We've broken down the development of a continuous improvement culture into phases.
Phase 1, Introduction and Exploration, helps you navigate your first encounters with Lean and continuous improvement.
Phase 2, Committing, is when the final decision to move forward with a continuous improvement oriented business management system is made.
Phase 3, Starting the Journey, is where the effort to build a better business management system really starts in earnest.
In Phase 4, Building the Foundation, the bedrock of your continuous improvement tools are laid.
In Phase 5, you press the accelerator, and add to all the foundation your built in Phase 4.
In Phase 6, you will be challenged with keeping momentum, and with integrating new advances in Lean thinking.
Phase 1 is the most ambiguous phase. It can take a long time for leaders to feel ready to commit, if the ever get there. Or they can jump right in almost immediately.
The most important task on this checklist is the designation of someone as the standard bearer for the changes that will come: th...
Phase 2 is centered on getting commitment to the pending changes, especially at the top level.
While there are not a lot of steps in this phase, they are significant, as key leaders have to begin budgeting.
It is in the Microsoft Excel format, so can be easily edited to meet the needs of your com...
Phase 3 gates center on developing the beginnings of a continuous improvement culture. This includes problem solving and a variety of leadership tools.
It is in the Microsoft Excel format, so can be easily edited to meet the needs of your company.
This checklist highlights the important gates from Phase 4, Building the Foundation) of our Continuous Improvement Development Guide. Phase 4 is geared towards creating competence in a variety of continuous improvement tools.
It is in the Microsoft Excel format, so can be easily edited to meet t...
Phase 5 is about more. More advanced tools on top of the core skills. More areas making improvements. More projects.
By this phase, a continuous improvement culture will be fairly well established and the goals is to take advantage of that condition with lots of improvement.
It is in the Micros...
By the time you reach Phase 6, you will be a very streamlined company, with a robust business system in place.
The Phase 6 Checklist helps you keep moving forward. It introduces a few more sophisticated tools, but this phase primarily pushes you to do many things at a deeper level.
For most org...