Process Improvement: What Does Good Look Like?

When you are starting out on a Continuous Improvement adventure there is always a risk... that our view of the world doesn't include the best that we could have. Knowing what 'good' looks like is invaluable when we are charting our course of action.

One of my clients had an issue with how their ERP system was working. The biggest problem however was that some of the senior management team thought that what they were doing wasn't that bad, it was just the results that were poor. When two of the directors and myself gave them some additional options they revised what 'good' looked like.

Sometimes it is a chance encounter with someone in your business that sparks an idea that paves the way to better ideas. Sometimes it is an idea from a book (or maybe a blog!) that can help you see a little further than you do currently.

Using the acid test question of 'will this change give me what I want?' can help you to determine if where you are going to looks good. If the hard work of re-engineering your business isn't going to take you to where you want / need to be then it is worth taking the time to have another think.

Just as my clients needed to better understand what was available to decide what looked good as an improvement destination it is vital for all businesses to decide for themselves what good looks like before they start.

What does good look like for your business?

Giles Johnston
...optimising MRP systems and re-engineering business processes

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