Project Summaries

Below are brief summaries of some the assignments we’ve delivered.  If you want further information about any project please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Testimonials and kind words from some of our Australian and international clients are available here.

If you’re happy to browse, go right ahead.  The projects are listed below, by client, in alphabetical order.

If you want to look at projects from a particular sector (government, manufacturing, health, education, utilities, manufacturing, services) then we suggest you begin at Australian Clients.  On that page our clients are grouped according to sector and you can then click through to read specific project summaries.

To look at projects of a particular type – evaluation, improvement, or transformation – we suggest you begin at What We Do. Case studies of each project type are provided at the end of the relevant page.

AGR Mathey

AGR Matthey’s activities comprise precious metal refining and the global distribution of product, largely gold bars, together with the manufacture, import and wholesaling of industrial products and jewellery items.  ACIG conducted a factory layout review.  We investigated three factory site options, as well as quality and capacity issues, then reported on our analysis and recommendations.

Angliss Hospital

ACIG conducted a patient flow improvement project.

Arnott’s Biscuits Ltd

ACIG successfully developed and implemented a continuous improvement strategy in the Huntingdale Plant.  This project included facilitated team development workshops with management and staff to deliver a process improvement review, strategy and implementation plan.

Asian Development Bank

ACIG has successfully undertaken a number of significant assignments for the ADB.  For full details see our list of International Clients.

AusAID

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is the Australian Government agency responsible for managing Australia’s overseas aid program. AusAID is an Executive Agency within the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio and reports to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The objective of the Australian aid program is to assist developing countries reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development, in line with Australia’s national interest.

ACIG’s evaluation specialist, Euan Lockie, evaluated the design of the Development Assistance Facility for Afghanistan 2012-2015.

Austrade

ACIG is a member of Austrade’s Capability Building Services Panel where we provide services including:

• Knowledge management;
• Evaluation and review;
• Performance improvement;
• Effective use of best practice frameworks;
• Continuous improvement implementations.

Being on a panel means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with Austrade.  Austrade can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   Austrade personnel should speak to their Learning and Development area for more information.

This particular panel arrangement can also be accessed by nearly every other Australian Government agency.

Australian Customs Service

ACIG has been selected as a member of the Consultancy and Business Services Panel.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with Customs.

Customs can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   Customs personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

Australian Government Land and Coast

ACIG conducted an interim evaluation of the Caring for our Country program.

The Australian Government is investing $2 billion to achieve a real and measurable difference to Australia’s environment. Caring for our Country funds projects across the country to achieve national targets – projects that improve biodiversity and sustainable farm practices.  This funding supports regional natural resource management groups, local, state and territory governments, Indigenous groups, industry bodies, land managers, farmers, Landcare groups and communities.

The Caring for our Country program and the interim evaluation was jointly funded by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.  The program is managed by the Australian Government Land and Coast Division, which bridges the two organisations.

Australian Retailers Association of Victoria

The Australian Retailers Association of Victoria (ARAV) commenced an  improvement program sponsored by the Packaged Liquor Industry Development Trust Fund aimed at improving the competitiveness of independent packaged liquor retailers in Victoria.

ACIG successfully delivered the project in two parts.  The first was an initial benchmarking study aimed at assisting the liquor stores identify specific opportunities for improvement by benchmarking against other stores within their category.   In the second part we reported on the outcome of the overall improvement program, demonstrating that the benchmarking program did achieve improvements in both liquor store operations and in outcomes for the store owners.

Banyule City Council

The twenty suburbs of Banyule City lie between seven and twenty kilometres north-east of central Melbourne.  ACIG’s review of Engineering Services activity and processes at Banyule City Council included facilitated workshops with management and staff, process mapping, data collection and analysis, and a fully accepted report with recommendations.

ACIG is also a member of Banyule City Council’s Management Consultancy Services Panel of Providers.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with Banyule.  Banyule personnel can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   Banyule personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

BASF Glasurit

Glasurit business partners supply the automotive industry with superior paint refinish technology.  ACIG delivered a change management and training program to develop the dealer network.  ACIG assisted Glasurit dealers improve their business performance through the sharing of ‘best practices’ among Glasurit dealers and insights into competitor performance.  We also provided sufficient information to gauge the overall strength and performance trends of the dealership network and establish a ‘Dealer Benchmarking Panel’ comprising between three and up to five dealer principals or their representatives.

Baw Baw Shire Council

Baw Baw Shire is located in Gippsland, in Eastern Victoria.  ACIG assisted Council to develop organisation wide key performance indicators.  This was successfully achieved through a number of workshops with the Corporate Management Team.

Bayside City Council

The City of Bayside is located in Melbourne’s southern suburbs.  Over the years ACIG has worked with the Bayside team on many occasions.

Our latest assignment has been to help them implement the Australian Business Excellence Framework.  Other projects we’ve delivered include:

• a review of the performance management framework and other business processes;
• an open space services review;
• a review of options for delivering golf facilities in-house;
• an executive workshop to determine key performance indicators; and
• a benchmarking and efficiency review.

Big Sky Credit Union

Big Sky Credit Union was engaged in a merger with BP Credit Union.  As part of the strategy to ensure the merger proceeded smoothly ACIG conducted focus group sessions with management and staff to uncover the issues, concerns, needs and anxieties that existed at all levels within Big Sky in relation to the merger process.  We then delivered our recommendations about implementing a practical and effective change management process.

Brimbank City Council

Brimbank is located in Melbourne’s western suburbs.  ACIG facilitated a process of self-evaluation against the Business Excellence Framework.   The evaluation formed the basis for launching an improvement program.  ACIG trained a core group of facilitators and advised Brimbank as they implemented a program of Continuous Improvement.

