We get the chance to chat with managers and leaders who are faced with a wide variety of business challenges. One of the most common is the struggle to make meaningful change that lasts rather than quick fixes that don’t stand the test of time. From the process operator’s point of view, things are changed frequently but rarely improved. This post is all about how to change that by adding structure, using supporting tools, and applying a few tips that have served our customers well. With care and intention, you can create and implement a process improvement plan that gets results.
Process Improvement Methodologies
Two widely used methodologies for process improvement are PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Adjust) and DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control). PDSA is commonly associated with Lean business management, while DMAIC aligns with Six Sigma’s statistical process control methods.
Related: Support and Facilitate Each Step of Your PDSA Process with KaiNexus
Both methodologies offer structured approaches to improvement, and learning about them can significantly enhance your efforts. However, even if you’re not using a formal methodology, the elements of an effective process improvement plan remain consistent.
Phase I: Stabilize the Process
Spoiler alert: Your process improvement plan will ultimately result in a new standard way of performing each task—one that represents the current best practice. This new standard will be documented and consistently followed by all operators.
If your current process lacks stability and consistency, this is where you need to start. Even if the existing process is suboptimal, ensure that all operators perform tasks the same way to create a baseline.
Why is this important?
To determine if your changes lead to improvement, you need reliable baseline data. Consistent execution is essential for accurate measurement, so standardize your current process long enough to gather objective results.
Phase II: Identify the Problem and Its Root Cause
Every process improvement effort starts with a reason: defects, inefficiencies, excessive costs, or other pain points. Clearly define the problem you want to solve.
Next, uncover the root cause of the problem. Avoid settling for superficial solutions like labeling issues as “human error.” Instead, focus on processes and workplace conditions. For example, error-proofing a process can eliminate opportunities for mistakes.
Key Tip: Involve the people closest to the process. Operators, customers, and team members who experience the problem firsthand often provide invaluable insights. Their involvement also increases buy-in and ensures a more sustainable solution.
A powerful tool for root cause analysis is the “5 Whys” technique. Start with the problem and ask “why” until the root cause becomes clear. Here’s an example:
- Problem: My car won’t start.
- Why? The battery is dead.
- Why? The alternator is failing.
- Why? Too many accessories are straining the charging system.
If you stop at the first “why,” you’d replace the battery but not solve the deeper issue. By digging deeper, you identify what truly needs to change.
Phase III: Set Goals and Explore Possible Solutions
Now that you’ve stabilized your processes, established baseline results, and identified the root cause of the problem, defining what will constitute an improvement makes sense. Of course, your goals will vary based on your business and the type of process, but regardless, they should be as specific and measurable as possible. Examples might include:
- Increase production by 5%.
- Have zero safety incidents for the month.
- Improve client satisfaction scores by 10%.
- Get 50 five-star reviews on Facebook.
When setting goals, keep in mind that what you are looking for is incremental improvement. Process improvement is ongoing work, so you don’t have to get to perfection in one shot. Instead, frequent small changes are the path to success.
As is the case with the car example above, sometimes identifying the root cause of the problem will make the way to achieve your goals clear. In other cases, you’ll need to evaluate multiple possible solutions to the problem and choose the one with the highest chance of success. The change may be something as simple as changing how workers communicate, or you may need to redesign the process entirely.
Phase IV: Implement the Solution and Measure the Results
Now you are ready to document the project plan, implement the proposed solution, and measure the results. How long you will need to wait to know if your solution was effective depends on the nature of the process and the type of change. The process must be consistently performed during the measurement phase according to the new practice. This becomes somewhat of a “candidate standard” while you wait to gather enough data to determine if your change worked.
Once the data is in, a few possible results will guide the next steps.
The change achieved the stated goal. Amazing! You can now move directly to Phase V.
The change represented an improvement but did not meet the stated goal. Incremental progress is still progress, so it may make sense to move to Phase V and start another improvement cycle to try more solutions. It also may be the case that there is a way to amplify the change you implemented to get more of the results you seek. In that case, make some slight adjustments and gather more data.
The change did not achieve improvement. In this case, you have a couple of things to think about. First, if there were other proposed solutions, you might implement one of them and then measure again. Another thing to consider is that perhaps you did not find the root cause of the problem after all.
Phase V: Control for Lasting Change
If you’ve achieved some or all of the desired results, it is time to ensure that the improvement holds up over time. The first thing to do is share and document the new best practice and make sure it is adhered to consistently. It is also good to set a cadence for measurement against your new baseline result to make sure that it doesn’t slip after a month or a quarter.
A structured process improvement plan is your blueprint for creating meaningful, lasting change. By stabilizing processes, identifying root causes, setting measurable goals, implementing solutions, and controlling outcomes, you can move beyond temporary fixes to achieve sustained success.