At ACIG we love doing program evaluations, and one of the things we enjoy most is learning about the often unheralded but very valuable work that is going on in different industry sectors. We got the chance to do this last year when we were engaged by the Australian Government Department of the Environment [...]
Elizabeth Macarthur: A Life at the Edge of the World is a fascinating new biography written by our very own Michelle Scott Tucker. We always knew she could write, but this book is seriously impressive. And available in all good book shops, BTW. Here's what some literary luminaries have to say about it. ‘Finally, [...]
2017 has been busy, busy, busy at ACIG. Ask a consultant how they are going, and you always receive the same answer – busy! But only because it’s true.* And yes, thanks for asking, 2017 has been an extra busy year for ACIG. In local government it’s all about review and improvement. For three [...]
In most projects, the wholehearted engagement of stakeholders is a critical success factor. Who to consult? Choosing the right stakeholders to interview is important. Stakeholders can be categorised broadly as either primary or secondary. Primary stakeholders are those who are ultimately affected. Consultation with primary stakeholders is highly recommended. Secondary stakeholders are those with [...]
Successfully introducing new ways of doing things invariably requires new knowledge and skills. This comes from formal training initially and then via on the job experience, where the new skills become routine behaviours. In our experience, for best outcomes training must occur at several levels: Employees involved in improvement projects must be trained in [...]
Six Sigma, Lean, 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Business Excellence: they're all great. They all work. But is it enough? Doing the same thing as everyone else is hardly going to put you at the head of the pack. But following rules of innovation will. Most improvement initiatives only take you so far. In [...]
The Lean Thinking Experience Training must be hands on and practical if it is to be useful in knowledge and skills transfer. An example of adult learning techniques is the Lean Thinking Experience that ACIG uses to teach the principles and practices of Lean Thinking and Continuous Improvement. We call it the Blast Game. [...]
Our clients often ask us about Improvement Plans and what they should include. An Improvement Plan should contain all the elements required to embed the practice of continuous improvement into the culture of the organisation. Elements to consider are: A vision and reason for change. CI is a change program and people need to [...]
ACIG consultants work throughout Australia and around the world. Our main office is located in Melbourne but did you know we also have a Canberra outpost? Tom Dale, based in Canberra, is an experienced senior manager, adviser and consultant with a particular focus on the public sector, regulatory policy, legislation and international issues. [...]
ACIG’s consultants have worked nationally and internationally with many cultural and sub-cultural groups. We recognise and respect the diversity of cultural expression including the sensitivities required when interacting with each unique community’s social mores, laws and epistemologies. ACIG consultants operate within an agreed set of values – articulated formally and incorporated into daily practice. [...]
