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Teams Can Speed Suggestion Evaluation

Are you frustrated with the amount of time it often takes to evaluate your employee suggestions? Evaluation teams might speed up the process.

The use of evaluation teams to review suggestions was discussed during the breakout session, "Revitalizing Suggestion Programs" at OPM's National Performance Management Conference. The use of teams (whether standing or ad hoc) to evaluate suggestions can, in many cases, improves ideas in addition to speeding up the review process. This is particularly true when the suggester is part of the evaluation team.

• Coast Guard
• General Accounting Office
• Naval Aviation Depot
• For More Information

Coast Guard. For example, Brian Jones, Coast Guard (CG), said that ideas submitted by CG employees through the Idea Express program are often reviewed and improved by teams. Team members who significantly improve ideas share in cash awards. Making the suggester part of the evaluation team makes the team more successful. Team evaluations create an environment of cooperation and increase the likelihood of implementation.

General Accounting Office. John Noto, General Accounting Office (GAO), discussed the importance of a team environment and the participation of suggesters. According to Mr. Noto, suggestion systems have been decentralized at GAO to the individual field and Washington headquarters' units. At the unit level, supervisors are encouraged to work with suggesters on teams to implement changes that represent small continuous improvements in a specific unit. The knowledge gained from implementing the idea is shared horizontally across GAO so that other units can benefit.

Further, Mr. Noto said that suggestions of a large scope, which have policy or major investment implications, are generally referred to other program officials. In this setting, the suggester, supported by management, can participate on the evaluation team to share information about the idea and to participate in implementing it GAO-wide. Once an idea is implemented, team members are recognized equally for their efforts.

Naval Aviation Depot. Alice Stiles, Betty Johnson, and Marilyn Thomas, Naval Aviation Depot (NADEP), Jacksonville, Florida, described NADEP's new VISION ("Valuable Ideas Save Investments of NADEP") program. The heart of the program is the use of teams to evaluate suggestions.

Under the VISION program, the suggester presents his or her idea directly to the evaluation team. A suggester knows the fate of an idea almost immediately, because the team usually decides that day whether or not to adopt it. Another benefit is that suggesters learn how much is involved in evaluating a suggestion. Evaluators praise the approach because they are able to see a submitted suggestion to its completion. VISION allows individuals to come together, to talk about a suggestion in a non-threatening environment, to break down barriers, and to make a decision. The team is empowered to implement the decision.

For More Information. For further information, call Brian Jones, Coast Guard, on 202-267-0249; John Noto, GAO, on 202-512-3994; and Alice Stiles, Betty Johnson, or Marilyn Thomas, Navy, on 904-772-IDEA (4332).

Originally published on October 1995.