In a separate project we delivered a review of Brimbank’s Arts and Culture unit.

Calsonic

Calsonic Australia is a fully owned subsidiary of a Japanese multi national that is exclusively focussed on the global automotive market. Calsonic manufactures aluminium heat  exchangers such as radiators, condensers, heater cores and oil coolers.

ACIG delivered several workshops including ‘Implementing a Continuous Improvement Change Progra and another that developed the communication skills and awareness of its management staff.

Cardinia Shire Council

The Shire of Cardinia is located on the edge of metropolitan Melbourne approximately 55 kilometres east of the CBD.  ACIG delivered a continuous improvement workshop and provided ongoing continuous improvement implementation support.

City of Boroondara

The City of Boroondara covers many of Melbourne’s inner and middle-eastern suburbs.  Over the years ACIG has worked with the Boroondara team on many occasions.  Our latest assignment has been to help them implement a continuous improvement program.  Other projects we’ve delivered include:

• process improvement;
• an updated costing model;
• continuous improvement and benchmarking training;
• strategic and business planning;
• team leader workshops;
• building services business planning;
• building permit process mapping; and
• a waste management services review.

City of Darebin

ACIG delivered a leadership workshop to the management team.  In a separate project we provided Compulsory Competitive Tendering assistance.

City of Greater Bendigo

Bendigo is a thriving regional centre in central Victoria.  ACIG conducted a quality assurance review of the Livestock Exchange.

City of Greater Geelong

Geelong is Victoria’s largest regional city.  It has a population of some 234,000 people and is less than an hour from Melbourne.   Over the years ACIG has worked with the Geelong team on several occasions, including:

• a public broadcasters review;
• best value review training;
• planning process review; and
• performance management framework implementation.

City of Melbourne

Over the years ACIG has worked with the personnel at the City of Melbourne team on many occasions, including:

• a financial service best value review;
• an evaluation best value review;
• a review of the Melbourne Certification Group, the business unit responsible for the building certification service;
• a review of the annual report preparation process;
• performance benchmarking and management reporting process review of the parking and traffic branch;
• an analysis of business process for the capture, registration and display of parking meter data;
• lcoal policy best value key performance indicators;
• stakeholder satisfaction survey;
• childcare services benchmarking and unit costing for Best Value;
• process analysis and improvement for the Customer Relationship Management system;
• analysis and improvement of inwards and outgoing correspondence handling functions;
• review of printing and copying services;
• review of permits and approvals processes;
• best value review of contract management;
• review of CEO reporting key performance indictators;
• review of tourism unit’s information storage and display;
• review of temporary standing authorities service; and
• activity based costing of the RSPCA’s animal shelter service.

City of Monash

The City of Monash is south east of the CBD in Melbourne’s fastest growing population corridor.  ACIG has successfully delivered a number of projects including: customer service training; immunisation service quality assurance; improved contract management procedures; a review of telephony requirements; and a business planning review.

City of Port Phillip

The City of Port Phillip is located on the northern shore of Port Phillip Bay, south of the Melbourne CBD.  ACIG has successfully delivered a number of projects including:  process mapping for the Planning and Building unit; and the development of tender speicifcations for fleet services.

City of Ryde

The City of Ryde lies in the central northern part of the Sydney metropolitan area, approximately 12kms from the centre of Sydney.  ACIG successfully completed a number of best value reviews for Human Resources, Parks and Urban Planning, and the Environmental Health and Building Service.

City of Stonnington

ACIG is a member of the City of Stonnington’s consultancy services panel for the Provision of Specialist Strategic, Social and Corporate Planning, Consulting, Advocacy and Temporary Staffing Services.

This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with Stonnington.  Stonnington personnel can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   Stonnington personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

City of Yarra

Yarra is an inner Melbourne municipality located 5km from the CBD.  ACIG delivered a number of workshops. One was an introduction to service excellence to help all staff at the City of Yarra provide consistent, empathic and superior service to the community and to each other.  Another was a management planning day.

Consumer Affairs Victoria

Consumer Affairs Victoria is a business unit of the Department of Justice and is Victoria’s consumer affairs regulator.  We were engaged as part of CAV’s substantial (and complex) organisational change program.  Through a series of workshops we mapped existing processes throughout the organisation – identifying the various issues and opportunities for improvement.  We then moved into the process redesign phase, first working closely with senior management to develop a shared strategic view of the preferred way forward.  ACIG consultants worked closely with CAV staff to flesh out the new and redesigned processes.  We also delivered a clear and practical implementation plan, or roadmap.

In subsequent projects, ACIG also:

• reviewed CAV’s consumer and tenancy advocacy services; and
• assisted CAV document its call centre quality plan.

Country Fire Authority (CFA)

CFA is one of the world’s largest volunteer-based emergency management organisations. The team comprises more than 59,000 volunteers, supported by over 400 career fire fighters and officers and more than 700 career support and administrative staff.

ACIG conducted a review of the assignment of CFA’s human resource allocation to determine the future needs, according to strategic priorities, of CFA Areas.  The study identified a number of areas for improvement which the CFA subsequently addressed. ACIG subsequently undertook reviews of internal processes, including a review of the Chairman’s Office workflow.

Criterion

Criterion manufactures a wide range of entertainment and office furniture.  ACIG assisted with developing a new factory layout of their production facilities.

ACIG has completed several projects for the Dairy Research and Development Corporation.

Dairy Research and Development Corporation

The Australian dairy industry comprises a number of organisations that represent different sectors of the industry. Collectively, these organisations provide a framework that enables the industry to be internationally competitive, innovative and sustainable.

