City of Dallas Adopts Lean Six Sigma – Lean Six Sigma for Good

In 2015, the City of Dallas (COD) launched a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) program to help provide services to citizens more efficiently and effectively. The program was placed within the new Office of Innovation (OOI), to help provide the necessary ecosystem that allows ideas to germinate, take root and flourish. LSS works closely with the City Manager’s Office as a management consultant to City departments.

An internal research was conducted of policies enacted by city council, department goals and challenges, and employee interests in creating a better work environment. With that knowledge, the LSS strategic plan materialized by identifying opportunities for improvement, motivating and empowering government employees to create change in work processes.

The training scheme included the following courses:

Blue Belt (industry white belt equivalent): Basic introduction to Lean Six Sigma concepts and tools (4 hours of training)
Yellow Belt: Professional versed in the basics of Lean Six Sigma, identify and execute JDI (Just Do It) projects (8 hours of training)
Green Belt: Certified professional versed in Lean Six Sigma methodology, leads and complete process improvement projects (80 hours of training)
Black Belt: Certified professional well versed in Lean Six Sigma methodology; 120 hours of training; Leads and completes improvement projects; change agents
Project Management: Basic Project Management principles (PMP); 8 hours of training

Since the launch in Fall Quarter 2015, the City of Dallas trained 10% (about 1,300 employees) in continuous improvement, Lean Six Sigma, and Project Management.

To date, 60 projects have been completed and 40 are in progress. The primary focus of these projects is to provide service-level efficiency improvements to city operations.

Some project examples: