The above graphic sets out the improvement route map used by award winning and respected organisations to deliver long term year on year increases in performance but why is such a framework necessary?

This framework is designed to support a progressive engagement of the organisation with continous improvement. so that gains made are sustained. It overcomes the most common cause of failure which arises when the individuals who deliver initial improvements move on and the organisation slips back into it's old ways.

The experience of succesful improvement organisation shows that:

1. As improvements are implemented, previously complex or specialist tasks are simplified and must be delegated to lock in the gains;
   
2. As the changes are implemented the change process must be supported simultaneously at all levels to build momentum and achieve critical mass. Below this critical mass, change will only be temporary.

Policy Development

The policy development and deployment milestones are set out across the top of the graphic. This defines the lead team role and includes:

1. Using experiences gained during the initial project/pilot to identify and target gaps in the fabric of management policy;
2. Positive action to stabilise and refine best practice milestones to establish and condition new ways of working.

Champions, Change Team and Facilitator Roles
These are the leadership roles necessary to support the improvement process. They are defined and agreed during the initial review (click here for more details).

Champions/business sponsors deal with longer term direction, the middle management/change team deal with the adoption of new working practices and the front line teams deliver (with support) the detail of improving quality, cost and delivery performance.

The review deliverables also include a programme to develop the capability of these key roles and a costed opportunity treasure map to help them to set accountabilities to secure a single "end to end" improvement agenda across the whole organisation (click here for more details).

Making It Happen!

The planning and preparation stage includes awareness and training for key personnel. Often this includes a hands on 4 day workshop to provide experience of applying improvement tools and mobilise the implementation team.

The pilot or initial project provides a number of roles. Firstly to develop in house capability, to show what can be achieved and to highlight constraints to progress prior to widening involvement. through the roll out cascade. The pilot and subsequent phases use a structured Action Learning format (click here for more details). This is a quarterly format providing a steady heartbeat for the setting and delivery of improvemnt goals. During this time the improvement teams follow one of two structured improvement plan workbooks depending on the needs of the improvement project. These workbooks provide the improvement team with a step by step programme of proven improvement techniques to help them to understand the value stream under review, assess potential for improvement, structure and implement improved ways of working and deliver focussed improvement targets.

Raising Standards

The roll out process is characterised by setting and raising standards to progress towards zero breakdowns and value stream optimisation. This is supported by the use of stepwise audit/coaching benchmarks (see below) to assess the current status of the improvement proecss and support the development of team and leadership capability to progress to the next level. The last 2 milestones as used to support transformation of operations to release additional customer value and secure never ending improvement.

Multi Site Cascade

The graphic below provides an overview of a multi site implementation cascade. This is designed to pass on the experience of lead sites at the same time as building essential ownership and learning within each new location. Experience of implementation gained in the lead sites will speed up the implementation process in each tranche of the implementation process. It will also encourage refinement of best practice and two way sharing of best practice.

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For further details contact:
Name Dennis McCarthy
email: dennis.mccarthy@dakconsulting.co.uk
voice: 01491 845504