10 Ideas to Successfully Manage an Improvement Project
For many managers, there’s a sizable skill set difference between their ability to brainstorm great improvement projects and their ability to successfully guide a team to make meaningful improvements a reality. In June, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) hosted a brief podcast on that very topic — how to successfully manage a performance improvement project. IHI executive directors Karen Baldoza and Christina Gunther-Murphy, along with University of Wisconsin Health Improvement Coach Julianna Spranger, noted that managers often readily acknowledge that process improvement project management is not their full-time job. It’s more likely to be a responsibility that is added on. Although they want to help their organization succeed in these efforts, they often feel inadequate in this role. In a follow-up piece to the broadcast, Baldoza, Gunther-Murphy and Spranger offer “15 Concrete Ideas to Manage an Improvement Project.” To quickly summarize, they advise managers to: Front load the work to ensure proper project planning; Concentrate on learning, instead of perfection, to help focus the team and obtain of the “buy-in; Make the CI process easy, as this type of work is often done in addition to the team’s regular job; Build a big enough tent (team) to guarantee that the right people are either on the team or available as consultants for the project team; and Guarantee that the project has defined endpoints, including an end date and deliverables. It is important for CI practitioners to remember the human element when conducting process improvement activities. It can be very easy to become so focused on the “how” a project is run that one loses track of the “who” and “why” of a project. Other great IHI tips to protect team members and other participants include: Holding an extended initial meeting to help establish ground rules and build the team; Utilizing sampling to avoid survey fatigue; Using existing meetings when possible to conduct team activities; Employing visuals such as charts and storyboards to help keep team members engaged; and Establishing a 30-60-90 day plan for implementation, validation, and closure of the project. Got 5 minutes? Check out the short broadcast and article. The tips not only provide a framework for effective problem-solving, but also for ensuring a positive experience for the entire team. How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreTwo Process Improvement Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Several years ago my employer decided to begin utilizing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) for its continuous improvement (CI) methodology. While this was lauded by many in the company, there were others that were not pleased with this decision. LSS was either viewed as the CI “flavor of the month,” or as a way for management to justify reductions in staff. In either case, it was often very difficult to gain the support of potential project sponsors and team members. Most LSS implementations are greeted favorably. Unfortunately, on occasion, some CI executions are not so well received. This can happen for many reasons. One common error is the idea that LSS can be used to fix all problems. No matter what the issue is, leaders try to utilize LSS tools to correct the problems. This often gives very poor results and frustrates everyone involved. To avoid this pitfall, make sure every project has a solid charter statement, which gives an overview of the problem and project goals. This will help leaders determine if using LSS tools is appropriate to achieve the desired outcomes. Another reason for poor reception is the fact that some project sponsors use LSS as a way to justify implementing a predetermined solution. While there are some issues that have obvious solutions (also known as “just do it”), many are not so simple and require significant effort to make appropriate changes. Forcing a team to accept a predetermined solution can waste the time of everyone involved and cause resentment among team members and those affected by the changes. If this sounds all too familiar, try this. When having team meetings, focus on listening. While you are likely to see obvious improvements early on, do not start leading your team to the solution you created. If participants begin to suggest ideas for improvement, write down their ideas. Also focus on understanding the current process. Assuring others that their suggestions are valued and will be considered is often enough to allow them to refocus on the current exercise. One tool that might help is to start a project “parking lot” for these ideas and remind participants that the team will discuss them after you all have a better understanding of the existing process. A successful CI program requires buy-in from employees throughout the organization. By ensuring that the implementation avoids issues such as predetermined solutions (obvious bias) and over-zealous/incorrect usage of LSS tools, a company can help promote a culture of CI throughout the organization. How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreDefining Moments
