Local Government

The Challenge

A local government organisation delivering a large-scale transformation programme needed to improve the effectiveness of its support service functions. The goal was to apply continuous improvement methods to strengthen key processes while operating in a complex, highly visible public sector environment.

The improvement team was small and cross-skilled, with practitioners operating at Master Black Belt, Black Belt, Green Belt and Yellow Belt levels. The organisation required an approach that balanced pace with governance, and innovation with accountability.

Our Approach

Working closely with Catalyst Consulting, the organisation adopted DMAgIC — a blended approach combining the rigour of Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC) with the flexibility of Agile delivery.

“We adopted DMAgIC — a very useful blend of techniques from both the DMAIC and Agile toolkits, enabling us to get the best of both worlds.”

The programme was delivered in two phases, using a structured yet adaptive model.

Phase 1: From Ideas to Delivery

A five-stage flow was used to manage demand and prioritisation:

1. Funnel — capturing all improvement ideas
2. Scoping — sizing work and assessing readiness
3. Go / No-Go — selecting work for delivery
4. Backlog — prioritising projects based on expected benefits
5. Doing — solving prioritised problems using toll gates

Delivery was sprint-based, with work broken into manageable increments and visualised using planning boards. Daily stand-ups enabled progress tracking, blocker removal and team support.

“We worked in sprints, breaking the workload into manageable chunks and using daily stand-ups to support one another.”

A strong team-based ethic underpinned delivery, with shared goals and collective accountability.

“Nobody got left behind. Experience was shared and support was given.”

Phase 2: Continuous Improvement of the Model

In line with public sector continuous improvement principles, the team reviewed outcomes from Phase 1 and adapted its approach.

Enhancements included:

• A pull-based model, using voice of the data and voice of directors to identify work
• Rapid improvement events, using short, focused workshops
• Greater use of Agile iteration while maintaining Lean Six Sigma discipline

“In the interest of continuous improvement, we adapted our style based on the results.”

Impact

The hybrid DMAgIC approach delivered clear benefits for the organisation:

• Faster delivery of value through iterative Agile cycles
• Increasing project velocity over time
• Improved stakeholder engagement through transparency and regular communication
• A strong balance between innovation and control, essential in a public sector context
• Enhanced problem-solving capability, combining early feedback with root-cause analysis
• Scalable and repeatable improvements, documented and transferable across teams

“We found that we were delivering value faster.”
“Our project velocity gathered speed.”

Stakeholders gained clarity and confidence as improvements were grounded in data and delivered visibly.

“Agile promoted collaboration, while DMAIC helped stakeholders understand the ‘why’ behind the changes.”

Outcome

By blending Lean Six Sigma and Agile techniques, the local authority established a practical, scalable approach to continuous improvement — delivering faster results without compromising governance, transparency or sustainability.

“Blending DMAIC and Agile offers a really powerful hybrid approach to continuous improvement and transformation — and we certainly felt that across our team and organisation.”