Another good practice falls away!

When you get into a process improvement conversation there is always the chance of recovering old ground. The great idea that you have just had may well be something that has already been tried, but stopped working.

Most of these 'failed' ideas are only a tweak away from being brilliant solutions. If you recall the PDCA (Plan Do Check Act) improvement cycle then you will know what I mean.

The PDCA Continuous Improvement Cycle

When a new way of working falls over the PDCA cycle gets you to consider why it fell over. It gets you to consider how to make it work better, and then urges you to make the necessary corrections.

I have seen countless improvements that have ceased to be because they didn't work the first time. A little encouragement, and use of the feedback as to why it fell over, is all it can take to implement a really good improvement.

How is it going for your business? Do you need to share the PDCA approach with more people?

Giles Johnston
Author of 'Business Process Re-Engineering', a practical plan to improve business performance.

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