Understanding DOGE & applying modern problem-solving techniques

Economy
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Proposal: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Our government is like an outdated piece of software: slow, clunky, and riddled with inefficiencies. It’s time for a serious update. Just as a software upgrade introduces cutting-edge tools, improves interfaces, and eliminates bugs, our government needs a similar overhaul. Enter the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a bold new initiative to bring modern, proven practices to the public sector.

What is DOGE?

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would be an independent, forward-thinking agency tasked with implementing private-sector best practices—like Agile, Lean, and Six Sigma—to tackle inefficiency, reduce waste, and improve service delivery across all government departments. Think of it as a government-wide optimization engine, designed to modernize and streamline processes for the 21st century.

How Would DOGE Work?

  1. Agile Frameworks:
  • Replace cumbersome, long-term projects with smaller, iterative sprints that allow for flexibility and adaptation to real-time challenges.
  • Frequent reviews would ensure alignment with public needs and reduce the risk of high-profile failures like outdated IT systems.
  1. Lean & Six Sigma Principles:
  • Apply process optimization techniques to eliminate redundancies, reduce delays, and maximize efficiency.
  • Focus on simplifying procurement, modernizing service delivery, and addressing bureaucratic bottlenecks—saving time and taxpayer money.
  1. Data-Driven Governance:
  • Leverage real-time data to track progress, measure key performance indicators (KPIs), and identify areas for improvement.
  • Predictive analytics could flag potential inefficiencies or risks before they escalate.
  1. User-Centric Design:
  • Treat citizens as customers by redesigning services to be as intuitive and seamless as the best apps.
  • Imagine applying for permits, registering vehicles, or accessing healthcare through a single, user-friendly portal.
  1. Cross-Department Collaboration:
  • Break down silos between government agencies to improve communication, align objectives, and encourage innovation.
  • Collaborative teams would tackle challenges holistically, ensuring no department works in isolation.
  1. Continuous Improvement (Kaizen):
  • Establish a culture of ongoing refinement, where processes are continuously assessed and optimized.
  • Feedback loops from citizens and regular audits would ensure improvements remain relevant and effective.

Why Do We Need DOGE?

The inefficiencies of government cost billions in wasted resources and erode public trust. Bureaucracy, outdated systems, and poor communication are barriers to progress. By adopting private-sector methodologies, DOGE could transform government into a streamlined, citizen-focused institution. Imagine a world where services like the DMV, IRS, or passport offices operate with the speed and precision of a top-tier tech company.

Questions to Consider:

  • How do we ensure DOGE stays independent and avoids becoming another layer of bureaucracy?
  • Should pilot programs focus on key problem areas (e.g., healthcare, transportation) before scaling nationwide?
  • What safeguards could prevent resistance to change from within entrenched government systems?
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As a 20+ year Quality Supervisor/Manager I love what you are purposing but my experience tells me that most management (the government) would have no idea how to do this and for it to work, the people “in” government need to do it. Since DODE has no authority, it is mostly a consulting firm.

  1. “How do we ensure DOGE stays independent and avoids becoming another layer of bureaucracy?”
    This one is hard.
  2. Select people who are already independent.
  3. Select business people with a proven track record of setting and achieving big goals.
  4. They’re comfortable spending time alone.
  5. They’re already extremely self-motivated.
  6. They take responsibility for all of their actions.
  7. And the hardest, with the amount of money involved, - they are incorruptible and stand by their morals. Suggestions”:
    a) David Green, Founder of Hobby Lobby, or one of his children – Read his book “Giving It All Away…and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously”
    b) Maybe one of the Walton family, founders of Walmart. I don’t know their politics, but they are world renowned for cutting costs.
    c) Maybe one of the children of S. Truett Cathy, Founder of Chick-F-lay – Read his book “The Generosity Factor: Discover the Joy of Giving Your Time, Talent, and Treasure”
  8. “Should pilot programs focus on key problem areas (e.g., healthcare, transportation) before scaling nationwide?”
    a) I would suggest starting with 1) the largest expenditures, Defense and Social Security. There is obvious waste in both and at the same time
    b) Something smaller that will show immediate and smaller gains to show proof of concept.
    1. “What safeguards could prevent resistance to change from within entrenched government systems?”
      a) Sunlight. Here is a recent one. The President recently got the newest presidential helicopter: Marine One - the VH-92A. I wonder where all the extra money went when the SIKORSKY S-92, on which this helicopter is based, has total variable costs of $1,206,184.50, total fixed costs of $854,441.55, and hypothetical summary cost of $2,060,626.05. Two MILLION stock, five BILLION with options.
      “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdHWLVVXAsA”

Also, Technology is not going to solve all of problems. Making comprises means buying votes with earmarks. If the bill can not stand on it’s own, it should not pass. And no Quid Pro Quo, I vote for yours if you vote for mine. No idea how to prevent this.

