Local Government Reduced Public Records Access Time By 44% With Kure
PROJECT SUMMARY
Problem: A city government office in New York was taking more than six business days to fulfill public records requests, well beyond their five-day policy goal. Residents were getting frustrated, and internal teams were under pressure to keep up.
With help from Kure, an AI-powered process improvement platform, the team transformed their workflow and cut response time by 44%, reducing the average wait to under four business days, without compromising service quality or accuracy.
The Problem
In government, quick access to public records is more than just good service—it’s a promise of transparency and accountability. Residents, reporters, and businesses depend on this access to stay informed and make decisions. When that access is delayed, trust starts to erode.
In this case, public records requests were averaging over six days—well past the five-day limit set by policy. People were waiting too long, and complaints were on the rise. Behind the scenes, staff were juggling requests alongside other responsibilities, creating stress and inefficiencies across the board.
But the problem wasn’t just about speed. The real concern was the growing gap between what people expected and what they were experiencing: Trust. That’s where Ethical Efficiency™, came into play. The team understood that improving performance wasn’t just about getting faster—it was about delivering fair, reliable access to information that affects people’s lives.
To take on the challenge, a team of professionals led by a project leader enrolled in Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training used Kure to guide the effort. Kure’s AI-powered workflow walked the team through each step of the proven DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) process, offering helpful examples, smart suggestions, and data-driven insights along the way. This support helped the team complete their project up to three times faster than traditional improvement methods.
The Root Causes
With Kure’s step-by-step guidance, the team took a close look at the entire request process. It didn’t take long to uncover the key issues:
The request form was confusing and lacked clear instructions, leading to incomplete submissions.
Many of the records being requested weren’t easy to locate, requiring extra time to fulfill.
Everyone had a different way of handling requests—there was no standard process.
Too many staff members were involved in routing requests, slowing everything down.
The people handling requests were also responsible for other tasks, causing bottlenecks.
These challenges made it difficult for the team to keep up—and even harder for residents to get what they needed.
The Solutions
Using Kure, the team quickly identified the best solutions and put them into action:
Revamped the Request Form to include clearer instructions so residents could submit accurate and complete requests.
Streamlined Internal Roles by reassigning staff to better support the flow of requests.
Proposed Additional Staffing to focus specifically on public records requests, easing the load on the current team.
With Kure guiding the way, these changes were implemented smoothly and efficiently. The result was a more organized, consistent, and manageable process.
The Results
Thanks to their hard work—and Kure’s AI-powered support—the results were impressive:
Response time dropped from 6.1 to 3.9 business days, a 44% improvement
Requests were completed faster and more accurately
Staff felt less overwhelmed and more in control
Resident satisfaction increased thanks to quicker, more dependable service
Even better, the improvements were sustainable. With a cleaner process and better tools, the team could keep moving forward without falling back into old habits.
Conclusion
By using Kure’s intelligent workflow, the city didn’t just speed things up—they made the process better for everyone involved. Kure helped the team stay focused, uncover the right solutions, and complete the project in record time.
This initiative is a great example of Ethical Efficiency™, where operational improvements also protect fairness, trust, and access. The team didn’t just check a box—they raised the standard for how local government serves its community.
Now, the city is better equipped to meet future demands with a process that’s smart, sustainable, and centered around people. Thanks to Kure, they’ve built a system that delivers transparency and trust faster than ever.
*We value our clients’ confidentiality. While we’ve changed their names, the results are real.
