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Suggestion Box
My No.1 suggestion is that members of the site use this suggestion box. If everyone adds all the improvement suggestions they can think of AND checks from time to time what suggestions others have made AND tries to implement any suggestions they can, the site should become a very useful resource for everyone very quickly.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
I have been looking at the asset management progress in your area for a while now - initiated through the International Infrastructure Management Manual. Unfortunately, many public agencies in the U.S. are lacking similar insights. I do understand that our APWA was involved at some time, however, currently there have not been a lot of issues being considered. (Actually, the EPA website has more resources about AM than APWA).
I would like to find out if there are other interested U.S and Canada members that like to create a "North America" forum.
Asset Management deals with the same challenges - more importantly, the current economic crisis makes asset management and advanced (forecasting) asset management even more important.
So, I like to know are there other North Americans out there that like to work through this website on Asset Management issues?
Hans (Sylter)
Would it be possible to add a Scada & Telemetry Section to aid in the shareing of information between councils.
Perhaps under the Water Waste Water section maybe.
Regards
Adrian Hope-Hodgetts
Hi Adrian, thanks for joining the site and contributing to the forum, and thanks for the suggestion.
I have created a "SCADA" page & and "SCADA & Telemetry" page.
Regards,
Wayne Eddy
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
I think it would be good to categorise Wanted Pages (eg. Asset Mgt, Records Mgt, IT), so the users of this website can navigate to the areas where they have expertise to contribute, and to the areas where do not have expertise to suggest a page.
Thanks, Leila Abbasova
Thanks for the suggestion Leila. I will see what I can come up with.
There is also a list of Stubs - pages that have been created, but with only very minimal content. I might try and convert the "Wanted Pages" to stubs & categorise them.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
Is it possible to have * or some tags to the pages recently edited/added? or can we have list of pages recently added/edited?? on monthly basis?? somes sort of report you can run Wayne?
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
I found the RECENT CHANGES page. Sorry, I could not delete my own post!!!
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Hi Ashish, I have adjusted the site settings, so that users can delete pages they have created. I'm not 100% sure that this will apply to forum posts, but I think it probably will. If you still can't delete your post let me know and I will investigate further.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
I could not delete my posts still.
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Wayne,
Can I request you to please consider to put following headers on home page e.g. purpose, scope, exclusions and hierarchy of information (through flow chart linking to major pages).
I agree there are 1900+ pages but they are not that much user-friendly/adequately structured (or I cant feel - being a newcomer). As may be the fundamental of wiki (not to have governance) but, I felt the need for bit of additional structure and governance).
Regards,
Ashish
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Hi Ashish,
If you like you can add the headers to the home page yourself, and feel free to make a few suggestions about what the purpose & scope, etc, of the site should be. I want the site to be one that everyone in Local Government feels they have a stake in. You making changes to the main page of your own accord, will be a very good thing, because it will mean others are less likely see it as just my site.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
Ashish, I thought about this a bit more and I think the About page, which is already linked to in the top menu and therefore available on every page, might be a good place for the type of information you would like to see somewhere.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
Wayne, good to see new format of "About" page. Many thanks.
To some degree, I agree that the kind of information should stay in "About" page. However, how many clicks do site receive on "about" page versus "home" page?.
If prospective information seeker/collaborator is visiting our site/page, it should be somewhat attractive (Our target should be first make it easy for that person to know, what she can find here, once she finds useful information, hopefully she will contribute. It is more of take and give (rather than give and take)
We also need to ensure, the purpose of the site is information and knowledge share from working professionals on projects/issues/risks on top of basic information. We should encourage to put more emphasis (as it is currently) on "how to do it", "working examples". One of the other desirable aspect of our site should be (would be of interest to Consultants and LG officers alike) is kind of audited page of skills matrix, who can help in what area. A brief profile or short CV can help. Also, need for what are we working on currently? for next 6 months or over few years, which can lead to joint projects or working through with some what similar challenges.
For example, few of my current projects include Risk Management, Business Continuity, Resource Planning and development of Asset Management Plan (is just started). Where applicable, I am hoping to form live/dynamic forums (meetings, working group or web conference etc) to add on the good work already done on web environment.
I would see the site as basic Environmental Scanning exercise (for general information) plus providing a base/stepping stone to formal/informal working group establishment.
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Hi Ashish
Yes great response. I have been at Wayne for a while about making the front page attractive and userfriendly. I think you only get one go at pricking people's interest. I also wanted to ask what you mean by the face to face forum's. I think at some point the concept of collaboration and the vehicle (Wiki) needs to be promoted to a lot of potential benificiaries at one time. Perhaps a Local Govt. conference or Asset Management conference so it reaches critical mass and takes off getting input from many different people.
Regards
Bruce Janke
Thanks Bruce,
What I mean by, "face to face" forum to cover a informal/formal working group or regular meetings held to share knowledge/information (not so formal as conferences).
Face to face (may also includes one to one by phone/video conference/web conference/email chat/ email), who might help or direct in relevant area of expertise for the given issue/agenda. I should have used word "Live" collaboration through meetings/working group or web facilities.
What I could not find from wiki is, all basic information is good, but what if I really need expert in X, Y or Z area with my specific question?
