Quality Circles in Fort Collins: A Municipal Perspective and Experience

Abstract

One of the most extensive experiments in the public sector with Quality Circles has been underway in the City of Fort Collins, Colorado since 1980. Development of the Quality Circle program began directly from productivity problems in the City's equipment shop to the establishment of over 20 circles today. Structure, training strategies, implementation process, and evaluation of organizational impacts and performance accomplishments are reviewed. Many of the steps followed by Fort Collins contradict “conventional methods” advocated for implementing quality circles leading to the conclusion that there are multiple routes for achieving a successful program.