continuous improvement case study

Continuous Improvement 101 & 201: Models, Processes, and Plans

By Kate Eby | January 4, 2020 (updated September 21, 2023)

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Small daily efforts can reduce waste and raise the quality of output. Use the following tips, examples, and improvement plan templates to implement changes in your organization. Experts share case studies and advice to help you get started. 

In this article, you’ll find principles of continuous improvement , examples , case studies , and plan templates .

What Is Continuous Improvement?

In continuous improvement (CI) , teams attempt to make products and processes better by reducing waste or improving quality. The continuous improvement process can include small incremental changes over time or breakthrough changes that occur all at once.

Marshall Ariza, a Principal Consultant at Firefly Consulting , explains, “Continuous improvement is a generic term used to describe Lean, Six Sigma, and the Theory of Constraints. It’s a discipline of how to look at a situation or activity to help the people who do the work perform the tasks faster and at a higher quality, meaning with more predictable outcomes.” 

Searching for problems, sketching out solutions, and iterating on improvements are at the heart of many formal methodologies — the name may change, but it’s all continuous improvement. 

Ideally, entire organizations — regardless of role or department — should practice continuous improvement as part of their daily routine. With its emphasis on lowering costs and raising efficiency, continuous improvement is a pillar of Lean management and therefore, can help companies in all industries gain a competitive advantage. Continuous improvement may sound like just another generic management theory, but when done correctly, it can be powerful and transformative.

Continuous Process Improvement

Continuous process improvement (CPI) is another term for continuous improvement. Both terms describe regular efforts to change software, tools, methods, and processes. These changes can improve products, delight customers, and result in larger profits.  

Continuous Process Improvement Steps

The basic continuous process improvement model includes the four steps of the PDCA cycle: plan, do, check, act. Although other improvement models have steps with different names, the PDCA activities still form the core of these improvement frameworks.

• Plan: Identify problems or a goal. 
• Do: Formulate a theory or solution. Establish metrics. Implement a solution. 
• Check: Track the efficacy of the solution and adjust solutions, as necessary. Watch for new problems or areas of focus. 
• Act: Apply the learnings from the previous steps on a wider scale or restart the cycle to find new goals or implement improved solutions. 

PDCA is a simple, repeatable system for addressing problems and testing solutions. The PDCA cycle, also known as the Deming cycle , gave root to other continuous improvement models, such as Six Sigma and the DMAIC cycle. Learn more about PDCA by reading “ A Quality Principle: Everything You Need to Know about Total Quality Management .”

Continuous or Continual Improvement?

Although continuous improvement and continual improvement are sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings: 

• Continual Improvement: Some quality practitioners believe that continual improvement refers to assorted efforts in different departments using a variety of methods. Not everyone who works in quality management systems recognizes the term continual.
• Continuous Improvement: The same quality pundits consider continuous improvement to refer to specific efforts within continual improvement. The ISO 9000 Technical Committee 176 debated the choice of words in the 1990s and decided against “continuous” because it implies an impossible activity wherein improvements would be made minute to minute. However, other practitioners think that continuous improvement means that everyone in an organization works toward making improvements daily. The term may also be associated with statistical process control. However, use of the term may vary by industry. For instance, ISO 14000, the environmental management standard, uses the term “continual” to refer to separate, ongoing improvement projects.

Kaizen Continuous Improvement

According to Ariza, “Continuous improvement is a take-off of Kaizen, or ‘do a little bit all the time.’ Keep making gradual improvements, reviewing them, and asking yourself every day, ‘How can we make this better?’ You will get those changes and improvements.”

As a continuous improvement approach, Kaizen helps organizations to enhance output quality, lower costs, raise morale, and empower employees. More of a philosophy than a methodology, Kaizen is less structured than Six Sigma. However, Kaizen does use visual tools such as value stream mapping and Kanban boards to track process flows. To learn more about Kaizen, read “ Definitive Guide to Lean Project Management .”

Lean Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is a key part of Lean and Agile management. Lean methods help teams to eliminate waste and simplify workflows. Lean was first used in manufacturing, but is now used by many other industries as well. 

Built on Kaizen, Lean continuous improvement shares the principles of creating big shifts from small changes and encouraging employees to offer new ideas. Lean continuous improvement creates process refinements by helping teams explore new ways of working. Learn more about  this methodology by reading “ The Indispensable Guide to Lean Process Improvement with Templates and Case Studies .”

Six Sigma Continuous Improvement

Six Sigma is a formal method of continuous improvement that removes variability and raises the likelihood of creating the results teams want. Most widely used in the form of Lean Six Sigma , the method uses the DMAIC cycle. 

Analogous to PDCA, DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. In Six Sigma initiatives, trained Six Sigma practitioners support organizations in their data-driven improvement projects. The results-based, competitive-improvement framework for operational excellence is an offshoot of Six Sigma. The methodology uses the Continuous Improvement Maturity Model (CIMM) to gauge an organization’s progress in using Lean Six Sigma methods. Learn more about this framework by reading “ Operational Excellence: Key Principles and How to Implement Them .” Six Sigma employs many of the analytical tools used in quality management, such as business process mapping, fishbone diagrams, SIPOC, and more.

Continuous Improvement Case Studies

Giles Johnston is a chartered engineer who consults with businesses to improve their operational processes, and the author of Effective SOPs .  He and Firefly Consulting’s Marshall Ariza offer the following case studies of how real companies used continuous improvement processes: 

• CCC Win: Johnston worked with a team who had never performed formal business process or continuous improvement work. The tool of choice: a cause, concern, and countermeasure (CCC) exercise . To begin, they sketched out their current workflow and pulled it apart. That’s a bit stupid . That doesn’t work. That only works half of the time. Only half of our customers do this . “Within a couple of hours, they had 40 legitimate concerns about their process, which they then converted into an action plan. The countermeasures became action steps in their plan,” Johnston says, 
• Maintenance Walkthrough: Johnson walked through a plant with an engineer. “Just tell me everything that gets up your back,” he told the employee. He listed everything the man told him, and together they flipped the list around to draft an action plan. The engineer’s reaction: “I didn’t think it could be that easy.”
• Continuous Improvement Bingo Win: CI bingo is an ice-breaking tool to start discussions about improvement. Johnston shares an example of a team that, while playing bingo, half in jest, suggested their invoices could be prettier . When the invoices were formatted, and a logo added, the accounting team noticed that customers were paying bills faster. A quick survey of those customers revealed that customers lost the plain invoices on cluttered desks. Customers could now find the colorful sheets.
• Great Product, Poor Company Culture: Ariza describes a client whose customers said something to the effect of: We love your product, but we hate dealing with the company . “As a CEO or COO, how do you deal with that?” he asks. “That’s how continuous improvement helped. The organization could dig deeper to discover where the problem stood, whether with the approach of customer service, the voicemail setup, or something else. Frame the problem, frame the solution, and set up objectives and parameters. Then use this information for a project charter. Follow those steps for each pain point, and you end up with a series of projects to execute against.”

Additional Continuous Improvement Methodologies

Concepts similar to continuous improvement include business process improvement , which focuses on process improvement to create better deliverables, and business process management , which focuses on managing and automating processes. The following list includes other CI-based approaches that businesses and nonprofits use today:

• TQM: Total quality management (TQM) is the first methodology in the modern era to express continuous improvement principles. TQM was superseded by Six Sigma.  
• Reengineering: In reengineering, organizations enact major shifts in culture and methodologies to support their principal customers. 
• JIT: Just-in-time (JIT) is a foundational aspect of Kanban in which production lines obtain inventory as they consume it. For JIT to function properly, the line must remove waste, such as those found in time and processes, thereby improving quality. 
• Lean Thinking: Lean thinking , also called lean management , removes unnecessary layers of management to bring all parts of an organization closer to essential activities. Use this methodology to rigorously analyze all processes and eliminate efforts that do not add value.  
• ISO 9000: A quality certification standard, ISO 9000 focuses on documenting processes and, less explicitly, on improving them. The most recent version, ISO 9000-2015, includes a provision for continuous improvement.  
• Theory of Constraints (TOC): This methodology analyzes processes to detect and leverage bottlenecks. Since bottlenecks will always appear, TOC provides a vehicle for implementing continuous improvement.
• Standard Work: A standard work initiative documents the best practices for all processes and tasks. It eliminates waste and adds to employee safety because all employees perform tasks in a consistent and optimal manner.

8 Principles of Continuous Improvement

The principles of continuous improvement include making small step-by-step changes, empowering employees, reflecting and repeating, and creating measurable and repeatable changes. These values apply regardless of the methods or tools you use to implement continuous improvement. 

• Improvement Is Built on Small Changes: Monumental cultural shifts or game-changing research can be scary, and they aren’t necessary. 
• Step-by-Step Changes Are Pocketbook-Friendly: Change doesn’t have to be expensive. 
• Employee Ideas Matter: Ideas for change should come from the people who do the work daily.
• Enhancements Must Be Measurable and Repeatable: Everyone needs to know what success looks like so they can continue to see quality results.
• Focus on Improving, Not on Deploying Tools: Formal improvement methods can be helpful, but any good idea is beneficial to continuous improvement. 
• Involvement Generates a Sense of Ownership: Improvements also generate gravitational pull and momentum — when teams know that management listens to their ideas, see their ideas implemented, and reap the benefits of those changes, they begin to look for ways to make changes. 
• Look Within for Answers: As the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side — another company’s approach might seem objectively superior to your own. And while other companies’ approaches may very well work for them, remember that their organization is different from yours. It’s important to examine your own processes and find ways to improve those.
• Continuous Improvement Is Iterative: As the word “continuous” implies, to succeed over time, teams must regularly reflect on processes.

Continuous Improvement Example

What does the continuous improvement process really look like? Firefly Consulting’s Marshall Ariza offers an example from everyday home life that looks at how making small changes can have big results in efficiency and the quality of the end product. 

Suppose you wake up on a Saturday morning and decide to make an omelette. Maybe you have eggs, and maybe you don’t. You rummage around in the refrigerator for onions and cheese. You look through the cabinets for a can of chilis but have to run to the basement to get a can. When you’re ready to chop vegetables, you forget where you keep the cutting board. When you’re ready to whisk the eggs, you look for the whisk in a drawer, only to find it in the dishwasher. When you’ve whisked the eggs, you realize you haven’t heated the butter in the pan. And on it goes, right to your rummaging around for the spatula to turn the omelette, and running to get a plate before the eggs burn.

Ariza explains: “You’ve been busy the whole time, but then you ask yourself: How would they do it on a cooking show on PBS? Before they start to cook, the vegetables are all cut up. All the utensils they need are in grabbing space. Looking for items and forgetting steps wastes time. So, if you compare the time from start to finish that you took to what they take on the show, you’ll see there’s a huge difference.”

