accountability 2010

ACCOUNTABILITY

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

The Historical Role Model of Accountability

DEFINITIONS

ACCOUNT: A statement, description, or explanation;

To describe, justify, or explain.To breakdown by categories.

ACCOUNTABLE: Answerable; bound, required, or

obligated to give an explanation.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

Accountability Problems

• In some places “accountability” simply means punishing the person closest to the event with adverse consequences after it happens.

• In these places the word is already poisoned, making healthy accountability that much more difficult to explain.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.mit.edu

Basics Of QualityA known designated person is accountable for thequality of each action, task, evolution and project.

FOUR LEVELS OF DEFENSE OF QUALITY

FOUR ELEMENTS OF QUALITY

MANAGEMENT EXPECTATIONS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION

TWO HUNDRED PERCENT ACCOUNTABILITY AT EVERY INTERFACE

1st Individuals and Work Groups

2nd Supervision and Management

Define the right job.

Meet all valid requirements.

Do it right the first time.

Serve the needs of the customer.

People are expected to find their own quality problems.

Quality problems get immediate permanent corrective action or prompt interim compensatory measures.

Causal factors and generic implications are determined and corrected.

Effectiveness of corrective action is monitored.

Self-assessment deficiencies are treated as problems in their own right.

Every user is 100% accountable for the quality of the products and services accepted.

Every provider is 100% accountable for the quality of the products and services provided.

3rd Independent Assessment

4th External Assessment

PLAN

DOMONITOR

ADJUST

WHY ACCOUNTABILITY WORKS

WHEN PEOPLE KNOW UP-FRONT THATTHEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE, THEY DOWHAT IT TAKES TO GET IT RIGHT THEFIRST TIME.

WHEN MGRS AND CUSTOMERS ASKABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER THEEVENT OR PROBLEM, PEOPLE GET THEIMPRESSION THAT THEY ARE SERIOUSABOUT QUALITY.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

ELEMENTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

item of accountability

attributes accountable for

person having accountability

person accountable to

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

ACCOUNTABILITY PRINCIPLES

1. Every particular process, procedure, product,program, project, and evolution is owned by a particular individual.

2. The owner is accountable for its quality.(The standard definition of quality applies.)

3. Every problem is owned by the owner of theitem in which the problem exists.

4. Owners are accountable for preventing recur-

5. Unclear accountability is a managementrence of problems.

Issue.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

ACCOUNTABILITY AT INTERFACES

Customer's share: 100%Provider's share: 100%

Total: 200%

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ACCOUNTABILITY

1. Personal success results only from functional

2. Quality problems get detected by the owners.3. Quality problems do not recur.4. Interfaces are characterized by teamwork.5. Everyone knows who the owners are.

success.

IS STRONG

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

ACCOUNTABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

Who was the provider?

How was the provider aware of the accountability?

Who was the customer?

How was the customer aware of the accountability?

What were the roles of the immediate supervisorswith respect to accountability?

What self-assessment of the accountabilitieswas done?

FOR PROBLEMS AND ISSUES

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

POTENTIAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACTION ITEMS

1. Discuss accountability in every planning session.

2. Ask about accountability in every progress reviewmeeting.

3. Express problems in terms of accountability

4. Discuss accountability in critique meetings.

5. Use every problem as an opportunity to clarifythe accountabilities of the provider, the customer,and their bosses.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

“Holding” a person accountable does notalways get them to act accountably.

Getting them to act accountably is whatgets results.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

AUTHORITY & ACCOUNTABILITY

A person is always authorized to report aproblem.

Lack of authority is never an acceptable excuseafter a item of accountability has been missed.

Authority can be negotiated with the person towhom one is accountable.

People frequently obtain that which they are notauthorized to require.

Some problems involve people not obtaining thatwhich they are authorized to require.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

USMC PLATOON LEADERPRINCIPLES:

1. TAKE THE HIGH GROUND.

2. TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONESTEP BACK.

3. HOT CHOW FOR THE TROOPS.

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

NUCLEAR ACCOUNTABILITYPRINCIPLES:

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

ACCOUNTABILITY & APP. B

! I(1)(2): retaining responsibility

! I(3): authority & duties: persons andorganizations

! II(3): organizations and functions

! II(10): regular review of status andadequacy

! VII: control of contractors

! XVI: conditions adverse to quality

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu

APPROPRIATE TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES

SITUATION

PEOPLEINFORMATION

COMPLEXITY

RISK

ENVIRONMENT

TRAINING

EXPERIENCE

SUPERVISION

REVERSIBILITY

PROCEDURES

DRAWINGS

LABELING

INSTRUMENTATIONORGANIZATION

ACCOUNTABILITY

COMMUNICATIONS

PRE-BRIEFINGS

TASK

COMPATIBILITY

CONGRUENCE

CONSISTENCY

APP. B

CRITERION V

© 2010, William R. Corcoran, NSRC Corp., 860-285-8779, firebird.one@alum.MIT.edu