ACIG has completed several projects for the Dairy Research and Development Corporation.  In one project we facilitated the Board of the DRDC in a strategy planning process.  The Board consisted of representatives from all stakeholder groups including farmers, researchers and government representatives.  On another occasion we facilitated a workshop between the DRDC and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.  The purpose of the workshop was to explore ways of collaboration and working together to increase the value of synergy that existed between the two organisations.

ACIG subsequently undertook a Project Management System review.  It was initially commissioned to assess the existing project management system, and to provide some recommendations for its improvement. The impending merger with the Australian Dairy Corporation changed teh project scope, allowing ACIG to assist DRDC to revise and strengthen internal management processes, including the management and administration roles of staff involved in project management.

Deloitte

Deloitte is a business consulting and advisory service.  ACIG delivered a number of continuous improvement workshops on behalf of Deloitte to manufacturing companies participating in a benchmarking program.

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

ACIG evaluated the Australian Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis (ACERA) for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The objectives of ACERA are to deliver practical, rigorous solutions and advice related to the assessment, management, perception and communication of biosecurity risk.   ACERA is delivered by the University of Melbourne under a four-year Funding Agreement  with DAFF.  ACERA was established in 2006 to research risk analysis methodologies and build on Australian expertise in risk analysis techniques.

ACIG evaluated the:

• effectiveness of ACERA in meeting its Funding Agreement objectives; and

• suitability of the current ACERA objectives for a future Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis.

Department of Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy (Australian Government)

ACIG is a member of DBCDE’s Governance Services Panel.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with DBCDE.  DBCDE can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   DBCDE personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

This particular panel arrangement can also be accessed by nearly every other Australian Government agency too.

ACIG is currently delivering the mid-term review of the Indigenous Communications Program.

ACIG also delivered the mid-term review of the Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme (SPSS).   The review assessed the effectiveness and efficiency of the administration of the scheme and provided insight into market trends and consumer demand which will likely affect the scheme in the near future. The review also provided insight into how the scheme is performing in terms of meeting its objectives.

In a separate project, DBCDE engaged ACIG to evaluate the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP).  The AMRAP is a community radio initiative that works with musicians and community broadcasters to increase radio airplay for contemporary Australian music through the community radio sector. AMRAP also produces and distributes radio content which promotes Australian music as well as developing an online resource for community broadcasters, musicians, industry bodies and audiences to learn about emerging artists.

Department of Business and Employment, NT

ACIG is a member of DBE’s Business Consulting Panel.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with the Northern Territory Government.  All NT Government personnel can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   NT Government personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

Department of Business and Innovation, Victoria

ACIG delivered an evidence based evaluation of Business Victoria Online (BVO).  BVO supports small business by providing a single source of online access to regulatory and management information and resources.  It provides coordinated services across the three levels of Government, making it easier for small businesses to deal with their regulatory requirements and access government information that is relevant to their needs.

In a separate project ACIG, in collaboration with Roy Morgan Research, delivered an evaluation of the Industry Capability Network (ICN) industry support program.  ICN Victoria assists its clients to maximise Victorian, Australian and New Zealand content in their procurement activities under the Government’s VIPP policy and matches local suppliers to government buyers acting on behalf of significant Victorian projects.

After ACIG developed and finalised the Program Logic Model and Evaluation Framework, more than 250 clients and suppliers were surveyed, and ACIG interviewed more than forty stakeholders interviewed in person.  The resultant evaluation report contained agreed recommendations for program improvement.

Department of Education, Victoria

ACIG conducted valuations of educational facilities against the Australian Business Excellence Framework.

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA – Australian Government)

ACIG has been selected to join FaHCSIA’s prestigious Social Policy Research and Evaluation Panel.

As one of the companies selected for this panel, ACIG will be providing services such as:

• design and/or review of evaluation plans and frameworks, including program logics and performance indicators;

• conducting evaluations;

• managing evaluation projects within time constraints, including contract management;

• providing expert advice on program and/or policy evaluation;

• reporting and/or presenting evaluation outcomes to departmental audiences; and

• publishing and presenting evaluation outcomes to a wide range of audiences.

This panel enables FaHCSIA (and most other Australian Government agencies) to seek a quotation from ACIG without having to go through an open tender process.  Talk to your corporate services or procurement area for more details.

Department of Health, Victoria

ACIG provided practical advice on ways in which the Department of Health’s Environment Health Unit could administer its regulatory responsibilities more efficiently and better protect and improve the health of Victorians.

Within the Victorian Department of Health, the Environmental Health Unit aims to improve and protect the health and safety of Victorians by reducing the exposure of Victorians to the following hazards:

• The harmful effects of radiation
• Legionella disease from bacteria in cooling towers in buildings and warm water systems
• Contaminated drinking water supply (and safe fluoridation)
• Unsafe use of pesticides used by pest control operators to control insects and pest animals
• Poor sanitation
• Exposure to other potentially hazardous substances and public nuisances

ACIG’s consultants analysed and evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of the Environmental Health Unit’s current regulatory compliance and enforcement activities.  We also reviewed recent best practice developments in regulatory compliance and enforcement activities.  We then advised on practical ways to improve the compliance of regulated entities and better protect the health of Victorians from the environmental health hazards and risks that are the responsibility of the Unit to manage.

Our work delivered an analysis of the effectiveness and efficiency of the Environmental Health Unit’s enforcement activities in obtaining high levels of compliance with environmental health legislation.  This included:

• A review of the Environmental Health Unit’s regulatory processes, policies, procedures and information management systems.

• An evaluation including, where possible, measurement of the recent performance of the Unit in achieving its regulatory objectives.

• Consultation with Unit staff, regulated entities and related regulatory functions.

• Examination of recent reviews of regulatory enforcement and compliance activities, such as the recent review of the Environment Protection Authority.

