| A process can be defined as a set of steps or | | | | currently in use and reviewed them you are ready to |
| activities that uses defined inputs to produce an | | | | clearly describe how the work is to be done going |
| outcome. While this may not be the real textbook | | | | forward. Write a procedure. Pictures or flow charts |
| definition, it is a descriptive working definition for | | | | can be great tools to help you in developing the |
| businesses today. Improving the work being done in | | | | procedures. |
| any organization involves a systematic approach. This | | | | 5. How well is the work being done? This is where you |
| is really what continual improvement is all about. These | | | | define the metrics so that real performance results |
| seven questions, when carefully considered and | | | | can be monitored or measured. Focus on the desired |
| answered by knowledgeable people in the organization | | | | outcomes and not on measuring specific steps in the |
| can help achieve improved outcomes for your | | | | work being done unless they are directly tied to the |
| company. | | | | output. |
| 1. What is the work being done now? Sometimes | | | | 6. How can the work be done better? Now, we're |
| businesses get so enamored with the latest and | | | | getting to the continual improvement piece of the |
| greatest fad they forget the basics of the real work to | | | | action. Identify specific action steps that are required |
| be done. This is a good time to take a step back and | | | | for doing the work better. Better may be defined as |
| really assess the work being done in a given process | | | | more output per given input (yield), less time, less |
| or business unit. | | | | waste, more money for the outputs...you get the idea. |
| 2. How is the work being done now? This is where | | | | Focus on the metrics that need to get better. |
| you can review the procedures, or in the absence of | | | | 7. What are you going to do about it? This is perhaps |
| written procedures clearly identify the steps being | | | | the most critical question of all. Without doing anything |
| done. | | | | to improve the process, all of the above actions have |
| 3. What is the work to be done? Does what is being | | | | been a waste. |
| done (#1 above) match up with what is supposed to | | | | Doing the work of the business better day after day, |
| done in this area, department, or group of activities. | | | | week after week, month after month is a never |
| 4. How will the work be done? Once you have | | | | ending struggle. But, it is the way to beat the |
| identified the work to be done, the procedures | | | | competition year after year. Get busy and do it! |