Widgets are specific, measurable, finite things. After we realize that government agencies produce widgets, we need to understand that each widget has a specific customer that it serves.
Confusion regarding the priority of needs end user needs vs. For example, taxpayers drive on the roads paved by a government agency. However, in other ways, it is not accurate. A strict analogy would place taxpayers akin to investors in a corporation, not customers.
Customer input is necessary for optimal widget design. However, despite their proliferation, surveys are often not the best way to discern customer needs.
Instead of trying to inspect survey quality into the widgets of government, focus groups are a better mechanism to allow real end users to provide open-ended input to the definition of customer value.
The end desires and needs of citizens who use these services are the same thing that taxpayers want. However, his contribution to the people who actually administer our governments is important. In a very simple style, Miller makes a strong argument that government employees need to start thinking about the cost of government services and the customers who receive their services.
Government does make widgets. The cost, quality, and timeliness of those widgets are matters of great public concern. Miller's book is filled with redundancy, probably to drive home its very important points. During these repetitions, I think Miller may confuse his readers on the difference between outputs which he calls widgets and outcomes, especially in regard to polling.
Systems theory holds that government is a black box which requires certain inputs like tax revenue, policy decisions, voting, and feedback. These inputs are processed inside the black box to produce outputs like building permits. An output produces an outcome such as the timely completion of a project. The outcome produces either positive or negative feedback which is an input to the black box. While I agree that public opinion polling can't tell us much about the or output - a building permit - it is certainly a valid means of feedback on the outcome - public satisfaction with the pace or quality of growth in the community.
Government has many customers, including the developer requesting the permit and the community that experiences both the disruption of new construction and the advantage of a new facility.
If we accept Miller's important assertion that government employees must focus more on satisfying their customers, then polling to determine public satisfaction with the outcome of government's efforts is critical. Otherwise, Miller says what needs to be said in terms that are helpful, but not threatening, to people inside government agencies. The book is a quick read and it is very understandable. It should be required reading for all public employees. It may also be a beacon of hope for those of us who stand in a long line to renew our driver's license, only to face a surly bureaucrat who never heard the term "customer service".
Awesome book By Jack I heard the author at a training seminar. If managers at Government read these books costs would drop and service would soar.
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