via: • Weekly updates at Commissioner’s Senior Staff meetings • Monthly decisions/acceptance sessions at Senior Leadership meetings • Monthly updates at Bureau & Regional 1st line supervisors meetings • Periodic All-Staff “Road Shows” (began 2014) • Periodic Commissioner’s All-Staff emails • Bi-Weekly Sponsor Meetings

24. Factors in APO and Change Management Success (thus far) • Significant time/effort for APO & Data Standards • Persistent staff engagement & communications • Strong commitment from senior agency heads • Committed Project Management Teams and Sponsor Group • Dedicated project support/coordination

25. Thank you!Douglas FineAssistant Commissioner for Planning & EvaluationMassachusetts Department of Environmental Protection1Winter StreetBoston, MA 02108617-292-5792douglas.fine@state.ma.us