IMPROVEMENT MODEL

THE MODEL FOR IMPROVEMENT There are three fundamental questions that can be used to guide improvement efforts. Then using Plan – Do – Study – Act cycle. The model for improvement can be used to improve products or processes and can be used for simple or complex situations. The higher the level of appropriate knowledge, the better the improvements will be. Therefore, any approach to improvement must be based on building knowledge and on applying it appropriately.

THE THREE QUESTIONS ARE:- 1. What are we trying to accomplish? The key behind answering this question is to provide an aim for improvement efforts. This will guide efforts and keep them focused. The use of data especially data related to customers perceptions of quality, is important to make sure the aim is focused in the right area.

2. How will we know that a change is an improvement? The answer to this question provides criteria for knowing whether a change actually results in an improvement. If a change is made, measures of the criteria improve, and the improvement is sustained over a period of time, then it can be concluded that the change led to improvement. The effectiveness of the improvement effort depends in part on the ability to measure the criteria.

3. What changes can we make that will result in improvement? This question is answered by developing changes and testing one or more on a small scale. Testing is done to predict the effect that one or more changes would have if they were implemented. The plan for the test should cover Who will do What, When and Where.

Testing a change is not always easy. Things might happen that are unplanned, the change might not affect the measures, or there might be unwanted side effects. To show how the model for improvement can be applied, here is an example of how the owners of a diner used it to improve service to their customers; A diner has been in business at the same location for 10 years. During this time, the diner has built a reputation for good food and service. Recently, however, customers have been complaining that they spend more than a third of their lunch beak waiting to order and get their food. Since the diner thrives on the patronage of people who have only 30 to 45 minutes to eat, both its reputation and business would suffer if something were not done.

1. What are we trying to accomplish ? The answer to the first question was “we want to make changes in how we prepare for and run our lunch business so that our customers receive better service”.

2. How will we know that a change is an improvement? After discussions with the diner’s employees, several important facts came to light; Customers were waiting in line for up to 15 minutes. Tables were usually available. Many customers were regulars. People taking the orders and preparing the food were getting in each other’s way.

To measure the improvement that might result from any change they made, the owners decided to collect data during lunch on The number of customers in line. The number of empty tables. The time until a customer is served.

These measures became the criteria by which to judge a change’s effect. Background information gathered through conversations is often sufficient in many situations. At times, such tools and methods as; Flow charts Cause-and-effect diagrams. Pareto Check sheet and other tools are useful.

3. What changes can we make that will result in improvement? The owners and employees spent some time thinking about what changes they could make to improve the service to customers at lunch time. They identified possible changes they believed would affect the criteria, including:- Change the menu. Move to a new location. Change the layout of the serving, dining and food preparation areas. Have regular customers phone in their orders. Add another cash register. Have regular customers send their orders by fax.

The owners first ran a cycle to collect data on the performance of the current system. In the second cycle, they decided to test some changes but to limit their changes to those that cost less than 500 $. Here is what they accomplished within each phase of the second cycle.

PLAN The changes that they decided on were; Provide a way for customers to send their orders by fax ( rent a fax machine for one month). Construct a preparation table for fax orders in the kitchen. Where there is ample room. Devote one of the two cash registers for fax orders. Both the length of the line and the number of empty tables would be measured every 15 minutes during the lunch hour by one of the owners. In addition, when the 15 minutes line check was done, the owner would not the last person in line and measures the time until that person was served.

DO After making the changes, the results of three measures (number of people in line, empty tables, and time in line) where observed for two weeks.

STUDY Several improvements were detected. Time in line went from 15 minutes to an average of 5 minutes. The line length was reduced to an average of 12 people. The number of empty tables decreased slightly.

ACT After a meeting with all employees to discuss the results. The owner decided to purchase the fax machine they had rented, prepare phone orders in the kitchen with the fax order and use both cash registers to handle walk-in and fax orders.