“That’s what we do in continuous improvement. To start the conversation, we help people see  wasted activity. Then, we help them put together a new process that takes out the guesswork and gets things systematized. Continuous improvement gets rid of the non-value added activities that don’t contribute to the desired outcome,” says Ariza.

What Is Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)?

Continuous quality improvement is a tool that helps all members of a team work together to improve processes and products. In CQI, leaders encourage employees to share ideas, and everyone tries to make improvements daily.

In their report card on CQI , Blumenthal and Kilo referred to the CQI movement as “the effort to import into healthcare lessons that other industries learned years ago about improving product quality in order to meet their customers’ needs and expectations.”

To learn more about CQI, read “ Where Data Serves People: Benefits of the Continuous Quality Improvement Approach .”

Managing Continuous Improvement

Start continuous improvement by identifying where problems usually occur. Trouble spots show up in tasks, workflows, or even workspaces. But not every problem needs an improvement program. 

The pursuit of continuous improvement may be formal or adaptive: formal continuous improvement endeavors follow frameworks such as Six Sigma and recognized analysis tools to achieve measurable results. By contrast, adaptive continuous improvement uses a mix of analytical tools. In engineering and other settings, continuous process improvement regularly reviews and updates processes to align them with an organization’s evolving business goals. 

Ariza describes continuous improvement efforts as two parts. “First, you learn to see what you’re dealing with and break it down into tasks that add to valued outcome versus those things you’re doing that don’t, such as rework or not using time efficiently. Second, you let the people who do those tasks make the changes. That’s what CI is at its heart. They’re the ones who understand best what’s going on. So, they are best equipped to know what will be a workable solution or what’s not very practical.”

Formal continuous improvement actions leverage methodologies such as DMAIC from Six Sigma and start from the impetus of C-level stakeholders. Some pundits believe that formal programs with measurable financial outcomes signal management’s commitment to ongoing improvement and are one way to systematize CI. When pursuing formal programs, consider teaching your team analysis techniques.

Resistance to Continuous Improvement

Despite the benefits of continuous improvement, teams sometimes shy away from the process. The thought of a full-on Agile or Six Sigma exercise, complete with statistical analysis, can intimidate managers. Employees may assume that management expects more work on top of an already full schedule.

“When you’ve been through the tunnel and have gotten to the light, you understand that you can save so much time and make life easier. Why wouldn’t you want to do continuous improvement? But if you’ve never experienced that and you’re crushed with work, it just seems like something else you have to do,” explains Johnston.

He adds that sometimes, cynicism reigns. “A lot of people feel they’ve heard it all before, with all the lofty intentions from management, and nothing happens. I sometimes see managers that tell people to do continuous improvement and then not give them any clue how to do it. They don’t have the tools or a good approach, and they don’t have the ability to coach and facilitate their staff, but they expect results. I can see a lot of people being frustrated.”

Ariza agrees. “The point is to have a goal, as opposed to just floating the idea of improvement without metrics. You need some metrics. How long to get there? How much energy and effort? What is that worth? Putting a value around projects is the contribution of Six Sigma. You prioritize projects, and define what success looks like so you can celebrate it.”

Concern, Cause, Countermeasure and CI Bingo

Johnston emphasizes how light and easy continuous improvement can be. “When most people engage with it, they realize that CI doesn’t require much effort. Just sharing a few basic tools, such as PDCA, gets a lot of results without having to train people in any methodologies. If you have a good manager who provides the appropriate thinking process, the results you can get with little output are stunning.”

One simple tool is the CCC exercise , which stands for concern, cause, and countermeasure. CCC is used in lean manufacturing and can reveal solutions without requiring complex problem solving skills. As Johnston explains, “CCC focuses on capturing people’s gripes about what’s wrong with the business. Sometimes it’s worth it just to get nagging and complaints out in the open. When that’s done, employees can look at what’s causing these issues by asking good why questions. CCC is a really fast way to create an action plan.”

Likewise, continuous improvement bingo can start the conversation about change to gather specific goals, especially when improvement requests are vague. A workshop leader lists the areas for improvement at the top and team members list possible types of improvements down the side. Then, the team matches changes to functional areas.

“What I find fascinating is the confidence it builds from taking small improvement steps,” says Johnston. “As people get more confident, what might have seemed a big step two weeks ago is now a tiny step, and people take on bigger and bigger challenges because they learn stuff, get more skills, and gain confidence. If you do it right, people get the feeling of winning and contributing to something more meaningful than just banging parts out or delivering a service. Maslow’s Hierarchy comes to mind when he says that people can do more with their minds than just delivering the service. They can contribute in other ways.”

Continuous Improvement Methodology Choices

In choosing a quality improvement methodology, consider the culture of the organization and whether improvement is already baked into its strategy. Some companies can easily systemize continuous improvement principles. 

Some practitioners suggest that when small, daily changes are not possible or when the concept is new, organizations may choose rapid improvement events. Rapid improvement events last from one to five days and usually focus on one topic. Participants leave with an action plan and discrete action items. Giles Johnston’s work with CCC sheets (detailed earlier in this article) is an example of a type of continuous improvement event.

When organizations need to ensure consistent improvement efforts, the control piece in Six Sigma DMAIC may be the answer. According to Ariza, “Control is a revolutionary piece of the sequential roadmap. It’s a backstop in the improvement process that says you need metrics to measure if you’re slipping.” For this reason, and because it demands the endorsement of management and a group effort to implement quality programs, Six Sigma has largely superseded TQM and merged with Lean to offer the best of all approaches. 

Further, as discussed in International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management , many CI initiatives fail because companies made insufficient effort to mesh their continuous improvement methods with their management and quality management systems.

Continuous Improvement Benefits

“With continuous improvement, you’re generally going to reduce costs. It helps eliminate rework, pinpoint and eliminate the cause of errors, and also helps you understand the dynamics of how work gets done,” says Ariza.

He explains that although you may be highly engaged in doing something, the activities may not contribute to your final result. By dissecting the activities, you can eliminate those activities that don’t contribute to a positive outcome and find ways to finish work in less time at a reduced cost. Continuous improvement offers the following benefits to help companies stay competitive in an ever-changing competitive landscape:

• Streamline workflows
• Reduce overhead
• Improve product quality
• Increase efficiency and productivity
• Decrease project costs
• Reduce waste
• Raise employee satisfaction 
• Build teamwork
• Improve customer satisfaction
• Improve organizational alignment, from the front lines to the executive suite
• Increase engagement in improvement by promoting a sense of ownership and accountability for improvement
• Shorten time to share knowledge and ideas
• Raise skill level throughout a team

Continuous Improvement Tools

Continuous improvement tools help teams learn which processes to improve. The tools show teams where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and can also help keep everyone looking for and making positive changes beyond individual projects. 

Use these CI tools as you embark on your continuous improvement journey:

• Benchmarking: This tool encourages you to evaluate current processes and outcomes and compare those results with competitor and industry standards for excellence.
• CCC Worksheet: Working through concerns, causes, and countermeasures provides an easy way to air complaints, identify problem sources, and determine solutions. CCC worksheets may alleviate employee fears over the complexity of a continuous improvement program. Download the CCC worksheet below .
• Business Process or Value Stream Mapping: Although process mapping software is available, teams can simply sketch their processes on paper, a flip chart, or a whiteboard. Mapping offers an easy way to gain an overview of end-to-end operations.

Then, develop and maintain quality with these tools:

• Kanban: A Kanban board  helps you visualize workflow and spot bottlenecks. Use it as an initial analysis tool and then continue using it as a work management tool. 
• Kaizen Event: A lean management tool, a Kaizen event is a short project, usually lasting about five days, that focuses on one area of improvement. Our Kaizen Event Checklist describes everything you need to get started. 
• 5 Whys: The 5 Whys is a tool widely used in continuous improvement and quality circles. Begin by asking why a problem exists, and then ask Why? for each answer until the root cause appears. Download a 5 Whys template .
• 5S: Used originally in manufacturing and now for rapid improvement, 5S suggests the five tips that yield the most improvement: sort, set up, shine, standardize, and sustain. 
• The Wastes: Originating in Kaizen and Lean Manufacturing, the three types of waste define activities that do not produce added value: muda , the process wastes; mura , the waste of unevenness; and muri , the waste of overburden. Filter your activities through the lens of the Wastes.
• RADAR Matrix: Discussed in “ Quality Improvement Methodologies – PDCA Cycle, RADAR Matrix, DMAIC and DFSS, ” RADAR matrix is an operational excellence tool used in the EFQM Excellence Model. The acronym RADAR stands for results, approach, deploy, assess, and refine. The tool takes the results an organization aims for, and plans and deploys approaches to attain the goals, and then assesses and iterates improvements.
• Hoshin Kanri: Translated in English as policy development , Hoshin Kanri ensures that all procedures and processes in an organization ultimately align with policies and strategies.

After improvements are made, record and monitor results with the following tools:

• A3 Reports: Lean and Agile organizations use A3 to provide an overview of lessons learned after a PDCA cycle. They usually contain context, details about the current problem, potential solutions, and a proposed plan. 
• Gemba Walks: In a gemba walk, executives and management walk through a specific operational area to observe processes and learn about employee concerns. The exercise is a focus on action, not just on goals. It forces you to ask, Where do I want to go, and what needs to happen to get there?

Continuous Quality Improvement Plan

A CI plan outlines how to make products or processes better. The plan lists what the company will improve, the improvements themselves, and how to measure them. A formal plan can list the methodologies and tools the team will use to research gaps, discover solutions, and track success.

Continuous Improvement Plan Templates

Hundreds of templates exist for preparing and planning your improvement initiatives, but we’ve selected the best options to help you get started. Download the following free templates and customize them to suit your CI plan requirements.

CCC Template

Giles Johnston drafted this concern, cause, and countermeasure template. Use it as a way to break the “improvement” ice with reluctant staff or with those who have little experience with formal improvement endeavors. Pass out sheets or gather around a table to list problems and concerns, consider the root causes of issues, and brainstorm solutions.

Download CCC Template

Excel |  Word | PDF

Continuous Improvement Bingo Template

Another simple tool for starting the CI discussion, Johnston’s continuous improvement bingo card lists qualitative goals in the first column and functional areas in the top row. For each functional area, staff will suggest a goal. This template includes an example and a blank worksheet where you can add your organization’s own goals and areas for improvement. 

Download Continuous Improvement Bingo Template

Excel | Word | PDF

Long Continuous Improvement Plan Template

When your team knows where it needs to improve, the origin of problems, and potential remedies, you must capture that information in a continuous improvement plan. In this plan template, you can specify the focus area, the problem in each, the root causes, and the hypothesized solution. 

Download Long Continuous Improvement Plan Template

Excel | Word | PDF  

Monitor and Manage Continuous Improvement with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

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When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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55 Process Improvement Case Studies & Project Results [2024]

Business leaders know that process improvement reduces costs and increases customer satisfaction. Therefore, businesses follow process improvement methodologies or deploy tools such as process modeling, process mining and RPA to discover, modify and automate their processes. However, it can be difficult for process experts and business analysts to understand the different process improvement approaches and the results they should expect.

