| 4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
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Launched in 2010, DMGS was rolled out through a gradual three-year process to ensure complete adoption and support from all of Dubai’s government entities and to fine-tune and customize the DMGS Framework according to the varying needs and diverse service natures of government entities.
The foundational DMGS framework was developed in 2010 by the Development Team within TEC as a result of an intensive research exercise that explored academic and practical models as well as similar government experiences for public service delivery. The Framework was then presented to internal government stakeholders for feedback, as well as an international panel of experts for validation. Throughout this process, feedback from the Service Improvement Government Network (SIGN) was taken into consideration for the design of DMGS. SIGN is an internal government platform that exchanges knowledge and experience related to public services.
The Framework was then tested in a six-month pilot program within five government entities in 2011. Each entity (Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, Land Department, Community Development Authority, and Roads and Transport Authority) chose one main service they wished to improve based on a set of criteria within the framework and applied the DMGS Framework. The entities chosen for the pilot were diverse to ensure that the Framework is tested in different types of environments to allow for customizability and transfer. The entities varied greatly in size, age, strategic sector, and service improvement goals.
The pilot of the framework necessitated the cooperation of senior-level management within each government entity. Top leadership enforcement of the pilot program, represented by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s involvement and support, facilitated that.
An “Improvement leader” within each pilot entity was chosen by the entity top management to lead the improvement initiative and was assigned an improvement team to work with. Pilot government entities were guided by TEC on how to select team leaders and team members. The improvement leaders held a multiplicity of functions. They ultimately set the tone for the rest of the entity to adopt the framework.
After the pilot program proved successful and results were presented by improvement leaders to H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, he ordered the launched of Dubai’ the Model Centre (DTMC) in 2012 as a body in TEC in order to institutionalize the Framework implementation in government entities and provide it with required resources and support.
Throughout the implementation of the program, Dubai’ the Model Centre saw the merit in recognizing accomplishments and incentivizing entities to continue their improvement efforts. This realization coincided with a new vision to transform Dubai into a “Smart Government” by 2015, thus instigating the launch of the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Award for Smart Government.
The key development and implementation steps are summarized as follows:
• 2008-2009: Studies conducted among the public point to a need to improve services within the public sector
• 2010: The Executive Council creates a Development Team to research and create a Service Delivery Framework that can be applied in Dubai
• The Development Team creates the first draft of the Dubai Model for Government Services Framework
• The draft is shared with internal stakeholders for validation and an external panel of experts for endorsement
• Dubai Model for Government Services officially launched
• 2011: First-phase implementation with 5 government entities ensues and results presented
• 2012: His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Emirate's Executive Council, officially inaugurates the opening of Dubai’ The Model Center (DTMC)
• 2012: 7 additional government entities adopt DMGS framework
• 2013: 11 entities adopt the Model
• 2013: Launch of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Award for Smart Government
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| 5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
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DTMC: The centre is responsible to facilitate and support the implementation of DMGS in Government of Dubai and manage HBMASG to motivate and recognize leading efforts. The Centre’s team started with the Development Team who was responsible for the research, design, creation of DMGS, and to engineer and facilitate the pilot stage of the Framework implementation. This team became the nucleus for DTMC when it was established.
Improvement Leaders: This group is the change agent for DMGS implementation in their respective government entities and the liaison with DTMC. They lead the improvement efforts, monitor performance and provide feedback.
International Experts
During the Framework development, TEC requested a research centre in the UK to assemble an independent international panel to validate the Framework. The panel reviewed the Framework, provided feedback, validated it and then endorsed it as a best practice model. Testimonies of the international panel can be shared upon request.
Government Entities: DMGS implementation is carried out by government entities, who are responsible to choose main services for improvement, implement improvement initiatives, report results before and after improvement and maintain improvement sustainability.
The Public: Citizens and residents of Dubai play an integral role in DMGS. They participate in the annual Needs and Expectations Study to voice out what matters most to them. They submit their complaints and suggestions through the available systems; they participate as a judge to vote for their best improvement initiatives through HBMASG. Feedback from the public is studied, synthesized and discussed with government entities to inspire the improvement agenda.
