Citistat
James Hartley
CitStat Coordinator / Analyst
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CitiStat Office: (586) 574-4680
CITY OF WARREN DASHBOARD
What is CitiStat?
CitiStat is the Mayor’s leadership strategy that employs data-driven management systems to monitor and improve the performance of city agencies, on the task of producing clearly specified results.
The goal of CitiStat is to develop measurable performance standards for every area of city government. The creation of these standards is not done in a vacuum. That is, each department has the opportunity to define its own goals and contribute to the methodology used to determine the department’s progress in achieving those goals. The success of the CitiStat model of government management is built on:
• Ongoing series of regular, periodic meetings
• Accurate and timely intelligence
• Rapid deployment of resources
• Effective tactics and strategy
• Relentless follow-up and assessment
The ongoing discussion of performance involves much persistent follow-up on past performance deficits and previous commitments to fix specific problems, as well as follow-up on decisions, commitments, and established expectations for future performance improvements.
Where did CitiStat come from?
In December of 2008, Mayor Jim Fouts allocated budgeted resources to a vacated position of Administrative Supervisor in order to create the CitiStat performance management team within the Department of Public Service, which provides the most critical City services directly to our community. CitiStat consists of one budgeted analyst/coordinator, and the program has required no additional costs to the City of Warren. CitiStat has partnered with the resources several academic and governmental organizations, at no additional cost or utilizing grant funding.
The CitiStat model is the first step to provide true transparency in City of Warren government and properly inform all branches as to its health and vitality. By first implementing CitiStat within the Department of Public Service, we simultaneously created a platform to work with other critical departments and branches throughout the City.
Who participates in CitiStat?
The CitiStat core team meets regularly to advise the Mayor, and consists of the directors of key departments, including the Mayor, CitiStat Analyst/Coordinator, City Controller, Human Resources/Risk Management Director, Labor Relations, City Attorney, and Public Service Director.
The CitiStat team serves to guide the efforts of all participants to a consistent end. The goal of CitiStat is to create sets of criteria relevant to each city function that can be objectively measured and understood within and outside the departments.
Why do we need CitiStat?
The one thing to keep in mind is that we are all affected by dwindling financial resources with which to provide services to the community. It is critical that we do everything possible to meet the needs of the community within our limited resources. We must leave no stone unturned in our quest to remain a vibrant, attractive community in which to live and work.
It is the responsibility of every worker in the city to do their part to ensure that Warren emerges from these troubled economic times with a strong work force that can efficiently provide the best level of city services for our community. We ask that each and every employee approach the CitiStat process with an open mind. Everyone's contribution is an integral part of the continued vitality of the City of Warren.
What is next for CitiStat?
CitiStat is has deployed all a city-wide Citizen Response Management system"Q-Alert" that will tie the City’s existing enterprise systems together, and provide city-wide system to allow all departments to communicate with each others, and fill the void where one unified system doesn’t currently exist. Q-Alert will also track and measure performance, and provide administrators with a “digital dashboard” to monitor City services on a real-time basis.
This system will also allow residents and elected officials to create service order requests, and track a service order request through to its completion. This approach will also provide performance measures by which we can study the effectiveness and cost of services to our residents. Our goal is to constantly improve the delivery of services, and identify areas where we can reduce the cost of government.
Q-Alert Knowledge Base & FAQ's
One problem with having city services delivered on a departmental basis is that citizens don't always know what department to contact for service. CitiStat has created a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) Knowledge Base within the Q-Alert system that will allow citizens to quickly search for solutions for any possible answer about how city services function, including policies, procedures, hours, directions, forms and links..
Q-Alert Citizen Response Management (CRM)
Residents can submit requests for city services at any time online through the Q-Alert Citizen Response Management system. This system is also in place for city workers to receive any requests for services, so that the city can respond and track the completion of the service request.
Ultimately, this system will unify all departments for faster, more efficient delivery of services. It will also provide management with valuable information to effectively deploy resources.