Read our process improvement approaches guide for a categorization of process improvement approaches so you can rely on a framework to structure your process improvement initiatives. In this article, we share typical process improvement project results and case studies. Our aim is to provide benchmarks so business analysts and leaders can set targets for their own initiatives.

What are the typical project results?

Process improvement solutions help businesses define weaknesses and take action to solve these problems. In the case studies we collected, the most common project results that we came across are as follows:

1- Improved efficiency:  Most businesses increase the efficiency of their processes by adapting process improvement methodologies. After defining their problems, companies eliminate unnecessary steps in processes, reduce their costs, and shorten process times. As a result, they achieve faster processes and higher quality output with fewer resources. 

For example, in a process mining case study, a manufacturer leveraged a process mining software to analyze the procure-to-pay processes. It is claimed that the manufacturer could:

• Reduce maverick buying and saved $60,000 in reworking cost by detecting and managing deviations, mismatches and early payments.
• Improve purchase order and invoice processes by automating 75% of line creation and delivery activities. As a result, the company decreased the invoice registration and approval time.

2- Enhanced customer satisfaction: The increasing quality of output and faster processes can also reflect on customer satisfaction. Process improvement solutions help businesses reduce waiting time and focus on customer value. For example, it is claimed that by adopting the Kaizen methodology, Tata Steel has shortened its response time and delivered more on-time orders to its customers. 1

3- Harmonization of different teams/processes:  For large companies, handling different processes simultaneously can be a big challenge. Teams should be informed about what others do, and processes need to work in sync to avoid problems. With process improvement solutions, businesses can have a full understanding of all their companies and align different processes successfully.

Here is an extended list of case studies which are collected from different resources. You can filter the list by the process improvement solution, service provider, industry, or process and investigate the achieved results.

Further Reading

  If you want to learn more on process improvement, these articles can also interest you:

• Process Improvement: In-depth Guide for Businesses
• Lean Process Improvement Guide for Your Business

Check out comprehensive and constantly updated list of process mining case studies to process mining real-life examples and compare them to process improvement case studies.

If you want to manage and improve your processes, check out our data-driven and up-to-date list of vendors for:

• Workflow management software
• Business process management software
• Low-code/No-code development platform
• Onboarding software
• Process mining
• Business process automation software

If you still have questions about process improvement, we would like to help:

External Links

• 1. “ Process Improvement – A continuing initiative .” Tata Steel . 2008. Retrieved at May 17, 2024.

Next to Read

Process mining blockchain in 2024: top 4 use cases & case studies, how to implement process improvement in 6 steps in 2024.

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Hi Cem, Thank you ver much for your interesting article. I am interested in getting a deeper look into some of the case studies: How exactly did they approach the problem? ….Would it be possible to get a closer look at the case studies? Thanks in advance. Adrian

Hi Adrian, please feel free to get in touch with us via [email protected] . Happy to discuss these in more detail once we know which types of case studies you are interested in

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The Art of Continuous Improvement: Key Lessons from Real-Life Examples

By Michael Watkins

Posted on 23 February 2024

In the world of business, continuous improvement is a key factor in achieving long-term success. It’s all about finding ways to make processes more efficient, streamline operations, and deliver better results. But how can we truly master the art of continuous improvement ? Look no further than real-life examples, where companies have paved the way with their innovative approaches.

From global giants to small start-ups, businesses in every industry have embraced continuous improvement as a guiding principle. In this blog, we delve into the key lessons we can learn from these real-life examples. Whether it’s Toyota’s world-renowned Lean Manufacturing techniques or Amazon’s obsession with customer-centric innovation , there is much to gain from their experiences.

Through a series of case studies and in-depth analysis, we explore the strategies, tactics, and mindsets that contribute to successful continuous improvement efforts. From fostering a culture of learning and experimentation to empowering employees at all levels, these lessons offer invaluable insights for organizations looking to elevate their performance.

Benefits of Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement brings a host of benefits to organizations that embrace it. Firstly, it fosters a culture of innovation and learning, encouraging employees to constantly seek out better ways of doing things. This not only improves efficiency but also boosts employee engagement and satisfaction, leading to higher productivity and retention rates.

Additionally, continuous improvement allows businesses to stay ahead of the competition by constantly evolving and adapting to changing market conditions. By regularly evaluating and refining processes, organizations can identify and eliminate bottlenecks, reduce waste, and deliver higher quality products and services to their customers.

Real-Life Examples of Successful Continuous Improvement Initiatives

Real-life examples provide valuable insights into successful continuous improvement initiatives. One such example is Toyota’s renowned Toyota Production System (TPS). TPS is based on the principles of Lean Manufacturing and emphasizes the elimination of waste and the pursuit of continuous improvement. By empowering employees to identify and solve problems , Toyota has achieved remarkable results, including improved quality, reduced lead times, and increased profitability.

Another notable example is Amazon, which has built its success on a relentless commitment to customer-centric innovation. Through continuous improvement, Amazon has transformed the online shopping experience, offering unparalleled convenience and fast delivery. By leveraging customer feedback and data, Amazon continuously tests and refines its processes to meet and exceed customer expectations.

Toyota Production System: A Case Study in Continuous Improvement

The Toyota Production System (TPS) has revolutionized the manufacturing industry and serves as a powerful case study in continuous improvement. At the core of TPS is the philosophy of Kaizen , which means ‘change for the better’ in Japanese. Kaizen encourages all employees, from top management to line workers, to contribute to the improvement of processes and systems. This culture of continuous improvement has enabled Toyota to achieve remarkable results, including reduced waste, improved quality, and increased productivity.

One of the key principles of TPS is the concept of Just-in-Time (JIT) production, which aims to eliminate waste by producing only what is needed, when it is needed. By implementing JIT, Toyota has been able to reduce inventory levels, minimize storage space requirements, and improve overall efficiency. Furthermore, TPS emphasizes the importance of error-proofing processes using visual management tools, such as Kanban boards, to ensure smooth and error-free operations.

Kaizen: The Philosophy of Continuous Improvement

Kaizen, the philosophy of continuous improvement , is a fundamental concept in the world of innovation. It emphasizes the idea that small, incremental changes can lead to significant improvements over time. By encouraging employees to identify and implement small improvements daily, organizations can create a culture of continuous learning and improvement. This not only drives efficiency but also fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment among employees.

To effectively implement Kaizen, organizations must create an environment that encourages and supports employee participation. This can be achieved through clear communication channels, regular feedback loops, and recognition of employee contributions . Additionally, providing training and resources to employees enables them to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to identify and implement improvements. By embracing the philosophy of Kaizen, organizations can unlock the full potential of their employees and drive continuous improvement at all levels.

Lean Six Sigma: A Methodology for Continuous Improvement

Lean Six Sigma is a methodology that combines the principles of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma to achieve operational excellence through continuous improvement. Lean focuses on eliminating waste and non-value-added activities, while Six Sigma aims to reduce process variation and defects. By leveraging the tools and techniques of both methodologies, organizations can achieve significant improvements in quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

One of the key principles of Lean Six Sigma is the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) process, which provides a structured approach to problem-solving and process improvement. This systematic methodology ensures that improvements are based on data and facts, rather than assumptions or guesswork. By following the DMAIC process, organizations can identify root causes of problems, implement targeted solutions, and monitor the effectiveness of the improvements over time.

Key Principles of Continuous Improvement

While there are various methodologies and approaches to continuous improvement, certain key principles underpin the success of any initiative. Firstly, organizations must foster a culture of learning and experimentation, where mistakes are viewed as opportunities for growth and improvement. This mindset encourages employees to take risks and try new approaches, ultimately driving innovation and progress.

Empowering employees at all levels is another crucial principle of continuous improvement. By giving employees the authority and resources to make decisions and implement changes, organizations tap into the collective knowledge and creativity of their workforce. This not only increases employee engagement but also leads to more effective and sustainable improvements.

Implementing Continuous Improvement in Your Organization

Implementing continuous improvement requires a strategic and systematic approach. It starts with defining clear goals and objectives, aligning them with the overall business strategy. Organizations should then establish metrics and measures to track progress and evaluate the effectiveness of improvement initiatives. Regular communication and feedback loops are essential to keep employees engaged and informed throughout the process.

To drive continuous improvement, organizations must also provide the necessary training and resources to employees. This includes equipping them with the skills and knowledge to identify and implement improvements, as well as providing access to tools and technologies that support the continuous improvement process. Additionally, recognizing and rewarding employee contributions to continuous improvement creates a positive feedback loop and reinforces a culture of excellence.

Tools and Techniques for Continuous Improvement

There are a variety of tools and techniques that organizations can leverage to drive continuous improvement. Some common examples include process mapping , value stream analysis, root cause analysis, and brainstorming sessions. Process mapping allows organizations to visualize and understand their current processes, identifying areas for improvement.

Value stream analysis helps to identify and eliminate non-value-added activities, streamlining operations. Root cause analysis helps to identify the underlying causes of problems, enabling targeted solutions. And brainstorming sessions encourage creative thinking and generate innovative ideas for improvement.

Different tools and techniques may be more appropriate for specific improvement initiatives, and organizations should select the ones that align with their goals and objectives. The key is to have a systematic approach in place and involve employees from different departments and levels in the improvement process.

Conclusion: Embracing a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is not a one-time event or a quick fix. It is a mindset, a way of thinking and operating that drives organizations towards excellence. By learning from real-life examples and embracing the key lessons they offer, organizations can elevate their performance and achieve sustainable growth.

Whether it’s the Toyota Production System, the philosophy of Kaizen, or the methodology of Lean Six Sigma, there are valuable lessons to be learned from successful initiatives. By fostering a culture of learning and experimentation, empowering employees at all levels, and implementing the right tools and techniques, organizations can unlock their full potential and thrive in an ever-changing business landscape.

So, take the first step towards mastering the art of continuous improvement. Learn from the best, adapt their strategies to your own organization, and embark on a journey of excellence. The path to success is paved with continuous improvement, and the possibilities are endless.

Michael is Wazoku's Product and Brand Marketing lead. Away from the office, he's our resident film buff, so if you want some recommendations for a night in front of Netflix or a trip to your local cinema, get in touch with him!

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• > 11 Examples of Companies Using Continuous Improvement to Gain a Competitive Edge

11 Examples of Companies Using Continuous Improvement to Gain a Competitive Edge

Posted by Danielle Yoon

Jul 6, 2023 10:14:00 AM

Continuous improvement gives organizations a competitive advantage by producing quality products and providing maximum value to customers. Some continuous improvement examples include employee training, implementing a brainstorming session, and optimizing a process. Continuous improvement helps engage employees and create a sense of personal ownership over business results.

Today, we'd like to highlight a few examples of outstanding continuous improvement culture within some of the world's most well-known companies.