ACIG has a sound track record of working with regulatory bodies to review their effectiveness and efficiency.  Similar recent assignments include our work for:

• Department of Justice (Vic)
• Department of Primary Industries (Vic)
• Consumer Affairs Victoria

In a separate assignment, ACIG provided the Department of Health with a Code of Conduct and detailed policy guidelines for the Boards and staff of Class A Cemetery Trusts.  The ten largest Cemeteries Trusts in urban and regional Victoria have recently undergone a major process of review, restructure and legislative change.  The trusts are responsible for many millions of dollars in funds (to care for cemeteries in perpetuity) and together employ hundreds of people. We prepared a literature review of existing documents and policies, established benchmarks for best practice, interviewed key stakeholders from the Boards and staff of each of the Class A Cemetery Trusts and delivered an agreed set of guideline documents for immediate use.

Department of Health, Northern Territory

ACIG consultants worked with the NT Department of Health to review the effectiveness of organisational performance management systems and processes.

We were subsequently engaged to undertake an audit of the Department’s orientation and workplace induction activities.

Department of Human Services, Victoria

Over several years ACIG has delivered a number of substantial projects for DHS.

• We assisted with the launch of the process of developing a strategic HR plan to build some definition around the concept of a strategic HR plan and to develop commitment from key stakeholders for a strategic HR plan.

• In another engagement, DHS wanted to develop best business practices within each division and region and thereby move DHS as a whole towards service excellence.  The strategy was to initiate a sub-program of improvement activity within each division and region. ACIG was engaged by DHS to assist in the implementation of DHS’s Service Excellence Framework, an organisational evaluation framework based on the Australian Business Excellence Model.  ACIG assisted each division and region to undertake evaluation against the SEF framework and advised on coordination of the various sub-programs so that the overall program objectives were achieved.

• ACIG was subsequently engaged to carry out a review of workforce planning practices and processes, as part of the newly launched People Strategy.  As the process expert ACIG reviewed current practices by consulting widely with DHS staff, including HR staff in each region and division, plus managers and Executive and Regional directors.  ACIG analysed the current practices against a best practice model developed by the State Services Authority.  Recommendations for improvement were developed and, after extensive consultation, included in a fully accepted report for DHS.

• ACIG also carried out a “Situational Analysis” of the development of Activity Costing Systems in Victorian Public Hospitals.  All Victorian Public Hospitals which then had Clinical Management Information systems (a total of 21) were included in the study.  Site visits and interviews were conducted with decision support management and key staff at each hospital.  The analysis included a cost benefit analysis and identification of opportunities for improvement.

Department of Infrastructure, Victoria

The Department of Infrastructure became the Department of Transport in April 2008.  ACIG delivered a number of projects including a groundbreaking methodological study for determining the financial sustainability of local governments. Our  methodology assisted councillors, local government officers and their communities to better understand their local governments’ financial health and condition; identify existing and emerging financial issues; and develop strategies for future financial and business planning.

Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Australian Government)

ACIG consultants have been selected by the Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research to be Enterprise Learning mentors and facilitators.

Enterprise Connect is a $50 million a year program designed to help Australian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) further develop their skills, tools and knowledge to improve their competitiveness, productivity and growth potential.  Part of the program involves providing SMEs with access to a panel of facilitators and mentors to run Enterprise Learning and Mentoring. This pool of appropriately skilled people can be drawn upon to deliver such peer-to-peer, in group situations and one-on-one services throughout Australia.

Department of Justice, SA

ACIG is a member of DoJ’s Training Services Panel.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with DoJ.  DoJ can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   DoJ personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

Department of Justice, Victoria

ACIG worked with the Victorian Department of Justice to assess the extent to which the regulators within the Justice portfolio comply with the regulator practices contained within the Better Business Regulation (BBR) Best Practice Framework.  ACIG implemented a series of self-evaluation reviews in each of nine DoJ regulators, testing and modifying the self-evaluation process and the framework itself through continual assessment of the BBR process.

ACIG helped the regulators to evaluate their regulatory processes from end to end, starting with policy development, strategy selection, regulatory scheme design and implementation planning, through to full-scale operation of the regulatory scheme, and its review and improvement.  One of the most important outcomes was a strategic improvement action plan that each regulator was able to use to improve their regulatory performance and better manage their legislative obligations.

In September 2011 ACIG and DoJ were speakers at the Australasian Evaluation Society Annual Conference.  The paper, called Better Business Regulation: Evaluate the Way you Regulate is available in our online library here.

For the Department of Justice ACIG has also:

• developed KPIs for the IT Division;
• developed customer service level agreements, a training manual, and worked with the customer focus team to develop a customer service plan;
• provided business planning support;
• delivered an internal audit charter; and
• undertaken a review of service delivery models.

Department of the Premier and Cabinet, South Australia

ACIG reviewed and mapped the briefing process used to support the Premier’s appearances before the Estimates Committee.  We made practical recommendations to reduce the briefing preparation period (in stages) from the current three months down to four weeks and then two weeks.  The Department has approved the recommendations and will begin implementation in 2011.

Department of Primary Industries, Victoria

On the basis of the work ACIG did with the Department of Justice (see above) DPI engaged ACIG undertake Better Business Regulation reviews with their own regulators.  The reviews covered end to end processes of regulatory development, operation, review and coordination.

Using the Better Business Regulation (BBR) Best Practice Framework, ACIG implemented a series of self-evaluation reviews for DPI regulators.  ACIG helped the regulators to evaluate their regulatory processes from end to end, starting with policy development, strategy selection, regulatory scheme design and implementation planning, through to full-scale operation of the regulatory scheme, and its review and improvement.  One of the most important outcomes was a strategic improvement action plan that each regulator was able to use to improve their regulatory performance and better manage their legislative obligations.