I am a bit of a do-it-yourself-er, especially when it comes to home repair projects. I recently decided to add an auxiliary battery system to my sump pump. While I was looking at the various types of pipe and connectors at the local hardware store, I was not able to find a certain item. I asked the sales associate for plumber’s tape. He looked at me a little confused. At first, he showed me some nylon tape used to prevent pipe fittings from leaking. Then, he asked if I wanted a measuring tape. After we spent a few minutes discussing my needs (i. e., hanging plastic pipe from the ceiling), we finally agreed that I was speaking of an item called “Galvanized Hanger Iron” by the manufacturer. So, after more than 15 minutes of trying to identifying a single item, I finally obtained the supplies that I needed for my 30 minute project. This same problem can be seen in many process improvement projects. Often, team members do not agree on the definition of certain aspects of a project, such as the proper name for an item or how an activity should be measured. The confusion begins when teams use words that are open to interpretation. For example, abstract qualities such as “world-class,” “timeliness” or “responsiveness” are popular today, but may mean different things to different people. To help prevent this type of ambiguity, it is helpful for the team to develop operational definitions that result in uniform interpretation. For example, “timely delivery” can be specified as being delivery within two hours, or two days or two months. It is then measurable, and the results can be useful for process improvement. Operational definitions can include various factors such as: what constitutes a transaction, including start and stop points time (seconds versus minutes) distance (feet versus meters) scale (1-10 versus 1-100). By establishing operational definitions, everyone involved can be assured of using the same criteria when evaluating a process and developing appropriate solutions. How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreDon’t Forget to Show Your Work
When I was in grade school, I loved math. It was a subject that I really enjoyed and excelled in. Image my surprise when, on my first seventh grade math test, I received an ‘F.’ I could not believe it. I asked my teacher why she gave me such a low grade. She told me that, while I correctly answered all of the questions, I failed to show my work on how I arrived at my answers. Needless to say, I never made that mistake again! One of the biggest mistakes a continuous improvement (CI) program team can make is not showing others how well the program is working. CI progress can be demonstrated in many ways, from designing and presenting a poster, to developing a simple spreadsheet dashboard, to creating a visual factory display for use by line workers and management. By informing others about the status and progress of the CI initiative, the team can gain needed acceptance and encouragement. The CI team needs to determine the best methods for communicating the goals and results of each project. A strong CI program depends on employee engagement. By showing everyone how well the program is working, an organization can demonstrate the usefulness of the program and gain needed support throughout the company. How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreGlobal Good: Kaizen Concept Helps Nations in Need
This week, the Sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD VI) took place in Nairobi, Kenya. The conference reflects an amazing partnership between Japan and Africa that has spanned 23 years, and is still going strong. The purpose of the gathering is to foster economic development innovations, which have initially focused on agriculture and light industries. Through the implementation of humanitarian and economic initiatives, the Japanese government and several companies have contributed to the welfare of millions of Africans. Of particular interest is the use of the Japanese concept of KAIZEN to empower African workers to continuously improve their current working methods to increase productivity and safety. “KAIZEN” enhances productivity and decreases defective goods through the initiatives and ingenuity of the people working on the production lines. The common philosophy running through this is trust in each individual worker. It is a philosophy and a method born in Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shared that one of the goals of the collaborative between Japan and Africa is to increase productivity by 30 percent in factories where KAIZEN is introduced. Sound like an ambitious goal? Maybe so. But thanks to this focus on operational improvement, Africa has already many successes. In Ethiopia, for example, a shoe manufacturer called Peacock Shoe Factory received training in KAIZEN 17 times, resulting in daily production jumping from 500 pairs of shoes a day to 800 — a 60 percent increase. The turnaround came as Chinese imports began to swamp the local shoe market in 2000. In an unexpected twist of fortune, the Chinese challenge presented an opportunity for the Ethiopian shoe manufacturer, pushing the company to focus on the quality, design and durability of their products. Now, Peacock earns more than $4 million a year from exports to Europe. Too often, economic development programs provide money and technical assistance for starting new companies or initiatives, but do not offer methodologies for ensuring the long-term success for these activities. By helping to instill the ideals of KAIZEN and along with Lean and Six Sigma, employees and management are better prepared to face the challenges that develop during the transition into economic stability. Sharing of knowledge is as important, if not more so, than just providing money. By ensuring that managers and employees are well versed in the precepts of continuous improvement, the participants of the Sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development can know that those they are helping will soon be able to help themselves and those around them. How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check up,” please email me! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive workplace. ...
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