Helping Key Changes Music Therapy increase their impact

 

The Approach

The project mainly utilised soft OR techniques, including problem structuring, workshop facilitation, and options development and analysis, along with extensive process mapping, and spreadsheet structuring / modelling.

The project started with a desk analysis of the organisation’s key documents and interviews with staff, trustees and therapists. The processes were then mapped to capture interactions between key functions and stakeholders.

During a workshop, the trustees provided feedback and identified fourteen opportunities for improvement that were compared on a matrix to help with prioritisation, further analysis, and planning.

Various commercial off the shelf timesheet applications were explored but not taken forward at this stage due to the required investment and complexity of billing processes.

"The volunteer brought great value, not just by rigorously applying his analytical and structured thinking to our business processes, but also by going that extra step by engaging regularly with the team to help them reflect on how we manage our operations and what they would like to improve.”

The Client

Key Changes has been providing music therapy in Hampshire and neighbouring counties since 2008. Their services support a wide range of clients from early years children and young people to adults and older people.

The Client's Problem

Key Changes aimed to update their processes to become more resilient and respond to increased demand more efficiently and effectively. This required an analysis of their current processes along with recommendations for how they could be improved.

The Solution

  • The existing Enquiries & Actions processes were mapped, and the spreadsheet was re-engineered to align to the processes, harmonise data collection for easier analysis, and provide clarity of which stage each enquiry is in.
  • The Development Manager has a functioning spreadsheet model with defined sections (Request Details, Client Details, Allocation, Status and Communication), data validation rules and automated numerical checks, to make it easier to track the organisation’s activities.

The Benefits

  • The trustees were involved in a process by which they could critically think about and visualise the components required for the organisation to run smoothly.
  • As a result, the trustees have a clear understanding of the resource requirements and areas to focus on to deliver against the organisation’s priorities.
  • This is particularly important as it allows the organisation to plan and build resilience as the founder and lead therapist plans her retirement.

 

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