Example 1: Toyota

The Toyota Production System (TPS) is a renowned production methodology. It is widely recognized for its focus on efficiency, waste reduction, and continuous improvement. Here are some other continuous improvement techniques used by Toyota: Just-in-Time (JIT) is a core principle of TPS that aims to eliminate waste by producing and delivering products precisely when and where needed. By synchronizing production with customer demand, JIT minimizes inventory levels, reduces lead times, and avoids overproduction.

Kaizen , which means "continuous improvement," is a fundamental principle of TPS. It encourages all employees to contribute to the improvement process by identifying and implementing small, incremental changes in their work areas. Kanban is a visual scheduling system for managing inventory levels and production flow. Kanban ensures that materials are replenished only as needed, reducing waste and inventory costs. Andon is a visual control mechanism that highlights abnormalities or problems in the production process. It enables operators to signal for assistance when an issue arises, triggering a quick response to resolve the problem.  Toyota's commitment to quality, efficient manufacturing, localization, supplier partnerships, customer focus, and innovative technology have all played pivotal roles in making it the number-one auto manufacturer in the world.

Example 2: Amazon

Amazon has cultivated a culture of continuous innovation deeply ingrained in its DNA. The company's commitment to constant experimentation, risk-taking, and customer-centricity has driven its success and shaped its innovative culture. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by Amazon: Amazon focuses on understanding and meeting customer needs. Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has prioritized long-term customer satisfaction over short-term profits.  Their culture is built on continuous experimentation and innovation. The company encourages employees to explore new ideas, challenge conventional thinking, and think big.  Amazon embraces failure as a learning opportunity rather than a setback. The company recognizes that not all ideas will succeed but views failures as stepping stones to future success.  By insisting on a culture of innovation, Amazon has become one of the world's largest and most valuable companies.

Example 3: Apple

Apple's design and development process emphasizes simplicity, aesthetics, and user experience. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by Apple: Apple puts the user at the center of its design process. The company aims to understand user needs, behaviors, and preferences deeply. By conducting extensive user research, Apple gathers insights that inform the design direction and help create products that resonate with customers. They follow an iterative design approach, continuously refining and improving its products. The design team creates multiple iterations, prototypes, and mockups to test and evaluate concepts, interactions, and user interfaces. This iterative process allows Apple to refine and enhance the design based on user feedback and usability testing, achieving a cycle of continuous improvement. Apple pays meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship in its product design. From the choice of materials to the finish and fit of components, Apple aims for high-quality and aesthetically pleasing products.  By adhering to these principles and stages, Apple has become the largest company in the world, with a market cap of $2.54 trillion.

Example 4: GE

Continuous improvement is at the heart of General Electric's (GE) operational philosophy. GE is committed to driving excellence and efficiency through ongoing improvement initiatives. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by GE: GE has widely embraced the  Six Sigma methodology , which aims to reduce process defects and variations through data-driven decision-making and statistical analysis to identify and eliminate sources of waste, errors, and inefficiencies.  GE also implements Lean Manufacturing principles to optimize its production processes. Lean focuses on eliminating waste, reducing cycle times, and improving efficiency. The methodology emphasizes eliminating non-value-added activities and the continuous flow of work. GE leverages advanced analytics, machine learning  continuous improvement software , and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to monitor and optimize its operations, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.  These factors collectively contribute to GE's competitive success by enabling it to deliver innovative solutions, leverage its global presence, maintain operational excellence, and provide value to customers across various industries.

Example 5: McDonald's

McDonald's fosters a culture of continuous improvement across its operations. The company regularly evaluates its processes, systems, and customer feedback to identify areas for enhancement. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by McDonald's: McDonald's emphasizes standardization and consistency across its operations. The company has established precise and detailed operating procedures known as the "McDonald's Operating System" (MOS).  They continuously innovate and adapt their menu to meet evolving customer preferences. The company conducts market research and monitors consumer trends to introduce new products and menu items.  Operational efficiency delivers fast and convenient service. The company has implemented various strategies to optimize its operations, including streamlined kitchen processes, efficient order-taking and fulfillment systems, and technology integration such as self-order kiosks and mobile ordering.  McDonald's has established itself as a global leader in the highly competitive fast-food industry by emphasizing standardization and operational excellence and adapting to changing consumer preferences.

Example 6: Intel

Intel leverages a philosophy of continuous improvement to enhance product quality and customer satisfaction. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by Intel: The Intel Quality System (IQS) is built upon rigorous quality standards defining the requirements for product performance, reliability, and customer satisfaction. These standards are aligned with industry best practices and are continuously updated to incorporate the latest advancements in quality management. The IQS includes a comprehensive supplier quality management system that involves supplier qualification, performance monitoring, and collaboration to ensure the delivery of high-quality components and materials. Intel actively seeks customer input and incorporates it into its quality improvement efforts. Customer support channels are in place to address customer inquiries, issues, and concerns promptly and effectively. Through the Intel Quality System, Intel demonstrates its commitment to delivering products of exceptional quality and reliability. Intel is expected to remain the largest player in the CPU market while being relatively competitive in the AI market for the foreseeable future.

Example 7: IBM

Continuous improvement is integral to IBM's operational philosophy and is ingrained in the company's culture. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by IBM: Lean Six Sigma combines the principles of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma. The company utilizes data-driven approaches to identify and eliminate process inefficiencies, reduce defects, and enhance customer satisfaction. IBM has adopted Agile practices to promote iterative development and continuous improvement in its software development processes. Agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, enable teams to deliver value incrementally, respond to changing customer needs, and continuously enhance their products and services. Design Thinking principles drive innovation and continuous improvement. Design Thinking helps IBM develop user-centric solutions and refine its offerings based on feedback and real-world usage. IBM values and leverages customer feedback to drive continuous improvement. The company actively seeks customer insights, conducts surveys, and engages in customer feedback sessions. By understanding customer needs and pain points, IBM can continuously refine its products, services, and processes to better meet customer expectations. IBM's commitment to driving technological advancements and delivering value to its clients positions it as a technology and consulting industry leader.

Example 8: Ford

The Ford Production System (FPS) is a comprehensive manufacturing and operational approach implemented by Ford Motor Company. FPS aims to optimize productivity, quality, and efficiency across Ford's operations. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by Ford: Standardized work helps Ford standardize procedures and guidelines for each task to ensure consistency and efficiency.  Just-In-Time (JIT) Manufacturing involves producing and delivering parts and materials in the exact quantities needed and when required in the production process.  Waste reduction allows the company to identify and eliminate various forms of waste, such as overproduction, excess inventory, transportation inefficiencies, and non-value-added processes.  Value stream mapping enables Ford to visualize the entire production process, identify areas of waste and inefficiency, and develop improvement plans.  The Ford Production System represents Ford's commitment to continuous improvement, waste reduction, and efficiency in manufacturing. Ford strives to optimize its operations, deliver high-quality vehicles, and meet customer demands effectively.

Example 9: Samsung

Continuous improvement is a fundamental aspect of Samsung's operational philosophy and is deeply ingrained in the company's culture. Samsung has implemented various initiatives and practices to drive continuous improvement. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by Samsung: Quality management provides rigorous quality control standards throughout its product development, manufacturing, and service processes.  Six Sigma employs statistical analysis and problem-solving techniques to identify and eliminate defects, reduce variations, and improve process efficiency. 

Lean Manufacturing principles are applied to streamline production processes and eliminate waste. This helps the company reduce inventory, optimizes production flow, and enhances productivity.  Employee involvement is crucial to Samsung's continuous improvement process. The company encourages a culture of collaboration, innovation, and idea-sharing.  These efforts enable Samsung to innovate, enhance operational efficiency, and deliver products and services that meet the evolving needs of its customers, allowing it to outpace Apple in smartphone sales in Q1 2023.

Example 10: Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola utilizes continuous improvement methodologies and practices to enhance its operations and drive innovation. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by Coca-Cola:  Coca-Cola focuses on  operational excellence by employing continuous improvement methodologies, including Lean and Six Sigma. These methodologies aim to eliminate waste, reduce defects, and improve operational efficiency.  Quality management helps ensure Coca-Cola's products meet or exceed customer expectations. The company implements quality control measures throughout manufacturing, including strict adherence to product standards, rigorous testing, and quality assurance protocols.  They also continuously explore consumer preferences, market trends, and emerging technologies to develop new beverage offerings. Continuous improvement methods help Coca-Cola refine product formulations, packaging designs, and manufacturing processes to deliver innovative and appealing products to consumers. Coca-Cola actively engages with its customers to gather feedback and insights. The company conducts surveys, market research, and consumer studies to understand evolving preferences and expectations.

These continuous improvement efforts enable Coke consistently to rank as the top soft drink brand worldwide, with a global brand value of over 89 billion U.S. dollars.

Example 11: Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has implemented the P&G Production System (PPS) as its comprehensive manufacturing and operational excellence approach. PPS encompasses a set of principles, practices, and tools aimed at driving efficiency, quality, and innovation. Here are some continuous improvement techniques used by P&G: 

Lean Manufacturing principles eliminate waste and maximize value creation. The company streamlines processes, reduces non-value-added activities, and seeks continuous improvement opportunities to enhance efficiency and productivity.

Quality management within PPS helps the company establish robust quality control processes, including rigorous testing, inspections, and adherence to product specifications throughout the entire supply chain.

PPS integrates innovation and Research & Development practices to drive product development and differentiation. P&G invests in research and collaborates with partners to discover new technologies, materials, and formulations. 

As of May 2023, Procter & Gamble has a market cap of $342.70 Billion, making Procter & Gamble the world's 23rd most valuable company by market cap.

Implementing continuous improvement is a powerful tool that holds immense importance in today’s dynamic and ever-evolving business environment. These companies are excellent examples of continuous improvement and have implemented various methodologies and programs to drive efficiency, quality, and innovation. As a result, each has enjoyed a significant competitive edge due to these efforts and ways of thinking. The time is now for businesses to embrace continuous improvement and remain competitive in this fast-paced landscape.

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Case studies

Take a look at how individuals from across the University are using  continuous improvement in their areas:

HR and Housing supported Optometry in a customer journey mapping exercise to identify opportunities for optimizing patient experience, in order to increase the rate of Primary Care exams that result in optical sales (conversion rate) towards the industry standard of 50-60%. The desired improvement target for this conversion rate was identified as 15-25%. Take a look at Optometry's case study .

Housing and Residence

Housing used Lean to improve the accessible housing process. The resulting process allowed for students to better understand expectations related to registering for Accessible Housing, staff have clear communications, the development of new submission form, and a better understanding as to how on-campus housing providers are able to meet the (medically documented) functional limitations of incoming students. Take a look at Housing's case study.

HR, IST, Office of Vice-President Academic & Provost

Human Resources, Information Systems & Technology, and the Office of the Vice-President Academic & Provost piloted the use of Lean to improve an HR recruitment-related process. Each step of the process was reviewed to determine where there was duplication and which steps could be eliminated. Take a look at the case study . With this project, University of Waterloo Lean leaders won the 2017 Share Showcase .