In addition, DTMC works with a number of government stakeholders to implement its vision including Department of Finance on matter related to service costing, Department of Smart Government on matters related to service classification, the Prime Ministers’ Office on matters related to the Smart Government Award.
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| 6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
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Resources for DTMC
In 2010, the Development Team for the DMGS framework was a small section within TEC and was funded as one of the departments of the Council.
After its launch in 2012, Dubai’ The Model Centre is currently funded by the Department of Finance with an annual budget of around 10 million dirhams to fund research, update of the framework, design and execution of the capability building program including workshops and case studies’ documentation, management and maintenance of the insights system, honorariums for the international experts’ panel and jury of HBMASG, the monetary prizes of HBMASG, holding its annual ceremony, as well as the operational/administrative and Human Resources expenses.
The award prizes – fully funded by the DTMC- are as follows: AED 100,000 for Best Service Star Category (granted to 5 winners), AED 150,000 for Best Service Centre Manager Category (granted to 1 winner), AED 250,000 for Best Service Improvement Leader (Granted to 1 winner) and AED 1 million (granted to one winner team which usually consists of 10 members)
The centre consists of a team of 9 members who are highly qualified in the area of service management, and divided as the following: The Director, the Advisor, one Senior Consultant, one Senior Project Manager, two Project Managers, two Associate Project Managers, and one Senior Administrator. Top qualifications in the area of service management as well as project management are available in the centre which is required in order to provide all of Government of Dubai’s entities with the necessary support and facilitation in order to implement the DMGS Framework as well as apply for the HBMASG.
Resources at the Government Entity Level
At the government entity level, implementation of the DMGS Framework is individually funded by each entity. The entities are asked to budget for their improvement initiatives on a yearly basis in order to receive funding from the Department of Finance. Priority was given to funding these improvements partly due to the belief that the DMGS framework would cut costs in the long term.
At the team level, the implementation of the frameworks was carried out by Improvement Leaders and their Teams within each government entity. A typical Improvement Team would consist of a senior leader involved heavily in service delivery, and team members from departments including IT, finance, front-line staff, and corporate performance measurement.
Although Government Entities are expected to prepare both Financial and Human resources to implement the DMGS Framework, the Framework itself highly encourages government entities to brainstorm innovative and pioneering initiatives to improve services that steer away from excessive requirement of Financial or Human Resources or put any strain on the entity itself in those terms. For example, if a service has a high waiting time due to a large number of customers, government entities are encouraged to come up with solutions such as expanding the channels for service delivery rather than opt for the easy solution which is adding counters and employees (extra financial and human resources).
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| 7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
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• One of the main factors that contributed to the success of DMGS is the structured capability building opportunity that was provided to Improvement Teams and Leaders. During the last three years, DTMC trained more than 500 people.. The entire Framework with its standard, assessment toolkits and methodologies are documented and published in Dubai Model for Government Services, Main Document. Local case studies were also documented and published on how to implement Dubai Model under different circumstances. Examples of the case studies include “Implementation of DMGS in the Justice and Security Sector”, “Implementation of DMGS in the Economic Sector” “Implementation of DMGS in the Public Health and Safety Sector” etc. Guidelines were also developed and shared with government entities to provide know-how on pressing topics, for example “How to analyze customer experience” guidebook.
The capability building program was designed internally by DTMC team and is delivered by its experts. Training workshops are usually carried out in government entities premises which are equipped with training facilitates and offer a more cost effective solution to hotels halls and auditoriums. Training subjects include how to plan for public service delivery, how to measure public services performance and how to sustain results, how to deploy creativity tools and techniques, etc.. DTMC is now working on devising a training program specific to front-liners and will target 3000 employees in 2014
• Customers Insights received in the last three years are also one of the main factors that contributed to the success of DMGS. DTMC carries Needs and Expectations Studies that surveys more than 2500 people from the public. The online complaints and suggestions systems generated more than 50000 insights in the last three years. The voting system for the first cycle of HBMASG engaged more than 25000 people and allowed them to voice out what matters most to them. The cumulative understanding of these insights is of huge value to Dubai’ the Model Centre and Government of Dubai, as they affect what services to choose for improvement and what improvement initiatives to implement.