The agencies involved were Fisheries Victoria, Earth Resources Regualtion Branch, Animal Health Field Services Branch of Farm Services Victoria, and Dairy Food Safety Victoria.

DPI subsequently engaged ACIG, in separate assignments, to conduct high level assessments of its internal evaluation capacity and its policy development processes.

Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government

ACIG was asked to undertake a review into the capacities and capabilities of the Norfolk Island Public Service.  Our review actively informed Australian Government funding and resourcing decisions in the face of the Norfolk Island Government’s insolvency crisis.

The report has been published online and can be accessed at:                 www.regional.gov.au/territories/norfolk_island/public_service_review.aspx

ACIG’s review recommended actions that the Norfolk Island Government and the Australian Government can take, if required, over the short, medium and long term to:

• More efficiently and effectively provide an appropriate and sustainable range of government services to the highest ethical standards;
• Improve the capacity and the skills of Norfolk Island Adminstration to deliver government services;
• Deliver government services to a similar standard as those provided by a local or state level government in mainland Australia;
• Improve resilience, change management and innovation across the public sector; and
• Improve performance and accountability mechanisms.

Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria

DSE engaged ACIG to evaluate the current state of knowledge management practices, systems and culture at DSE, and to articulate a ‘theory of action’ that describes a pragmatic way forward for achieving DSE’s knowledge management aims.

ACIG has also been selected as a member of the DSE Evaluator Panel.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with DSE.  DSE can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   DSE personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

Department of Veterans Affairs (Australian Government)

DVA engaged ACIG to provide a methodological framework and guidelines that would help them achieve service efficiencies.  ACIG worked closely with stakeholders to develop a framework containing appropriate qualitative and quantitative performance measures (including financial measures).  We then facilitated a benchmarking exercise to establish best practice, identify cost drivers and measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the service.

The Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service (MCRS) within the Department of Veterans Affairs is responsible for administering claims for compensation and rehabilitation for members and former members of the Australian Defence Force.  ACIG assisted the MCRS to undertake an organisational capacity review as the first phase of its continuous improvement program.  The review involved developing a team of internal evaluators who then applied the methodology to offices around Australia.

East Gippsland Shire Council

East Gippsland Shire Council is in far eastern Victoria.  Over several years ACIG assisted council with the implementation and integration of a Quality Assurance system.

Eastern Health Services

ACIG trained and develop internal process improvement teams.  The specific facilities involved were the Peter James Centre, Box Hill, Angliss and Maroondah Hospitals.  The training has focused on introducing the concepts of Lean Thinking and process review.  ACIG has trained over ten teams, whose members have gone on to review and improve key processes including the comprehensive model of care and patient transfer projects.  The dramatic improvements resulting from Peter James Centre program were presented at the 2008 Healthcare Without Walls conference.  A copy of the article is available here.

Easytow Trailers

Easytow manufactures 2000 boat trailers per year and specialise in ski boat and larger cruiser trailers.  ACIG helped them to establish a culture of continuous improvement.

ElectraNet

For ElectraNet, the South Australian electricity distributor, ACIG carried out a comprehensive review of the organisational capability and capacity to determine ElectraNet’s capability of meeting its government performance objectives.  This review involved understanding the business rules and organisational context, including legislative requirements and governing policies, assessing the organisational processes and resourcing levels, to determine whether it could meet its agreed objectives.

ETSA (formerly the Electricity Trust of SA)

ACIG helped ETSA design and implement a Lean Improvement program.  ACIG contributed significantly to the design of the various program elements including the supporting structure and the type and quantity of training required.  ACIG then trained a cadre of improvement facilitators whose role is to work with improvement teams and lead them through an improvement process.  ACIG helped ETSA develop its own Lean toolbox and a problem solving methodology based on our DIAGNOSE method.  ACIG also carried out leadership workshops for ETSA’s management group and continues to advise management on the program and to conduct further leadership and facilitator workshops.

Elsternwick Private Hospital

ACIG project managed a review of all of Elsternwick Hospital’s business processes in order to prepare it for an ACHS Accreditation Survey.  The project had a specific deadline for the audit which was set by the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards.

ACIG used a five step approach for the review which was consistent with the basic quality improvement cycle of “Plan – Do – Check – Act” and the care cycle noted in ACHS documentation of “Assess – Plan – Deliver – Evaluate”.  The review involved all staff in a carefully managed process.  The result was achievement of accreditation however the process achieved additional results such as improvement of processes and the start of a positive ‘go forward’ attitude in staff.

Fallshaw Wheels & Casters

Fallshaw wheels and casters are manufactured in Australia and sold world-wide through branch offices and distributors.  ACIG was engaged to provide quality system accreditation.  assisted Fallshaw to align the current management, operational and support processes with the requirements of the ISO9001 standard.   We assisted them to implement improvement action where non-compliance was identified, and ensured that all activities including management commitment and customer focus were able to withstand the audit process.

Frankston City Council

Frankston City is situated on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay approximately 40 kilometres south of Melbourne. ACIG developed and implemented a corporate wide Balanced Scorecard.  The approach has now been in place for more than five years and continues to provide critical benefits to Council.

More recently, ACIG is helping Frankston to implement the Business Excellence Framework.

Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd

Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd is Australia’s largest carpet manufacturing company. Its main manufacturing facility is located in Geelong, Victoria where it employs a labour force of around 1,500 people. As well as carpet manufacturing, its other core business activities include clothing, footwear and leather manufacturing.

This substantial manufacturing company needed a methodological framework to help them improve performance and increase productivity.  ACIG provided the framework and went on to successfully implemented a complete change management program.