Information Systems & Technology (IST): VM Requests

IST completed an analysis of the various requests that come in for Virtual Machines from groups both inside and outside IST. Examination of the overall series of steps that staff take in creating these VMs, the information received in the initial request, follow-up communications with requestors, delays in the process (and general timing of each step), overall satisfaction, specific challenges in the RT stream of correspondence, etc.  Take a look at the VM Requests case study.

Information Systems & Technology (IST): "One Stop"

To address an overall need to educate the campus on business analysis, business process techniques, and like skills, IST completed the "One Stop" project by using the new SSC that combines services offered by GSPA, RO, and SSO.  Take a look at the "One Stop" case study.

Information Systems & Technology (IST): Waterloo Works

The previous Orbis service provided a host environment but had limited tools available for clients who host to move configurations automatically. New scripts and automated protocols allowed a 66% improvement in time efficiency. Take a look at the Waterloo Works case study.

Plant Operations

Randy Dicknoether used Lean to organize a janitor's room in DWE  to inform his workflow.

Provost Office

The Provost Office streamlined access to common documents and processes in their employee handbook.  A project schedule and process map of this project was created and SMEs were identified for each section under the Office of the Provost. Take a look at the Provost Office's case study .

St. Jerome's University

St. Jerome's University began its Lean journey with an integrated project delivery (IPD) construction build.

The Library

• In support of Excellence Canada Silver certification, the Library organized process mapping / continuous improvement training working with Scott Smith of High Performance Solutions Inc. Take a look at The Library's case study .
• The Library's Circulation Services department also used  Kaizen circles for problem-solving.

The Lean Post / Articles / Lean Management Case Studies Library

Lean Management Case Studies Library

By Chet Marchwinski

May 16, 2014

Learn how a variety of businesses and organizations used lean management principles to solve real business problems. We’ve arranged the examples in 16 categories to help you find the ones right for your environment.

Lean Management Examples from a Variety of Businesses

The following case studies of lean management principles in action show you how a variety of real businesses solved real business problems under diverse conditions.

We’ve arranged the stories in 16 categories to help you find the examples you need. There is some overlap. For instance, a “Lean Manufacturing” case study may also appear with “Privately Held Companies.”

Lean Manufacturing

• Logistics, Supply Chain, and Warehousing
• Lean Material Handling
• Job Shops (Low-volume, High-mix Manufacturing); Tool and Die
• Lean in Government
• Lean Healthcare
• Lean Accounting
• Lean Construction
• Lean in Office and Service Processes
• Lean in Education

Problem Solving

Pull Systems

Culture Change

People Development

Privately Held Companies

Maintenance

Many of the executives who took part in these transformations are interviewed in LEI’s Senior Executive Series on Lean Leadership . After reading the case studies, be sure to get their personal perspectives on leading change. (Feel free to link to this page, but please respect the copyrights of LEI and journalists by not copying the articles.)

Are you doing something new or notable in the practice of lean management? Let us share what you learned with the lean community. For more information, contact LEI’s Director of Communications Chet Marchwinski at cmarchwinski at lean dot org

Thrustmaster Turns Around

Learn how Thrustmaster of Texas successfully adopted lean thinking and practices to make sustainable improvements in a short period of time, and how other manufacturers of highly engineered, low-volume products can follow their lead using the Lean Transformation Framework.

Lean + Circular Principals = a New True North for Manufacturer

SunPower’s lean journey resembled most others until it defined a new mission, a new True North by combining lean principals with those of the “circular economy” to launch what it is calling a CLean Transformation.

Sustain Your Lean Business System with a “Golden Triangle” After a medical device maker took a hit to margins to fight off global competition, it rebuilt them by lifting its lean operating system to a higher level and keeping it there with a “golden triangle” of sustainability.

Followup Story:

Manufacturing Balancing Act: Pull Versus ERP

In this follow-up to “Sustain Your Lean Business System with a ‘Golden Triangle,’” a case study about Phase 2 Medical Manufacturing, the company needs warehouse space to keep pace with sales growth spurred by the lean transformation. Instead, it expands a pull system by connecting the plan-for-every-part database that underpins one-piece flow production with ERP, typically associated with big batch production.

Cultivating a Lean Problem-Solving Culture at O.C. Tanner If you are in the “appreciation business”, you have to live it in your own workplace. For O.C. Tanner that meant a lean transformation had to show the company appreciated and wanted people’s problem-solving ideas. Here’s a report on that effort, including what worked and what didn’t.

Lean Partnership with Dealer Network Helps Vermeer Reduce End-to-End Inventory on Top Sellers

A lean transformation had taken heavy-equipment manufacturer Vermeer away from batch manufacturing, but batch ordering by dealers was delaying how quickly they got equipment like brush chippers. Learn how it  began converting its domestic industrial-line distribution network to lean replenishment, improving service to end customers and improving cash flow for Vermeer and its dealers.

Herman Miller’s Experiment in Excellence At Herman Miller, the lean management effort helps it build problem solvers as well as world-class office furniture. And as this case study shows, lean practices also helped it weather a brutal recession.

Build Your “House” of Production on a Stable Foundation Rigorous problem solving creates basic stability in a machining intensive facility.

A Journey to Value Streams: Reorganizing Into Five Groups Drives Lean Improvements and Customer Responsiveness An approach to creating a value-stream culture centered on autonomy, entrepreneurialism, and lean principles.

Change in Implementation Approach Opens the Door at EMCO to Greater Gains in Less Time A relatively quick, intensive project accelerates the rate of improvement and creates a showcase facility for spreading lean concepts.

Creating the Course and Tools for a Lean Accounting System A lean accounting implementation fills the frustrating disconnect between shop-floor improvements and financial statements.

For Athletic Shoe Company, the Soul of Lean Management Is Problem Solving After taking a lean tools approach to change, management re-organized the transformation around problem solving and process improvement to create a culture that engaged people while boosting performance.

Knife Company Hones Competitiveness by Bucking the Status Quo An iconic family-owned company turns to lean manufacturing to reduce costs by at least 30% to keep its U.S. operations open.

Lean Transformation Lives and Dies with Tools and Dies After a failed first try at just-in-time production , a company transforms tool maintenance, design, and fabrication to create a solid foundation for a second attempt.

Seasoned Lean Effort Avoids “Flavor-of-the-Month” Pitfall A look at how one company’s approach to what new tools it introduced, in what order, and how it prevented each new technique from being viewed as a “flavor of the month” fad.

Shifting to Value-Stream Managers: a Shop-Floor Revolution Leads to a Revolution in Plant Organization

Two years into a lean transformation, the low-hanging fruit has been plucked and progress has started to slow. Read how a Thomas & Betts plant recharged the transformation and reached higher levels of performance by using value-stream managers to span functional walls.

Using Plan-Do-Check-Act as a Strategy and Tactic for Helping Suppliers Improve

At Medtronic’s Neuromodulation business unit, the plan-do-check-act cycle is used on a strategic level to guide overall strategy for selecting and developing key suppliers as well as on a tactical level for guiding lean transformations at supplier facilities.

back to top

Logistics, Supply Chain, and Warehousing How a Retailer’s Distribution Center Exemplifies the Lean Precept “Respect for People,” and Reaps the Benefits

To make sure training engaged and resonated with people after previous attempts at a lean transformation faltered, LifeWay matched lean management tools and principles to its Bible-based culture and language.

Lean management case study series: Lean in Distribution: Go to Where the Action Is!

Starting with daily management walkabouts and standard work , this distributor had laid the groundwork for steady gains for years to come, just two years after its first kaizen workshop .

Putting Lean Principles in the Warehouse

Executives at Menlo Worldwide Logistics saw an opportunity to leapfrog the competition by embracing lean in its outsourced warehousing and receiving operations.

Lean Thinking Therapy Spreads Beyond the Shop

A company expands the lean transformation from the shop floor to international distribution, domestic shipping, and product development.

Sell One, Buy One, Make One: Transforming from Conventional to Lean Distribution

Large inventories to cover fluctuations in demand once characterized Toyota’s service parts distribution system — but no more. Here’s how one DC made the switch.

Material Handling

Following Four Steps to a Lean Material-Handling System Leads to a Leap in Performance

Creating the critical Plan for Every Part was one step in a methodical four-step implementation process to replace a traditional material-handling system.

Low-volume, High-mix Manufacturing; Tool and Die

The Backbone of Lean in the Back Shops

Sikorsky managers apply the lean concept of “every part, every interval” (EPEI) to level the mix in demand and create flow through a key manufacturing cell .

Landscape Forms Cultivates Lean to Fuel Growth Goals

With single-item orders 80% of the time, a low-volume, high-mix manufacturer decided single-piece flow cells were the best way decided the best way to add new products without having to constantly reconfigure production.

Lean Transformation Lives and Dies with Tools and Dies

After a failed first try at just-in-time production, a company transforms tool maintenance, design, and fabrication to create a solid foundation for a second attempt.

Canada Post Puts Its Stamp on a Lean Transformation

The “ inventory ” of mail already is paid for, so moving it faster doesn’t improve cash flow as in lean manufacturing. But Canada Post discovered that traditional batch-and-queue postal operations could benefit from lean principles.

Lean Thinking in Government: The State of Iowa

This story examines a kaizen event at a veterans home and more broadly at the lean effort in Iowa government.

Lean Thinking Helps City of Chula Vista with Budget Crunch

Goodrich Aerostructures’ Chula Vista plant introduces city government to lean thinking and practices so in order to maintain municipal services without resorting to further cuts in the workforce.

Using Lean Thinking to Reinvent City Government

Grand Rapids, MI, turns to lean principles to consolidate operations, eliminate wasted time and effort, and streamline to improve productivity while providing the quality of service that residents want.

Transforming Healthcare: What Matters Most? How the Cleveland Clinic Is Cultivating a Problem-Solving Mindset and Building a Culture of Improvement

The Cleveland Clinic reinvents its continuous improvement program to instill a problem-solving mindset and the skillset to solve everyday problems among the clinic’s thousands of caregivers.

View from the Hospital Floor: How to Build a Culture of Improvement One Unit at a Time

In order to do more and improve faster, the Cleveland Clinic is rolling out a methodology for building a “culture of improvement” across the 48,000-employee hospital system as this followup to the above story shows. Here’s how it works according to the people making the changes.

Dentist Drills Down to the Root Causes of Office Waste

Dentistry is a job shop that Dr. Sami Bahri is out to improve fundamentally for the benefit of patients through the application of lean principles.

Lean management case study series: Pediatric Hospital in Tough Market Pegs Growth to Lean Process Improvement

Lean improvement projects at Akron Children’s Hospital have saved millions of dollars, increased utilization of expensive assets, and reduced wait times for patients and their families.

