Officials from six state governments were in Seattle last week to learn more about Gov. Jay Inslee’s initiative to use data and collaboration to make state government more effective.
Inslee in 2013 created Results Washington, an initiative that focuses the efforts of multi-agency teams, partners and customers on improvement targets and timelines. The effort includes nearly 200 goals in education, the economy, the environment, health and other areas.
On Thursday and Friday, May 19 and 20, the National Governors Association hosted a learning lab in Seattle for state officials to discuss how to better use data to drive effective decision-making. In addition to Washington, the NGA chose Arizona, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia to participate.
“Customer-focused government, built around measuring results, is what the public expects and deserves, and what I’m committed to deliver,” Inslee said. “I’m proud our team can share this good work and learn from similar efforts around the country.”
To date, more than half the Results Washington measures are on track to meet or exceed their targets. In addition, improvement efforts at state agencies are resulting in faster services, less paperwork, dollar savings and more customer satisfaction.
NGA learning labs provide an opportunity for a limited number of state teams to visit a state successfully using an innovative practice. The Washington state visit kicks off a four-month opportunity from the NGA that will help the selected states develop practices to use data to address policy issues and build a culture of learning.