Output of a conference on "Continuous improvement through the CAF model - support of guarantors and methodology specialists of the CAF model"

On January 24^th, 2024 the Government Office of the Slovak Republic, in cooperation with the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing, organized the 2nd conference on "Continuous improvement through the CAF model - support of guarantors and methodology specialists of the CAF model" in the Bôrik hotel.

The conference was attended by 48 participants, namely representatives from 11 ministries, 7 other central government authorities, 4 secondary schools, 1 university, and 2 representatives of local government. The participants mutually shared not only their practical experience, but also came up with several valuable suggestions, inspirations, and questions related to the application of the CAF model in their organizations.

​The conference was opened by Tatiana Janečková, deputy head of the Slovak Office of the Government. In her presentation, she expressed support to CAF methodology specialists and guarantors in implementing and applying continuous improvement through the CAF model, also through organizing regular meetings of CAF guarantors and methodology specialists under the auspices of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic.

The aim of these working meetings is and will be professional discussion, exchange of experience and good practice among individual organizations that use the CAF model and identification of obstacles that result from application practice during implementation, and last, but not least, exchange of experience with foreign partners.

At the conference, there was also a message/greeting conveyed from Tihana Puzić, deputy head of the European CAF Center (EIPA - the European Institute of Public Administration), who in her video speech emphasized the need for mutual cooperation of the CAF model at the national level. She expressed gratitude for the strong representation of the CAF model of Slovakia in the European Union and supported the users of the CAF model in achieving changes and continuous quality improvement through the CAF model.

Anna Budiaková, director of the quality and project management department of the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing, presented a summary of the activities of the CAF center that provides support to the users of the CAF model in Slovakia. She emphasized that the path to the effective use of the CAF model and to obtaining the title Effective user of the CAF model requires for the principles of excellence to become an integral part of the organization.

Her recommendation to the guarantors and methodology specialists is to include activities such as the implementation of the CAF model and its maintenance in the descriptions of the civil service activities of the organization's employees, as well as in the quality management education system, and also to  regularly inform their management about the steps of implementing and using the CAF model.

The presentation of Ľubomír Plai, a long-time expert in the civil service, was in the spirit of a historical cross-section - 20 years of the CAF Model in Slovakia. He emphasized the need for education and development of employees in public administration in the area of continuous quality improvement. The performance management and employee development system, together with a comprehensive management plan, considers changes to be important pillars of innovation in public administration.

CAF methodology specialist of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic, Peter Minárik, shared his experience with the implementation of the 2nd cycle and the defense of the title Effective user of the CAF model. His recommendations resonated with the ideas of a functional management system that is based on employee engagement and information availability. He sees the application of the CAF model as a tool to improve the quality of services provided by partners and at the same time as a way to create a healthy working environment that supports innovation and development.

In his contribution, Róbert Petík, financial manager from the recovery plan section and member of the CAF team of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic, focused on effective processes in relation to the CAF model. Effective and good management of public property as the highest goal requires defined, transparent, and visualized processes. An important prerequisite for improvement in the form of a new desired state is a thorough analysis of current processes in the organization of public administration.

The president of the Slovak Society for Quality, Milan Šesták, spoke about the need to set innovative thinking in public administration. A culture of continuous improvement is a philosophy that delivers lasting value. The use of the CAF model systematically supports the organization's ability to constantly improve, adapt and thus satisfy the dynamic demands of customers.

Philip Parzer, head of the KDZ CAF Center, came from Vienna to share his experience with the use of the CAF model not only in Austria, but also in the surrounding countries where KDZ provides services, with Slovak methodology specialists and guarantors of the CAF model. He compared the CAF model to a view from a balcony of a panorama/landscape... which allows one to see and perceive the environment from a vantage point and in mutual contexts. He emphasized the need to institutionalize the CAF model into the organization's internal regulations and educate all levels of management on how to use the CAF model and thus achieve better results.

The contribution of Martin Štuller from the HR department of the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic was a very good input for starting an active discussion among the conference participants, as he addressed the topic of supporting the use of the CAF model by the management of the organization. He also connected his experience with the results of the questionnaires that were distributed by the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic in the preparatory phase of the conference.

The conference participants appreciated the debate and mutual sharing of experience. At the end of the conference, the participants wrote down their expectations, or recommendations and the requirements that would help them use the CAF model more effectively in their organization and thus achieve better results at the level of their organization and at the national level.

We look forward to further beneficial working meetings.

Peter Minárik, CAF methodology specialist, Government Office of the Slovak Republic

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