Lean Design and Construction Project an Extension of Lean Commitment at Akron Children’s Hospital

Input from nurses, doctors, therapists, technicians, and patient parents heavily influenced design decisions..

“Pulling” Lean Through a Hospital

A thoughtful rollout of lean principles in the ER and eye-opening results created a “pull” for lean from other departments.

Best in Healthcare Getting Better with Lean

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, stresses to doctors that the lean effort is aimed not at changing the moment of care, the touch moment between doctor and patient, but the 95% of the time when the patient is not in the doctor’s office

Fighting Cancer with Linear Accelerators and Accelerated Processes

Cross-functional team design and implement a lean process to dramatically increase the number of patients with brain and bone metastases receiving consultation, simulation, and first treatment on the same day without workarounds or expediting.

Massachusetts General Looks to Lean

A proton therapy treatment center, for many adults and children the best hope of beating cancer, applies lean principles to increase capacity.

New Facility, New Flow, and New Levels of Patient Care: The wait is over for patients at the Clearview Cancer Institute in Alabama

Physicians and staff have tirelessly reengineer processes and patient flow to eliminate as much waiting and waste as possible.

The Anatomy of Innovation

At a hospital in Pittsburgh, the emerging vision for the “hospital of the future” is described as giving the right patient, the right care, at the right time, in the right way, all the time.

Creating the Course and Tools for a Lean Accounting System

A lean accounting implementation fills the frustrating disconnect between shop-floor improvements and the financial statement.

Knife Company Hones Competitiveness by Bucking the Status Quo

An iconic family-owned company turns to lean manufacturing to reduce costs by at least 30% to keep its U.S. operations open.

Office and Service Processes

The “inventory” of mail already is paid for, so moving it faster doesn’t improve cash flow as in lean manufacturing. But Canada Post discovered that traditional batch-and-queue postal operations could benefit from lean principles.

Lean Landscapers

At an Atlanta landscaping company, lean practices are making inroads into a service industry in unusual yet fundamental ways.

LSG Sky Chefs Caters to New Market Realities

Business at airline caterer LSG Sky Chefs dropped 30% when airlines cut flights after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Sky Chefs responded with a rapid launch of a lean initiative.

leveraging Lean to Get the Oil Out

Aera Energy LLC, a California oil and gas company,  relies on lean principles to improve key processes, including drilling new wells, repairing existing ones, and maximizing the number of barrels of crude pumped each day.

Columbus Public Schools Use Process Thinking to Improve Academic Achievement.

Columbus, OH, public schools, experiment with lean tools and process thinking to remove wasteful activities that don’t help them help students learn.

Lean Inroads into Alabama Academia

How the University of Alabama in Huntsville integrated lean concepts throughout its industrial engineering curriculum.

Linking Lean Thinking to the Classroom

Value-stream mapping is one of many activities included in the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS), an academic program designed to link high-school classroom learning to the skills needed in college and business.

Build Your “House” of Production on a Stable Foundation

Rigorous problem solving creates basic stability in a machining intensive facility.

For Athletic Shoe Company, the Soul of Lean Management Is Problem Solving

After talking a lean tools approach to change, management re-organized the transformation around problem solving and process improvement to create a culture that engaged people while boosting performance.

Toothbrush Plant Reverses Decay in Competitiveness

The rapid introduction of a lean system, beginning with just-in-time production and pull, helps a highly automated Midwest plant fight off overseas competition by reducing lead times and inventory while augmenting the plant’s advantage in service.

A Journey to Value Streams: Reorganizing Into Five Groups Drives Lean Improvements and Customer Responsiveness

An approach to creating a value-stream culture centered on autonomy, entrepreneurialism, and lean principles.

Making Lean Leaders — Ariens internship program develops lean and leadership skills

Besides making snow-blowers, mowers, and string trimmers, Ariens Co., of Brillion, WI, makes lean leaders.

Starting with daily management walkabouts and standard work, this 84-year-old, family-owned distributor laid the groundwork for steady gains for years to come, just two years after its first kaizen workshop.

Sustain Your Lean Business System with a “Golden Triangle”

After a medical device maker took a hit to margins to fight off global competition, it rebuilt them by lifting its lean operating system to a higher level and keeping it there with a “golden triangle” of sustainability. You’ll recognize two elements of the triangle right away: visual control and standardized work . The third, accountability management or a kamishibai system, is probably less well known but just as critical.

Cultivating a Lean Problem-Solving Culture at O.C. Tanner

If you are in the “appreciation business”, you have to live it in your own workplace. For O.C. Tanner that meant a lean transformation had to show the company appreciated and wanted people’s problem-solving ideas. Here’s a report on that effort, including what worked and what didn’t.

Lean Thinking in Aircraft Repair and Maintenance Takes Wing at FedEx Express

A major check that used to take 32,715 man-hours was cut to 21,535 hours in six months. That translated into a $2 million savings, which dovetailed with the company’s emphasis on reducing costs during the recession.

Construction

Input from nurses, doctors, therapists, technicians, and patient parents heavily influenced design decisions—from incorporating emergency room hallways that protect the privacy of abused children to the number of electrical outlets in each neonatal intensive care room.

Virtual Lean Learning Experience (VLX)

A continuing education service offering the latest in lean leadership and management.

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About Chet Marchwinski

Chet has been a humble, unwashed scribe of the lean continuous improvement movement since books by Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo first hit North America in the 1980s. At LEI, he contributes to content creation, marketing, public relations, and social media. Previously, he also wrote case studies on lean management implementations in…

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The Power of Continuous Improvement in Construction

The company.

The origins of the company date back to the end of the XIX century, with the construction of chimneys for factories in the Textile Industry. In the 90s, the company invested in the design area and started to develop projects from “A to Z”, taking on large projects for national and multinational companies. It specializes in the Design & Build of industrial, logistic, commercial, and residential buildings. It offers an integrated service that, depending on the needs, can go from the choice of a location to the construction, including the design, ensuring a result on spec, time, and budget. 

The challenge

This company faced a decrease in net income and the consequent awareness of the decrease in the organization’s efficiency. It was necessary to rethink the entire strategy, from people to processes, and define a growth strategy with solid foundations to leverage operational results. 

In an external context of increased investment and possible attraction of new customers and projects, it was necessary to increase efficiency and identify everything considered waste, directing the focus to optimize processes. In parallel, external difficulties emerged due to labor shortages and the demands posed by customers for increasingly shorter deadlines in an increasingly competitive market. 

The project’s primary goals were to ensure the agility and quality of the execution of processes in the support areas, minimizing rework; improve the quality of execution and management on site; adopt visual management processes and increase productivity on site; review the procurement process; improve productivity in project execution (Multi-Projects) release resources for value-added activities (more projects) and design and implementation of a strategic planning process to increase profitability to continue to invest and sustain growth based on operational indicators – Increase in business volume in non-core areas, on-time delivery of projects, margin per project. 

The approach

The implementation process entailed two cycles. 

During the 1st cycle, the focus was to build base teams and identify core areas that needed improvement. Then, the 2nd cycle, after the operational improvements, was about defining a strategic improvement process to grow and consolidate the 1st cycle improvements, together with identifying new opportunities. 

Mission Control Room

The implementation of the Mission Control Room marked the beginning of the project. The Mission Control Room is a visual control room for project management , which presents the project’s main indicators, a summary A3 for the follow-up of ongoing initiatives, and includes a routine of meetings for presentation and follow-up of the project.

Project Management

Another aspect addressed was project management with the definition of the meeting cascade, implementation of a sales funnel, definition and analysis of load-capacity per project and creation of the project manager role, and creation of structured meetings to pass information between the commercial and the multi-projects team.

Daily KAIZEN™

Simultaneously, a Daily KAIZEN management and development model provided visibility to each team’s work plan, definition and analysis of each team’s process indicators, and timely reaction to deviations.

This team alignment and development model allows for greater involvement and participation of all team members in the processes and their improvement.

Improving the teams’ work involves mapping and identifying the main processes to simplify and eliminate associated waste. The mapping of the critical processes of each team generated a series of points to standardize: the creation of an indicator of execution hours and the standardization of models.

Visual management

The construction site was also the focus of improvement implementation. All construction sites worked on visual management. Each construction site included a control room with visual management, allowing for monitoring of the main elements for project management. Some of these elements were the construction planning, the map of needs, and tools such as the last planner and pull planning for managing the entire project.

The project also implemented some actions to physically organize the construction sites, resulting in gains in productivity and safety.

Such actions counted on coaching and a lot of behavior reinforcement to succeed. The process has been rolled out across all teams and works in progress. Frequent audits accompanied all this.

Purchasing process

The second implementation cycle focused on improving the purchasing process, with its standardization and request for supplier consultation and evaluation and defining a supply chain control process.

Man-hours on site

Another area of work in this second cycle was the reduction of man-hours on site with the development of solutions to increase work performance and reduce waste hours.

Strategic Plan

Finally, we worked on the strategic plan defining disruptive objectives in Growth, Quality, Cost, and Service. We defined the key processes to improve by assigning metrics and resources needed for implementation.

This transformation journey has profoundly impacted the growth and success of the business, setting a benchmark for excellence in the marketplace. The company achieved solid and sustainable financial results with increased net income and turnover through a focused approach to resource management and identifying savings opportunities. 

One of the standouts was the 42% improvement in on-time delivery. This achievement reflects the company’s commitment to meeting strict deadlines and ensuring customer satisfaction. It directly results from teamwork, adopting best practices, and optimizing planning and execution processes. 

In addition, the company achieved a 25% reduction in purchasing time, optimizing and streamlining the materials acquisition process. This reduction in purchasing time allowed the company to respond quickly to market requests, ensuring the availability of essential resources. 

The success of this project was mainly due to the involvement of more than 800 employees, internal and external. Commitment, dedication, and collaborative efforts were vital to implementing the changes and fostering a culture of continuous improvement throughout the organization . 

The outstanding results and positive impact generated in the construction industry are a reason for celebration. This case exemplifies how a continuous improvement project can empower operations, ensure efficiency, and reinforce the company’s commitment to outstanding service.  

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It’s Time to Rethink Continuous Improvement

• Ron Ashkenas

Six Sigma, Kaizen, Lean, and other variations on continuous improvement can be hazardous to your organization’s health. While it may be heresy to say this, recent evidence from Japan and elsewhere suggests that it’s time to question these methods. Admittedly, continuous improvement once powered Japan’s economy. Japanese manufacturers in the 1950s had a reputation for […]

Six Sigma , Kaizen , Lean , and other variations on continuous improvement can be hazardous to your organization’s health. While it may be heresy to say this, recent evidence from Japan and elsewhere suggests that it’s time to question these methods.

• Ron Ashkenas is a coauthor of the Harvard Business Review Leader’s Handbook  and a Partner Emeritus at Schaffer Consulting . His previous books include The Boundaryless Organization , The GE Work-Out , and Simply Effective .