After assessing the culture of the  organisation, we worked with the company to define a change management strategy suited to the culture.  We defined and helped them set up the governance arrangements to manage the programme.  We also developed a problem solving methodology with supporting tools and techniques and trained facilitators and team leaders in the methodology and use of the tools.  We then coached team leaders and facilitators in the use of the tools and techniques as they addressed their improvement projects.  We further developed a group of change management trainers so that they could then train others, thus helping to make the program self sustaining.

Other engagements ACIG successfully completed for Godfrey Hirst include:

• customer service training
• strategic operations plan;
• reviewed factory layout; and
• sssisted the company to implement 5S and facilitate quick changeovers as part of a continuous improvement program.

Gribbles Pathology

For this leading pathology services provider, ACIG carried out a business analysis, using cost benefit analysis, of acquiring a competitor and integrating the acquisition into Gribbles services portfolio.  An integral part of the business analysis was to develop a model of the current business and options.  The model included parameters such as market position, market size, growth estimates, competitiveness, service profiles, customer profiles, risks, capabilities, returns to shareholders and liquidity position.  The analysis enabled Gribbles to assess its options and make an informed business decision.

Gympie Regional Council

We delivered workshops and mentoring focussing on Continuous Improvement and facilitator training.

Hobsons Bay City Council

Hobsons Bay City Council is  at the northern end of Port Phillip Bay, between seven and 20 kilometres to the southwest of central Melbourne.  Over several years ACIG has successfuly completed the following assignments:

• implemented a quality system and trained quality facilitators;
• improved customer service;
• continuous improvement facilitation;
• strategic planning;
• benchmarking local laws; and
• best value review.

Jeld-WEN Windows and Doors

Jeld-WEN is an international company with over 150 divisions and more than 20,000 people worldwide.  In Australia, Jeld-WEN includes Stegbar, Airlite Windows & Doors, Regency Showerscreens and Wardrobes, Corinthian Doors and William Russell Doors.

ACIG delivered a Certificate IV in Competitive Manufacturing to Stegbar Windows and Doors in Victoria.  The Certificate in Competitive Manufacturing is a nationally accredited qualification in Lean Thinking for the manufacturing sector.  The certificate course takes around 14 months to complete.

Stegbar in Victoria achieved significant improvement in performance as a result of the training and ACIG is currently delivering both certificate III and IV to other members of the group, including Stegbar’s Queensland Plant , Airlite Windows and Doors in NSW and Stegbar’s Lansvale site also in NSW.

Kingston City Council

Kingston is located to the south of the Melbourne CBD, on the shores of Port Phillip Bay.  ACIG conducted a review of Building Management Services as well as a review of council business processes.

Kraft Foods Australia

Kraft Foods Australia is a subsidiary of Kraft Foods, the largest branded food and beverage company in the United States and the second largest worldwide.   Kraft were looking to improve the global efficiency of their jar filling line at Strathmerton and requested ACIG to develop and reduce the changeover time of the operation.  ACIG helped Kraft Australia achieve quick changeover at its Strathmerton and Melbourne plants.

Krueger

Krueger manufacture a range of trailers for both sale and hire to the transport industry throughout Australia.  ACIG completed a number of assignments for Krueger including:

• Assessment of factory.  ACIG assisted with initial Investigation into Krueger’s Manufacturing Cycle;
• Fast track orders. ACIG assisted with the development of a framework for fast track orders and standard trailers;
• Electronic order processing.  Assisted with the issues of  the Sales Order Process, and developed and implemented a new action plan;
• Factory improvements;
• Sales order administration; and
• Price book modifications.

Latrobe City Council

La Trobe is located two hours east of Melbourne.  ACIG’s most recent review was of Latrobe city’s Child and family Services Department, where structural implications of profound strategic changes within three major services were of prime interest.

In the past ACIG has also developed guidelines for business planning facilitators and undertaken substantial process mapping exercises.

Latrobe University

ACIG worked with Latrobe University to evaluate the university’s existing quality management frameworks and systems, with a view to implementing an overarching program of improvement.  In addition to extensive analysis of existing documents, policies and procedures, we conducted some twenty-five interviews with key stakeholders.  ACIG presented our recommendations to the Vice Chancellor.

LGPro

LGPro is the peak industry association for local government professionals in Victoria.  ACIG assisted LGPro to conduct benchmarking with thirty-one Victorian councils across eight services to identify improvements and to meet their obligations under the Best Value requirements.

ACIG helped participants to develop service analyses, map processes, define practical performance indicators, benchmark performance, identify best practices and develop specific improvement action plans to help councils meet their Best Value obligations.

Loddon Shire Council

ACIG consultants provided Compulsory Competitive Tendering service costing assistance.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council

ACIG consultants provided benchmarking training.

Manningham City Council

Manningham is located 12km to the northeast of Melbourne.  ACIG elivered training to Manningham Council’s Management Team on developing KPIs, and performance measurement.

Maroondah Hospital

The Maroondah Hospital Outpatients Department identified a number of concerns that affect outcomes for patients and impact on the workload and professional satisfaction of staff.  ACIG’s improvement project based on lean techniques resulted in streamlining of cumbersome administrative processes, releasing about 350 nurse hours per year.

Maribyrnong City Council

The City of Maribyrnong is ten minutes to the west of Melbourne’s CBD.  ACIG has successfully delivered a number of projects including: a best value review; service costing; and performance management system workshops.  ACIG also delivered a continuous improvement framework.

ACIG is also a member of Maribyrnong City Council’s Professional Consultancy Services Panel.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with Maribyrnong.  Maribyrnong personnel can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   Maribyrnong personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

MAS National

MAS National is an Australian Apprenticeship Centre.  It works to link employers and apprentices, providing assistance and advice.  ACIG carried out a comprehensive review of the Administration of Australian Apprenticeships Support Services processes.  Using a very consultative approach, ACIG consultants interviewed process owners and process experts and mapped the complete set of processes, identified strengths and weaknesses of current procedures and systems; resourcing requirements and key performance indicators necessary to meet or exceed contractual obligations in quality and efficiency as well as meeting with government and commercial obligations.