• Dubai’ the Model Centre deals with a large number of stakeholders and ensures that they are fully engaged when necessary, whether they were part of the local and central government entities (31 governmental bodies) or international experts (a pool of 18 experts). The model would not have been successful if it were not for the support of these stakeholders and their multi-faceted contribution.
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| 8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
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There were several phases to the monitoring and evaluation process. They were as follows:
1. Monitoring During Implementation
DTMC monitors the ongoing progress of the DMGS Framework implementation in government entities throughout the Annual Improvement Cycle. All government entities choose their top priority services for improvement every year based on a set of criteria. The improvement of the yearly agenda takes place in adherence with the Model Framework.
Each government entity appoints an “Improvement Leader” and an Improvement Team to work directly with DTMC. Account managers with project management expertise within DTMC are appointed to deal with each government entity on a one-on-one basis, allowing for a more streamline support and follow-up.
One of the Improvement Leader’s responsibilities is to monitor and evaluate the progress of public service improvement within her/his entity. In this regard, Improvement Leaders are responsible for a number of tasks, including sending reports and data back to DTMC, and evaluating the progress of their entities during and after the implementation of the framework.
Leaders steer the implementation of the DMGS in their respective entities and meet along with the Improvement Team members with the DTMC team to discuss progress of plans’ milestones and deliverables on monthly basis. Progress reports that records achieved results are also dispatched and discussed with DTMC every 6 months and necessary actions are taken if required based on the results submitted.
2. Monitoring After Implementation
Each improvement cycle takes a year, which starts with the selection of services for improvement (Improvement Agenda) and ends with reporting results for first cycle of implementation. Government entities continue to report on service performance progress every six months after the first cycle of implementation is concluded. DTMC manage a process called “Improvement Continuity Assurance” where results are monitored and studied every six months –after the first cycle-. Government entities are required to at least maintain the improvement results achieved at the end of the first improvement cycle or to further improve them. In case results were dropped, DTMC discusses reasons with the government entities and trigger suitable remedies.
The DTMC management also meets with improvement leaders of government entities every two months (Insight Meetings) to reflect on the progress of the framework implementation and achieved results as well as to provide updates and discuss new ideas on the Framework. They also meet with the Director-Generals of the entities every six months for progress briefings and feedback.
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| 9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
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DMGS was launched gradually and without an incentive scheme. Improvement Leaders had to find ways to encourage employees to implement DMGS, given the new grounds it breaks and mentality change it requires, given the fact that Improvement Teams were not dedicated for this job and still have to manage their day-to-day operations. Additionally, entities that were not part of the pilot program were a bit reluctant to adopt a new Framework that comes to challenge their operations and way of thinking. These obstacles were overcome in a number of ways:
• The Launch of HBMASG provided an incentive that spurs performance. Not only did it provide a “healthy competition” among government departments, but it aligned them in the achievement of one goal, to improve Government of Dubai services as a whole.
• A support program was managed and delivered by DTMC. An investment of resources and time was required to provide education on the Framework, its Tools, and methodologies to engage entities through ongoing training and orientation programs, to build and expand capabilities within each government entity, and to demonstrate the value of the Model, foster bonds of communication and persuade entities to adopt the ideas. The pilot program was documented and shared with new government entities who joined the implementation later. Testimonies from pilot government entities on the Model and how it could help them were provided. DTMC also invited previous leaders of the pilot program to training sessions with newer entities as well as hosted international experts in workshops in order to demonstrate the validity of the Model and highlight the importance of the work. This all helped new comers to feel that the Model was developed by the government to the government and it is not just another new hype.
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