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10+ Continuous Improvement Case Studies ranked and reviewed

Continuous improvement is an approach to process improvement that focuses on the gradual and consistent improvement of product and process outcomes. It is implemented by identifying and analyzing areas for improvement and then making changes that result in increased efficiency, reduced wastage, and improved quality. With continuous improvement, businesses can lower their costs and increase their profits while providing better customer service.

Case studies are a great way to gain insight into a particular issue or industry, as they provide an in-depth analysis of a particular case or situation. This list of ranked and reviewed case studies offers an unbiased look at a variety of different scenarios and can help you get to the root of a problem. Each case study is thoroughly evaluated, so you can be sure to get a comprehensive look at the facts and make informed decisions based on the evidence provided.

Before jumping into the ranking, we have to plug our own Case Study: Continuous Improvement In A Time Of Change Brings Huge RoI . Click through to learn about the amazing $300,000+ in savings that were logged as a results of just a handful of cost-saving ideas.

One more thing to note - we have not included case studies that are guarded by a 'plug in your email address to get the case study' popup. We've also not included academic publications.

Rank 1: Continuous improvement in efficiency of antibiotic production

This (somewhat technically advanced) case study looks at "how production process redesign, implementing a rotary pressure filter, can improve yield". It was carried out by "BHS-Sonthofen is an owner-operated group of companies in the field of machinery and plant engineering based in Germany".

The project kicked off with an analysis of the entire production process. Team members worked to rapidly find ways to streamline and increase efficient in production.

Some elements seem a little 'obvious' to us " the project team determines that greater output can be achieved either by installing a second production line". That said - the results are impressive "increased production to the order of 150%, while incurring only a fraction of the investment costs of the previous manufacturing process".

"An analysis of the entire production process is performed to streamline and increase efficiencies in production as quickly as possible.."

Rank 2: Howard Bank - Business Process Improvement Case Study

Fiserv describs itself as a "global fintech and payments company with solutions for banking, global commerce, merchant acquiring, billing and payments, and point-of-sale." Fiserv's case studies covers Howard Bank (Located in the Baltimore, USA regino) which wanted to "Howard Bank wanted more time to connect with its customers during the account opening process. " We at Vetter like how specific this goal is.

The results are pretty impressive with the account-opening time cut from a crazy 90 minutes to 20 minutes. I wonder could they have gotten it down to 15 or even 10 minutes with a little bit more input from staff members (this is not mentioned in the case study).

"Our strategy is to deliver outstanding service by having meaningful conversations with our customers, and we didn’t have the time to do that with our existing account opening process."

Rank 3: Multi-million Euro savings for a European manufacturer.

Consultancy firm Gobeyond's case study covers a European CI project. The study is low on detail with our key takeaway being the value of a pilot program "The two pilots lasted for 4 months, and successfully demonstrated the power of combining the correct team, problem solving methods and management commitment to deliver a demonstrable process improvement to key plant metrics. One single project in Belgium delivered savings of over 200k euros/annum with very little capital investment."

"There was also a strong emphasis on capturing and sharing the best practice that was learnt throughout the projects. ."

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11 Continuous Improvement Examples You Need to Know

There isn’t a business leader out there that would say no to being able to improve their business. In whatever capacity it may be, business improvements should be constant within an organization. A process called continuous improvement provides precisely this value. With a continuous improvement example, as well as techniques, this article will showcase how you can help your business operate better. 

Business improvements not only benefit the bottom line, but they also improve quality, safety and both employee and customer satisfaction.  54% of continuous improvement enhancements  increase customer satisfaction. 

Whether you know what you need to improve or not, this article will provide you with everything you need to know about continuous improvement, as well as implementation examples that could greatly benefit your organization. 

Table of Contents

1. What is Continuous Improvement?

2. What are the Types of Process Improvements?

3. 11 Continuous Improvement Examples

4. How to Create an Environment of Continuous Improvement?

5. Incremental vs. Breakthrough Continuous Improvement

6. Benefits of Continuous Improvement

7. How to Identify Areas for Continuous Improvement?

8. When to Look for a Continuous Process Improvement Tool?

9. What are Continuous Improvement Process Methodologies?

10. What are Continuous Improvement Metrics?

11. How to Implement Continuous Process Improvement?

12. How to Address Continuous Improvement Challenges with No-Code Tools?

13. How to Build a Continuous Improvement Culture with No-Code Tools?

14. The Bottom Line

What is Continuous Improvement? 

First things first, let’s define what continuous improvement means. With its roots in manufacturing, continuous improvement is a method that strives to locate opportunities for ensuring efficiency, continuously. This involves the assessment of current processes, products and services to ensure that output is maximized and waste is minimized. 

Continuous improvement benefits internal and external stakeholders, from employees to customers and investors alike. But, continuous improvement isn’t a one-and-done deal that a company performs and then forgets. If the name doesn’t give it away, let’s drive this fact home - the method is continuous, as in, it does not have an end. It’s a method that becomes a part of a business’ ongoing operations. You can consider it to be like a way of life, rather than something new you might try once. But, even though it becomes a part of your business, it still requires strategy and methodology to impact change. 

Since continuous improvement becomes a way of operating, this means that everyone must be on board. So, creating a culture of improvement is a priority to make it work. This can be done by empowering everyone within an organization to understand that they can point out places for development to spark positive change. 

Types of Process Improvement

There are various methods for  process improvemen t. We’ll briefly define three kinds and then move into examples of continuous improvement. 

• LEAN Technology: Created by Toyota to optimize its production cycle, LEAN improvement is customer-focused. It defines what customers value from the process most to determine what can be eliminated from the production of a product to decrease waste and cut costs. 
• Six Sigma: Six Sigma is a method that focuses on improving the quality of business processes. It’s aimed at limiting the variation in processes to ensure consistency and increase performance. It uses statistics to measure deviations from a defined centre line on a  control chart. 
• Total Quality Management: With some similarity to Six Sigma, Total Quality Management (TCM) holds all involved parties responsible for producing quality outputs. It looks to standardize processes to reduce errors. 

11 Continuous Improvement Examples

Now that you understand what continuous process improvement is, it’ll be helpful to see the theory applied in a business setting. 

Here’s a look at eleven examples of continuous process improvement and where you can use it during your day-to-day practices:

1. Ideation and Think Tanks: 

Initiating regular think tanks and ideation sessions can benefit your organization. You can choose to run think tanks with an agenda in mind or at the very least, elicit the attendance of key personnel so that valuable ideas are discussed. During these sessions, you can explain how processes are currently being run to see if there are places that need to be improved and changes to be made. Often, since technology is so intertwined with most business processes, a starting point is to discuss updates and new technology solutions geared towards optimization. For example, automation solutions are becoming increasingly necessary for businesses to remain competitive. 

2. Surveys and Polls: 

The people who work within your organization are the most well-versed to know where improvements can be made. It’s not only important to gain feedback from customers and vendors, but important and often overlooked is employee feedback. By polling your team, you can find out their pain points and find places for improvement. As a business leader, you spend most of your time on the big picture, so the smaller details that significantly affect your business’ outputs can go unnoticed without such insight. 

3. Monthly Training: 

In big businesses, especially, it is common that each employee works within a silo or “swim lane.” But, both cross-training and automation software can contribute to process improvement. For example, if you can train employees to know how to do multiple jobs, then if someone is absent because of sickness or vacation, a process remains unharmed. Another idea is to implement an automation tool within your organization to reduce dependency on key personnel. For example, automation tools like SolveXia’s system are designed such that processes are stored within the system and can be run by virtually anyone with access. Not only is the process stored and will automatically run, but as the process runs, the system documents the steps it is taking to produce its output. 

4. Time Audits: 

One of the most significant resources wasted within a business is time. Being able to accurately measure and gauge how much time a process takes on behalf of your employees can offer insight into where you can optimize a process. It’s as simple as using software to time a process. Then, you can analyze how long processes take and find ways to eliminate wasted time. This could be in the form of automating approvals and reducing touch-points, thereby preventing potential bottlenecks and delays from occurring. 

5. Catchball: 

Within organizations, processes are rarely started and completed by a single person. As such, every process needs to have someone who can be held responsible for its execution, but still requires the input and assistance of multiple people. Catchball is a method of continuous improvement that requires the person who initiated a process to state its purpose and concerns to the others involved clearly. In this way, they can then “throw” it out to the group for feedback and ideas for improvement, yet the single person remains responsible for its completion. 

The above are just some ideas to get continuous improvement going within your organization. 

Here’s a look at some areas that breed waste within the business that often have room for improvement:

• Timeliness: System downtimes, approvals and bottlenecks of information 
• Errors: Manual data entry errors, invoice errors 
• People: Underutilized workforce, excessive management and micromanagement
• Production: Overproduction of printed documents before necessary 

All of the above are just baseline examples of what many businesses face. In every case, an automation tool like SolveXia can assist in eliminating waste and helping with continuous improvement. The automation tool is designed to be accessible to all relevant parties, and by automating data and processes, errors are inherently reduced. 

6. Improving Environments:

While you may be focused on operations and productivity levels, it’s easy to overlook the environment in which your team works. However, if you’re able to implement changes to better the environment, it can improve productivity, too. For example, you can touch up interior design, add green landscaping, and adjust lighting.

7. Information Technology:

Another example of continuous improvement is adding new software and technological tools that can aid workflows. For example, if you were to implement SolveXia in your workplace, you could witness 98% gains in productivity with automation solutions.

8. Staff Training:

No matter how experienced your staff is, one of the most valuable continuous improvement activities is to grant a refresh on staff training. Things change, so it’s a great way to keep everyone up-to-date with skills and knowledge.

9. Edit Work:

Of the many process improvement examples out there, you likely take part of want to implement editing your team’s work. From editing to QAing, this straightforward addition to your daily activities is bound to make a world of positive difference.

10. Stand-Ups:

Stand-ups are a wonderful way to ensure everyone is involved and heard. They are open forums for discussion for everyone in your organization to air their pain points, discuss their projects, and ask for needed support.

11. Optimizing a Process:

Businesses are filled with processes, and there is usually a way to reduce waste and enhance efficiency within a process. For example, if you’re surveying customers for product development but find that their answers are vague, you may update your surveying process to checkbox answers rather than open-ended responses. 

How to Create an Environment of Continuous Improvement?

With the examples in mind, you’re on you way to implementing continuous improvement. But, before you get going, be sure to set your workplace environment up for success. In order to do so, it’s recommended to:

1. Involve Everyone

Every person that is part of your organization is of great value to how your operations run. As such, they should all be included in the continuous improvement process. It’s a combined effort and only works well as one that is inclusive.

2. Positively Encourage

Fear-mongering isn’t the way to go when you’re trying to drive positive change. Instead, encouragement goes a long way. Offer support to anyone who needs it and be sure to praise changes, no matter how big or small.

3. Openly Communicate

When you’re including everyone, a major key is to clearly communicate. This aids in developing a transparent culture in which all people are on board for the ride.