Melbourne Water

Melbourne Water is owned by the Victorian Government.  It looks after Melbourne’s water supply catchments; treats and supplies drinking water; removes and treats most of Melbourne’s sewage; provides recycled water for non-drinking purposes; and manages rivers and creeks and major drainage systems throughout the Port Phillip and Westernport region.

Seeking to improve its innovation capability, Melbourne Water has engaged ACIG to:

• Review the design of the current innovation program and its implementation against best practices.

• Identify what the utility company’s innovation needs are to support its strategic goals.

• Quantify the gap between current and future states.

• Develop a plan to bridge the gap (an Innovation Capability Improvement Plan).

In a separate but related projects, ACIG provided consulting services in the design of an enterprise-wide quality management system.   ACIG also delivered an assessment of information risks.

Moorabool Shire Council

ACIG provided a review of Moorabool’s financial planning activities.

Moreland City Council

ACIG consultants provided support for the implementation of formal business planning using a logical framework approach.  In a separate project, we also provided Best Value support.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

ACIG consultants provided a benchmarking review for the delivery of internal services.  In a separate project, we also assisted Mornington Peninsula with developing formal business planning activities and with Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

National Health and Medical Research Council

ACIG has begun working with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to conduct an independent review of the health, industry and economic outcomes of the Development Grants Funding Scheme.

A Development Grant provides funding support to individual researchers, research teams or a HMR company in partnership with one or more researchers to undertake research at the early proof-of-principle stage.  The grants support the development of a product, process, procedure or service that if applied would result in improved health care, disease prevention or provide health cost savings.  The scheme focusses on health and medical research that has the potential to be commercialised.

In particular our focus will be on the outcomes and benefits accruing to the Australian Government, industry and the wider Australian community.

Nillumbik Shire Council

ACIG consultants delivered a service review of the environmental building services unit.

NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative

The New South Wales Sugar Milling Co-operative operates three sugar refineries in Northern NSW.  ACIG implemented a continuous improvement process at all three mills.  In collaboration with the staff, we developed an improvement approach that best suits the sort of improvement opportunities that NSW Sugar has available.  Our approach included elements of Lean Thinking with some Six Sigma, as well as classical improvement tools such as Problem Solving, Cause & Effect, Five Ys and Pareto Charts.  We also delivered relevant training and ‘train-the-trainer’ facilitation and support in continuous improvement tools and methods.

Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner, Victoria

ACIG helped the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner to develop an evaluation framework and plan for their project Climate Change and the Emergency Management Sector: Building Research Capacity.

Office of the Health & Community Services Complaints Commissioner, SA

ACIG ran a Lean Thinking seminar tailored to the requirements of the OHCSCC

Office of Local Government

The Office of Local Government was an agency with the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development.  ACIG facilitated a working party of LGPro, the Best Value Commission and Department for Victorian Communities to produce a guide for Victorian local government to achieving a whole of organisation approach to best value.  The guide is a valuable reference for councils in taking a more integrated approach to Best Value.

ACIG subsequently conducted the national benchmarking study of local government and developed a handbook on benchmarking practice, Benchmarking for Local Government – A Practical Guide, for use by Councils throughout Australia.  The study was commissioned by the Office of Local Government on behalf of the Local Government Ministers’ Conference.

Parramatta City Council

Examining opportunities for business improvements within Council’s City Operations Unit.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Shire Council

Port Macquarie-Hastings Shire Council is located 420 kilometres north of Sydney and 510 kilometres south of Brisbane.  The council needed a consistent set of organisational performance and service delivery measures, aligned with their strategic plan.

ACIG worked with every unit in the council, including the General Manager’s office, to help them identify outcome measures that were aligned with the council’s strategic direction.  Indicators were developed at the corporate, functional and individual levels.  We undertook extensive consultation and each work unit had an implementation team that we worked closely with. ACIG successfully established Port Macquarie-Hasting’s performance management system.

Queensland Competition Authority

ACIG is a member of QCA’s Panel of Providers to Review Local Government Infrastructure Charges.  This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with QCA.  QCA can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   QCA personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages – Victoria.

ACIG conducted, over several years, a series of international benchmarking projects.

Randwick City Council

ACIG has been selected as a member of Management Consulting Services Panel.   This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with Randwick.  Randwick can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   Randwick personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

RSPCA – Vic (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

In a joint project for the RSPCA and the City of Melbourne, we developed pricing and costing models using Activity Based Costing.  The modles enabled teh RSPCA to more accurately reflect the cost of providing their animal shelter service.  We trained the RSPCA management team to use the costing model for several sites throughout Victoria.  The City of Melbourne used the models to assess the cost of reinstating an in-house animal shelter service.

SA Health

ACIG consultants delivered a daay-long seminar to SA Health about how best to apply the principles of Lean Thinking to the health sector.

SA Police

ACIG delivered a Lean Thinking workshop tailored to the requirements of the police service.

Simplot Australia

Simplot Australia was founded in 1995 when the US-based J R Simplot Company acquired a number of Australian food brand businesses including Edgell, Chiko, Birds Eye, Harvest, Plumrose, and Leggo’s. ACIG’s assignments included: continuous improvement; HR assistance; and process mapping.

South Gippsland Shire Council

ACIG delivered process improvement and process documentation services.

State Library of Victoria

ACIG worked with the State Library of Victoria to develop and pilot a best practices framework against which public libraries evaluate themselves, to determine their level of compliance with the best practices and identify areas for improvement.

