This Continuous Improvement Cycle of
Plan – Do – Check – Act –
is a well established Quality Assurance tool –
This approach can be used for any situation where making improvements is desired.
It does take commitment and focus to the process to achieve the best results. It requires discipline. It also requires that you delve deep into areas – really understand how they work to develop and improve the process.
The Continuous Improvement approach follows the following steps:
1. Plan – the activities you are undertaking – identify the problems you are facing or the improvements you are wanting to introduce. Really go into this in depth – find some measurements – otherwise know as KPI’s – Key Performance Indicators to show how the progress is going with the following improvements you have made.
2. Do – Make the Improvements or Changes you have decided will make the difference. Improving processes , establishing systems that work , eliminating complex systems for easier ones. etc. Make the changes and follow the impact with measuring the KPI’s.
3. Check – Do an Audit and see how the improvements are tracking – looking at the KPI’s will give a good indication – asking questions with the people involved to see how things are going. Do this questioning in depth – because here you will find out if further improvements are required.
4. Act – Here you make the improvements found necessary from the audit in Step 3 – Check – Adjustments to the initial approach are made in this step – then implement the changes and then keep checking the KPI’s .
This is a Continuous Improvement Cycle – you keep working on improving your systems and procedures in whatever industry or service or profession you are in. This process can keep Small Business’s up-to-date and facing issues that if left unaddressed could cause huge impact.
The Speakers Practice – Succeed Program integrates this four step process to enable Small Businesses to exceed their objectives along the pathway to Success. To find out more – contact Adrienne McLean on adrienne@thespeakerspractice.com.au
or ring on 0414 367 960.