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I wondered how long it would take the big Q folks to jump into the foray…

Yes, us old (and young) Q Dudes have been working the soft underbelly of industry to solve problems big and small since Shewhart invented control charts in 1924. For 100 years now the quality profession has developed, used, and ocassionally misused a plethora of tools and techniques to identify and eliminate (or significantly reduce) problems… problems that always result in waste.

I started working problems in the late 70’s when Quality Circles were the thing to do in the quality world. I finished my career with lean 6 Sigma and ISO 9000 hierarchical systems integration.

I’ve worked in heavy industry, medical, consumer products, automotive, electronic, military contracting, and mass transite fields. I learned a couple of “truths” during this 35 year run…

  1. problems are solved by what is DONE, not by what is SAID
  2. big problems START and END at the top of the organization
  3. “commitment” fails; “involvement” helps, but only “leadership” brings real change.

DOGE is a good plan, Elon and Vivek are superb choices to lead the detailed work, but the key player is the President. He must be PART of the work. He must certainly support the work and he must marshal the Congress to do the same. Real long term success, however, will require his direct LEADERSHIP of the process.

In my view the task of reducing the deficit is the NUMBER ONE priority in this administration. It won’t be solved by gleaning the budget fields. It won’t be solved by diving into the regulatory details. It won’t be solved in the political trenches. And, it won’t be solved by one party.

It CAN be solved by BIG, OUT OF THE BOX, BIPARTISAN, CHANGE to the way our government makes the rules. It CAN be solved by finding NEW ways to meet OLD well established NEEDS. Medicare, Social Security, Defense… systems that are grossly ineffective, inefficient, and inscrutable… these are where the big money is.

Start with a clean slate, analyze the actual needs, define the base requirements to meet those needs, ignore what is in place, and move up the ladder of need to the allocation of resources. Throw out the paradigms of the past and embrace the realities of today. Think BIG, think HOW, think NOW. And, most importantly, involve those who KNOW the problems by LIVING with them. A SOLUTION is what is necessary; another short term FIX is not.

Elon said he needed detail people, not big idea people. He’s probably the smartest, most inventive, most out of the box thinker today, but he is wrong this time. The little money drips fron a million faucets, buts it’s the accountant’s illusion to think it’s real. Take a little number, multiply it by a huge number, and you get a big number… but it’ll evaporate before it gets to the bottom line.

We need the BIG ideas like Paypal, Tesla, and Space X. We need radical new approaches to problems embedded in the past. We don’t have the time to wait the 50 years it took to get from the Space Shuttle to the Dragon.

Old Quality Dude
Doug Brister

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BOB WRIGHT…IS RIGHT. Could not have said it better myself.

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Well BOB I tend to agree. Congress is not filled with problem solvers and in fact most know little surrounding the complex nature of the issues before us, Congressional thinking is elementary, binary and myopic. In an attempt to solve one issue policy sounds good usually has a negative effect on 10 others. It’s all integrated at some point. “DRILL BABY DRILL” sounds good but the reality is we export 65% of our oil because we can’t use it because it’s TOO CLEAN. wE HAVE NOT BUILT A NEW REFINERY IN 25

OOPS! IN oil in return25 YEARS and therefore have no system to process less dirty crude. So we sell the good oil to the rest of the world and buy their “dirty” oil for our own use. You are not buying AMERICAN oil at the pumps. Short answer build new refineries over the next 10 yrs. while simultaneously reducing consumption to equal energy independence, While there are many other associated issues my point is problem solving needs to be both objected and informed and to your point must be done by competent people not found in Washington.
Your points are valid and I support you. You get my vote. Best wishes.

=YY

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Here is a simple root cause problem that I like to use to help people understand root cause investigations.

You are going 70 mph in a 55 mph zone and are pulled over and given a ticket. What is the root cause?

Most management

  1. Root cause, you were speeding.
  2. Solution – pay a fine and possible take defensive driving classes.

One of the easiest root cause process. Ask why at least 5 times. (There are many more much harder processes.):

  1. You were speeding –WHY?
  2. Why were you speeding? – Because I was very late for an important meeting at work. Why?
  3. Why were you late for that meeting? – I got up late. Why?
  4. Why did you get up late? - I got up late because my alarm did not go off. – Why?
  5. Why did the alarm not go off? – We had a storm last night and the power was off. – Why?
  6. Why did your alarm not go off due to the power being off? The alarm did not go off during the storm because the battery back-up battery was dead.
  7. Solution – Replace all batteries during October when Fire Departments remind you to replace your batteries in your smoke detectors.

The problems we face are extremely difficult to solve, and we will not do it over night. But we must start now.