Online forum (like we are discussing) now can be used.
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
You might have observed that I have removed "Google image" of Gold Coast City Council area.
I admit that it would be rare to put finger on anyone on copyright issues on wiki (as might not be possible to track who changed what?)
My opinion is we can not use screenshot from Google Maps (or other copyright maps) unless otherwise, we have permission to use them.
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Hi Ashish, none of the Google Maps on the site are Screen Dumps.
They are all live links and contain a terms of use link in the bottom right hand corner of the map.
http://www.google.com/intl/en_au/help/terms_maps.html
Google Maps expressly encourages users to add links to their websites, and I suspect that they will be very pleased to have so many of their maps on the site.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
Thanks for clarification.
Cheers,
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for editing page for six sigma (and make it looking better, I am still learning putting hyperlinks (rather than copy and paste) etc in Wiki
I was inclined to be more specific to local government (how it applies and how it is used, how it can be used) rather than mere what Six Sigma is? in context of manufacturing industry. Thats why I called it "Six Sigma in Local Government".
Regards,
Ashish
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
No worries, Ashish.
The wikitext takes a little practice, but I'm sure you will catch on quickly, and the icons above the edit box make life easier too.
I am really thankful to have you sign up and contributing to the site and the forums on a regular basis by the way.
I already had a link to Six Sigma on the Problem Solving Techniques page so I thought it made sense to combine the two articles.
Six Sigma In Local Government
If you like put a sub-heading in the article called Six Sigma In Local Government, like I have done above (3 pluses before any text will make it into a sub-heading).
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
Wayne, you are most welcome.
In reality, many thanks to you to lead, manage and provide such a platform for all of us to share, learn and grow. I see it as a medium to contribute and gain.
I am glad to find you and other like minded professionals here!!!.
Regards,
Ashish
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Ashish
My apologies but do not get carried away with 6 Sigma in Local Government.
The Xerox article linked in is very much a sales pitch for Xerox and is simply applying Good Management Practice to an age old problem.
Six Sigma was developed by Motorola (for their electronic chip manufacturing so they could move from current technology to next generation technology (in chip/electronics) delivery.
Most local governments are not at 1 sigma (in variability i.e. what 6 sigma is trying to achieve, less variability than 5 sigma).
This is far too complicated a process to generally apply (or to be understood and executed) correctly in Local Government. The other issue with 6 sigma, it applies well where you have good control over your processes (which would be a good starting point for most Councils). I am not saying 6 sigma does not apply BUT I am saying there are a lot of more logical, sensible and cost effective ways to get better results before we need to resort to sophisticated techniques like this.
I will say that the article should have focused more on the "Lean" aspects, which is "getting rid of waste" (removing non-value added steps in a process). Now here is something (a more simple concept) that we could apply in Local Government with more useful outcomes and better results.
However, unfortunately, "lean" is not how most Councils think! Also major changes need to come from top management and there seems to be a lack of knowledge (or interest) in utilising proven management techniques (or is it a fear of change!)
This may be a little controversial, so I am happy to take comments on this. I am sure there are pockets of excellence but how do the majority perform?
Our data indicate that 5%-7% of local councils (in Australia) are evaluating Six Sigma. I do not have any examples of successful Six Sigma implementations in LG. But, it seems that larger councils and those undergoing amalgamation may benefit.
Leila
Leila
I find this hard to believe.
But then again what does "evaluating" mean.
6 sigma (from my understanding) is not an appropriate technique for (the majority of) Local Government processes where strict, well defined, process control does not apply.
As I said in previous post, "lean" (which involves removing waste) is a much more appropriate, practical and useful technique if management was inclined that way.
Regards
Hi, Darron,
I agree with you that 6 Sigma may not be the best technique for the majority of councils. I suspect some councils consider (or were advised to consider) it as a tool for process re-engineering during amalgamation. There may be a long way from ‘evaluating’ to ‘implementing’…
Thanks
I suspect that more Councils are using the Australian Business Excellence Framework as a business improvement system than Six Sigma.
I started a page called Problem Solving Techniques a while a go, with the intent of either compiling a list of process improvement tools or actually developing an open business improvement system for Local Government.
Perhaps I got the title wrong and should have named it "Business Improvement System" or something like that. Given that there are a few people interested in the topic, perhaps that might be a good page to work on as a team project. What do you think?
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
Changed the title to Business Improvement Techniques to start with.
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Hi Ashish,
When you change the title it can sometimes cause problems with existing links. It is usually best to create a new page and copy the contents across to the new page, and depending on the situation make the original page a redirect page.
I have made a copy, but I have left both pages the same for the moment.
I think perhaps ABEF & Six Sigma should be on the Business Improvement page, and the other links on the problem solving techniques page, but I am open to further suggestions.
ABEF certainly references a range of problem solving techniques, I don't know so much about Six Sigma, but I think it might too.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia
Hi Wayne,
Do you have link for this? Or when can I find/order hard copy for the same?
Ashish Shah
Engineer - Infrastructure Management
Hi Ashish, I inherited a hard-copy manual when I started my current job. It was compiled in 1996 by Rushton Valuers & Cardno Davies. I'm not sure if it was published, or just circulated to Councils.
Wayne Eddy
Bundaberg, Australia