Policy and Practice August 2016

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Common Processes
This is particularly true for the part of
the model focused on creating common
processes. The Integrative stage calls for
common processes in which the “enter-
prise works together to create and use a
simplified common application/intake
process that is mutually acceptable
across organizations.”
Modernizing the intake process and
reducing client stress gives caseworkers
time to learn more about their clients
and enhances their casework practice.
For instance, when the greeter checks
clients into a specific queue, such as
adult Medicaid or energy assistance,
the caseworker knows exactly for
which benefits clients are applying.
Caseworkers are better prepared for the
appointment and skip basic questions to
get a holistic view of the clients’ needs,
which are likely to extend beyond the
primary reason for the visit.
The Maturity Model also encour-
ages business models where “workflow
processes are streamlined, seamless,
and completely integrated. Processes
are designed to achieve efficiencies and
desired outcomes identified in conjunc-
tion with program participants and the
enterprise.”
Fully utilizing the appointment
management software lets CCDHS
take advantage of a feature that auto-
matically assigns clients to the next
available caseworker and keeps track
so the workload is evenly distributed
among workers in a specific unit. This
has eliminated manual tracking and
logjams in the intake process.
Infrastructure
The Maturity Model also focuses on
infrastructure, recommending that
“communication is conducted regularly
and internally (both vertically and
horizontally), and somewhat exter-
nally, to the enterprise to reinforce
achievement of shared success.”
The new SOPs and open commu-
nication keep the department from
backsliding into manual processes
and ensure that clients have a similar
experience every time they contact
the agency. Leadership, caseworkers,
clerical workers, and IT are part of the
same team, with the shared goal to
provide quality service to every client
every time.
The agency’s overhaul means
happier clients, and caseworkers who
can focus on doing what they do best:
helping people in need.
Reference Note
1. See APHSA’s Health and Human Services
Integration Maturity Model 2.0 at http://
pdfs/NWI/APHSA%20Maturity%20
Model_2%200.pdf
August 2016 Policy&Practice 43
AGILE WORLD continued from page 32
CABARRUS COUNTY continued from page 20
project holistically, and providing
continuity across iterations. This
group should be responsible for
evaluating organizational readiness
for use of Agile.
„ „ Developing a Project Charter—A
project charter establishes boundaries
for scope and to provide a basis for
an architectural design. The charter
has to be used to weigh and consider
changes that evolve so that the team
maintains discipline, thereby avoiding
costly overruns in time and budget.
Resources. Meaningful involve-
ment of key stakeholders throughout
the life of the project is imperative in
an Agile project. These will include
end-users, policy, legal, administra-
tive/management, and technical team
members. Given that resources will
be coming in and out of the project
at various stages, there must also be
continuity throughout the life of the
project to ensure traceability for key
business decisions and requirements.
Project Management.
Managing the project across all
components—which we refer to as
holistic project management—is
optimal. It is possible to use an Agile
approach for the software develop-
ment lifecycle, while utilizing a more
traditionally structured approach to
manage the project holistically. These
are business projects that have far-
reaching implications that frequently
affect elected officials if outcomes are
not positive.
Deployment. There is a clear dis-
tinction between increments and
versions. Just because you are using
an Agile approach to develop the
product does not dictate that you
need to deploy the solution in incre-
ments. Given the challenges with
decommissioning legacy systems in
the government space, it might be
necessary to build a fully functioning
version of solution for deployment
(rather than introducing modules).
Conclusion
You should keep in mind that “There
is No Such Thing as an IT Project”
(Carole Hussey, Policy and Practice,
August 2015). Regardless of the meth-
odology you choose, you control the
management approach of the overall
business project.
Ultimately, you own the system
that is built and it must make your
organization better, faster, and more
effective.
Agile requires a commitment of
time and resources over an extended
period of time and it is possible the
unexpected will come to pass. Your
team must be fully committed to the
principles of the model to achieve
the intended results. You must also
be certain that you do not allow the
vendor team or your team to use
Agile as an excuse for sloppy docu-
mentation, loose controls, and weak
contracting.
Carole Hussey is an associate
manager with PCG Human Services, a
division of Public Consulting Group.
Joe Baile is a program manager
located in the PCG Boston office.