We helped SLV develop a comprehensive best practice framework based on Australian and international quality and business excellence frameworks, international library best practices and the SLV’s research project Libraries Building Communities.  We then implemented evaluations against the framework, called Being the Best We Can, in nine Victorian public libraries. The participating libraries were a mixture of metropolitan and country, single-municipality and regional corporation services.

Read an article in Local Government Manager magazine about the Being the Best We Can project here.

The Being the Best We Can project won the 2011 LGPro award for Innovation in Management.  You can read more about the award here.

Surf Coast Shire Council

We delivered workshops focussing on Business Excellence Framework implementation.

Sustainability Victoria

Our consultants reviewed processes and procudedures throughout the organisation, with a view to improving performance and productivity.  We consulted with some two dozen staff and senior managers and presented a set of fully accepted recommendations that were practical and sound.

Sydney Water

Sydney Water is Australia’s largest water utility and ACIG recently implemented a Continuous Improvement program there.  The program involved developing and testing a CI Framework, training managers, developing a core set of facilitators, and working with them as they facilitated improvement teams.  The CI program was focused on the Operations and Maintenance divisions.

ACIG was also engaged to prepare and deliver an enhanced reliability improvement electronic Toolkit.  We delivered training and ‘train-the-trainer’ support to help implementation of the tool by engineering, operations and maintenance personnel.

Tea Tree Gully City Council

We delivered workshops focussing on Continuous Improvement and facilitator training.

Territory and Municipal Services – ACT

ACIG carried out a benchmarking study to compare the value of existing stormwater reticulation system maintenance services against alternatives.

The major steps in the methodology included:

• Identifying three other local government jurisdictions around Australia with which to benchmark.  The jurisdictions had to be of a similar size, with similar climate and rainfall;

• An analysis of the processes used in carrying out the services in the Territory and other jurisdictions, including costs incurred in providing the services;

• Carrying out a cost benefit analysis of stormwater reticulation maintenance work with full costings to determine likely cost benefit of providing the services; and

• Cross-referencing cost benchmarks by commissioning a further third-party independent commercial costing.

ACIG arrived at an estimated benchmark value for the full provision of the services so that TAMS was in a sound position to make a decision on future contracts.

Toyota Australia and the Toyota Institute

Toyota has been the leader in Lean Thinking for decades, and ACIG was been engaged by both Toyota Australia and Toyota Institute to develop training materials and then deliver Lean Thinking training to Toyota’s supplier base.  The training materials included a Lean problem solving methodology, which was based on ACIG’s DIAGNOSE but modified so that it was more consistent with Toyota’s operating philosophy, which resulted in a five-step improvement process.  We also developed a toolbox of Lean tools to go with the problem solving process.  The courses we have delivered include:  5S for Suppliers;  Quick Changeover; Just in Time; and Problem Solving for Suppliers.

TruEnergy

TRUenergy supplies gas and electricity to 1.1 million homes in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.  For TruEnergy Victoria ACIG ran a series of Six Sigma awareness workshops to support the introduction of TruEnergy’s Six Sigma improvement program.   The workshops focused on improvement of core customer service processes.

VicRoads

VicRoads is Victoria’s highway department. VicRoads employ approximately 2700 staff to work in partnership with other government agencies, local government and the private sector to provide road, registration and licensing services throughout Victoria.

ACIG consultants delivered a maintenance productivity review.

Victoria Police

ACIG evaluated the capacity of the Victoria Police call centre service.  This assignment included benchmarking against similar emergency services.  In a separate project, we delivered a review of the mail room workflow.

Victoria University

For the Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action (of which Victoria University is a member) ACIG is conducting a consultative study regarding Bulk Buy Networks.  More information about the project is available here.

Wesley College Melbourne

Wesley College is a Uniting Church coeducational school.  ACIG developed a business model to facilitate good planning and encourage the pursuit of alternative strategies to minimise Wesley’s costs and maximise income, without compromising the quality of learning and student development.

Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action

ACIG conducted a consultative study into collaborative procurement and in particular how it may be used to achieve positive outcomes for the environment.

ACIG’s approach resulted in a practical business case for a new approach to collaborative procurement for alliance members to adopt.  This business case described the steps involved in implementing a self-sustaining and innovative approach to collaborative procurement while enhancing responsiveness to Community and Local Government needs.

The alliance consists of organisations from the western suburbs Melbourne and includes: Brimbank City Council; Hobsons Bay City Council; City of Maribyrnong; Melton Shire Council; Moonee Valley City Council; Moorabool Shire Council; Victoria University; and the Western Region Environment Centre.  The project was funded by the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Whitehorse City Council

The City of Whitehorse is located 15 kilometres east of Melbourne.  ACIG assisted Whitehorse City Council with the improvement of its customer service processes following the results of the annual community survey.

Williamstown Hospital

The Williamstown Hospital engaged ACIG as a process improvement expert when it undertook a review of business processes that involved medical, nursing, pare-medical and administrative staff.  The objective of the project was to improve the patient journey experience.  The hospital was consequently recognised by DHS for achievement with its effective discharge program and at a presentation to the national AAQHC conference.

Wollongong City Council

ACIG has been selected as a member of the Council Service Reviews Panel.   This means that ACIG has already been through a selection process and has an existing contractual arrangement with Wollongong.  Staff can therefore seek formal Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from ACIG without going to open tender.   Wollongong personnel should speak to their Corporate Services area for more information.

Yarra Ranges Shire Council

The Shire of Yarra Ranges is located on metropolitan Melbourne’s eastern fringe.  ACIG is assisting the shire to implement the Business Excellence Framework, using a continuous improvement methodology.