About this Presentation
The problem or challenge in state government is that federal and state funding resources are diminishing while customer demand for services is increasing. The State of Utah plans to continue its tradition of excellence by setting the gold standard of government practices. We must ensure that scarce resources are allocated and managed in a way that will continuously bring more and more value to our stakeholders. Governor Gary R. Herbert has set the target and charged his 24 Cabinet officials to improve government operations and services by 25% (a combination of quality, cost and throughput) over the next four years. In her role as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, Kris Cox is leading the charge and is working with every Cabinet member to ensure success in meeting the target. Kris Cox and Greg Gardner pioneered the implementation of TOC principles and tools three years ago at the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS). Based on that experience, they created the SUCCESS Framework—a tool to assist agencies in applying TOC and other operational excellence tools to state government. The process produced great results at DWS. Based on that success, Governor Herbert appointed Kris to head his Office of Management and Budget and to lead the charge for the 24 Cabinet agencies to achieve a 25% improvement in services and operations over the next four years. Kris recruited Greg to join her as a member of the team working to implement the SUCCESS Framework strategy across Utah state government. Overview of the SUCCESS Framework includes: The framework was developed in Utah to assist government agencies with the implementation of TOC and other operational excellence principles and tools. An introduction is provided to Utah’s measurement criteria: “Quality Throughput divided by Operating Expense” to measure progress in meeting the 25% improvement target. Introduction to the SUCCESS Management Information System (SMIS): It was developed to simplify reporting and measure progress and performance. Utah’s use of additional tools to assist agencies achieve great results includes: Throughput operating strategy; strategic and operational measurements; and maximize control point capacity (strategy and tactics, acceleration, mistake proofing, policy synchronization). Utah’s progress to anchor the budgeting process to performance is described. Agency funding requests will be evaluated in the context of the impact on quality and throughput. Status of implementing the SUCCESS Framework across Utah’s 24 Cabinet agencies is monitored and the great results being achieved so far. This real world application of TOC principles and tools in state government includes agencies as diverse as public safety, corrections, health, workforce development, agriculture, economic development, human services, tax, commerce, National Guard, transportation, technology services, natural resources and environmental quality. Tools and systems can be adapted for use in international government agencies. We show exposure to the bottom-line results that are occurring by using these tools and proof that the SUCCESS Framework and tools are producing great results.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
Instructor(s)
Kristen Cox
Kristen Cox is a visionary leader, author, and expert in systems thinking and constraints management, specializing in helping governments and nonprofits cut through complexity and achieve breakthrough results. Best known for orchestrating a 35% measurable improvement in the State of Utah’s $20 billion executive branch, Kristen has a proven track record of transforming large-scale operations by focusing on what truly matters.
As the Founder & CEO of Epiphany Associates, LLC, Kristen brings her expertise to organizations worldwide, guiding leaders to eliminate inefficiencies, maximize impact, and drive sustainable change. She has served as an Executive Director, university instructor, Senior Fellow, advisory board member, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant. She co-founded The Fulcrum and created Utah’s SUCCESS Framework and the Quality Throughput over Operating Expense (QT/OE) metric, both of which have been widely recognized for driving government effectiveness.
Kristen is also the co-author of Stop Decorating the Fish, a powerful business fable that exposes ineffective problem-solving strategies often used in government and business. The book, co-written with TOC expert Yishai Ashlag, helps leaders recognize and avoid misleading solutions that create the illusion of progress but fail to address core issues.
Beyond her professional expertise, Kristen’s personal journey as a blind leader adds depth to her work. She weaves together inspirational lessons on resilience, innovation, and clarity of thought, helping others develop the discipline to focus on real solutions that drive meaningful impact.