Incremental vs Breakthrough Continuous Improvement 

Continuous improvement can be made as you go or a full-fledged approach to tackle significant issues at once:

Incremental Continuous Improvement: 

This type of process improvement is done as you recognize problems during a process. The upside of this type of improvement is that it is relatively cheaper and faster than breakthrough continuous improvement. Say you are running a process and notice a mistake. This could be a typo in a brochure or an error in data. You can fix the error as you go; however, to ensure that the actual process moves forward in its next iteration without the same error requires that you communicate the change. So, incremental continuous improvement is beneficial so long as the person who fixes the mistake brings it up to the rest of the organization. 

Breakthrough Continuous Improvement: 

Breakthrough continuous improvement happens the other way around. Rather than making a change during the process itself, it involves targeting the process for improvement and then strategically approaching the change as a united front. These are typically more substantial items for correction that require an entire team to implement. 

Benefits of Continuous Improvement  

Continuous improvement offers a wide range of advantages that positively impact various aspects of an organization. Here are the key benefits:

1. Streamline workflow:

Most processes require multiple touchpoints or parties involved. These always have room for improvement. Whether it’s from the basis of the data needed or the communication between the people who play a role in its completion. 

2. Reduce costs/waste:

Project managers and executives have models and data to review the cost of every project. With continuous process improvement, they can assess where the fees are too high and then work towards reducing costs and waste to make a process more efficient. 

3. Risk Proofing:

Continuous improvement helps to spot issues before they grow larger. Spotting opportunities for improvement early on can help to reduce risks in the future. 

4. Improved Morale:

By practicing process improvement, employees are engaged and empowered to make a positive difference in the company. This makes them feel more valued, happy, and motivated overall. 

5. Quality:

The ultimate goal of any business is to deliver value to customers. By improving processes, you are also improving the outcome of said processes. As a result, there’s a strong likelihood that you’ll enhance the quality of goods or services, which tends to drive customer loyalty. 

How to Identify Areas for Continuous Improvement?

When approaching continuous improvement, a comment question is where to begin and how to know what is ripe for improvement. There are a few ways to identify areas, including: 

1. Feedback

Leverage the feedback of your employees through surveys, chats, meetings, or suggestion boxes. By doing so, you get those who are on the ground and in the weeds to share their experiences and shine a spotlight on processes that could use attention. 

2. Process Mapping

Another useful way to identify processes that need some love is to visually map out workflows using process mapping . By seeing the steps and pieces that make a process flow, it’s easier to notice where delays or redundant steps may be occurring. 

3. Analytics

Leveraging automation software with access to analytics means that you have KPIs and metrics displayed in a visual dashboard to track trends and patterns. If you notice outliers, it may be a sign that it’s time to review those processes. 

When to Look for a Continuous Process Improvement Tool?

It’s safe to say that it’s always a good time to search for continuous process improvement tools. However, there are tell tale signs that elicit the true need for process improvement, such as: 

1. Quality Challenges

If you notice that there are constant customer complaints about a specific product’s quality or service, it’s likely that it’s in need of adjustments. 

2. Bottlenecks

Noticing that workflows get stuck somewhere in the middle? Inefficiencies and delays are undesirable outcomes, so if they are creeping in your business, it’s time to take notice. 

Perhaps things are going very well, and you’re not experiencing either of the above. Instead, you’re scaling and growing your business because of positive outcomes. 

Well, this is another good time to consider using a continuous process improvement tool because as you expand, you want to ensure the quality is unaffected and that your business can keep up with increased demand. 

What are Continuous Improvement Process Methodologies?

There are plenty of process improvement methodologies to apply in your business. Here is a look at some of the most popular practices to use for your own continuous improvement examples: 

PDCA is an acronym for: Plan, Do, Check, Act. Also known as the Deming Cycle, PDCA attempts to collect knowledge about a process in order to make it better. 

• Plan : Create a hypothesis for why the problem exists and potential solutions. 
• Do : Implement the solutions. 
• Check : Examine how your new solution has impacted the outcome. 
• Act : If the results are better, then scale the solution. If there’s still room for improvement, then return back to step one to try again. 

2. 5 Why’s 

This one may remind you of that stage when a toddler can only ask, “Why?” but there’s an actual reason to do so. The 5 Why’s is an attempt at root cause analysis, or to uncover the reason why a process may be inefficient. 

It’s as simple as it sounds – you ask “Why?” five times to keep diving deeper into the heart of a problem. By leveraging perspective, you can uncover a lot. 

3. Kanban Boards

For visual learners, Kanban Boards offer a way to see how processes flow visually. By doing so, it may be easier to pinpoint inefficiencies and make edits to the troublesome aspect of a process. 

What are Continuous Improvement Metrics?

How do you know that your continuous process improvement efforts aren’t being done in vain? Through the use of metrics, of course! 

When it comes to continuous process improvement, the following metrics are worth keeping track of:

Cost is an indicator of your business’ overall health and strategy. You can see how much you’re spending on labor, inventory, materials, and your team’s time. Hopefully, when you properly improve upon a process, you can cut costs as a result. 

2. Customer Satisfaction

Another way to gauge the outcome of your actions is to measure customer satisfaction before and after the changes have been made. Consistent customer surveys and requests for feedback/reviews can show you how your business is performing. 

Another prime concern for any business is the safety of its people. Tracking safety, such as the number of incidents in a certain time period, can provide insight into operations. The more a company prioritizes safety, the more employees feel that they can trust their employer, as well. 

How to Implement Continuous Process Improvement?

As mentioned above, continuous process improvement doesn’t always have a clear beginning and end. Instead, it works best when it is part of the company culture and involves everyone within an organization. 

Here are some considerations for how to make continuous process improvement the norm within your business: 

1. Have a Vision

Start by defining objectives and goals clearly. By communicating these goals within your organization, you can ensure that everyone is aligned and on the same page to promote better end results. 

2. Define Measurable Goals 

SMART goals are always recommended so that you can assess outcomes. SMART stands for: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. 

3. Leverage Data

Say goodbye to guesswork by utilizing data and analytics for quantifiable information. By analyzing data, you can also spot trends and patterns that can signal where your next process improvement efforts must reside. 

4. Train Employees

Change isn’t always easy. It’s vital to train and support employees as you make any adjustments to existing processes. This is especially true when you implement new technologies and want your employees to make use of such tools. They should feel comfortable using new technologies as part of their processes and routines. 

5. Manageable improvements

Set reasonable goals. When setting out for improvement, you want to break down larger projects into smaller, measurable pieces. This will help to reduce overwhelm, as well as keep everyone involved on the right track to succeed. 

6. Elicit Feedback

You should continuously seek feedback from customers, stakeholders and employees throughout your operations. This feedback will not only help locate opportunities for improvement, but it can also offer new perspectives and breed new ideas. 

7. Motivate employees

Not only should you breed a culture where each employee feels empowered to notice inefficiencies and offer solutions, but you should also develop a rewarding culture to be motivational. For example, you can create rewards or develop an accessible system for employees to share feedback continuously.  

How to Address Continuous Improvement Challenges with No-Code Tools?

As mentioned above, there may be resistance to using no-code tools or new technologies within your business, especially when it comes to its application for continuous improvement examples. 

To overcome these challenges, it can be beneficial to:

1. Communicate Openly

The most important thing you can do when introducing anything new into your business is to communicate with your employees as to the reason why. By clearly communicating the need for process improvement and process improvement tools, you can help to reduce fear and actually spark interest/ support. 

2. Proof-of-Concept (POCs)

Rather than starting with widespread alterations, you can begin with a proof-of-concept project. For example, if there are multiple processes you wish to amend, start with one. 

Then, you can use it as an example as to how the no-code tool has not only improved the organization, but also the lives of employees, too. When employees experience the benefits first-hand, they will be more willing to take part in widespread changes. 

3. Training

We’ve touched on it briefly already, but adequate training and support is another critical way to overcome challenges associated with implementing new technologies. When people feel comfortable using a technology, then they are naturally more likely to use it! 

No code tools, like SolveXia, can be used to automate many of your primary finance functions. Once set up, SolveXia requires no extra support from IT teams and is easy to use with drag-and-drop functionality. 

Companies can leverage SolveXia to automate processes , including: expense management, reconciliation, rebate management, commissions calculations, regulatory reporting, and more.

How to Build a Continuous Improvement Culture with No-Code Tools?

Continuous improvement is an ongoing effort, hence the word “continuous.” And, when you’re using no code tools to assist, it’s critical to foster a culture that is in support. 

Here’s how you can better support your team to support continuous improvement:

• Recognition : Openly recognize those who are helping to support continuous process improvement efforts. 
• Gamification: Create leaderboards and make it like a game to reward those individuals and teams that contribute the most. 
• Collaboration : Enable employees to share best practices and recommendations with one another. 

The Bottom Line 

Continuous process improvement offers a method for your business to get better at any point in time. Whether you choose to implement incremental or breakthrough changes or a mixture of both, you can help to reduce waste and optimize outcomes. The above continuous improvement examples and strategies can help you achieve your business goals. 

Like any  type of process improvement,  you want to remember to track and monitor any changes to ensure you are following towards improvement, rather than hurting any other part of the process. Automation software like  SolveXia  can help to analyze current processes, as well as implement solutions that optimize operations. 

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, application of continuous improvement techniques to improve organization performance: a case study.

International Journal of Lean Six Sigma

ISSN : 2040-4166

Article publication date: 4 January 2019

Issue publication date: 21 May 2019

The purpose of this paper is to study, analyze and implement continuous improvement (CI) techniques in an interior design case company, which faces challenges in different departments that affect the case company performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed methodology implemented in three departments of an interior design company in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). First, the authors analyzed and identified problems using Pareto chart and cause and effect diagram. After that, they improved identified problems using Kaizen, 5S, developed project selection form and modified organization chart. The result has been shown savings regarding money and time.

Successful implementation of the proposed methodology reduced project in pipeline time from 16 weeks to nine weeks, profit margin increased from 25 to 27 per cent, sales win ratio increase from 11 to 32 per cent, better project and financial forecasting and 92 per cent of tender submission deadline achievement. A habit of clean, tidy and organized workplace has been developed among workers.

Originality/value

Proposed solutions contributed significantly to saving time and effort spent to accomplish different tasks in the case company. The company approved the proposed solutions and implemented them, which show that these proposed solutions are feasible and practical. In addition to that, in literature, most of the CI applications are in the manufacturing or production sectors. This was the first study, which implemented CI techniques in an interior design company.

• Process improvement
• Continuous improvement
• Cause and effect diagram
• Waste minimization

Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank the studied case company management and their staff for a corporation with us in doing the current research. Authors are also thankful to Miss Lina and Miss Anoud for the initial collection of data and its analysis from the case company.

Khan, S.A. , Kaviani, M.A. , J. Galli, B. and Ishtiaq, P. (2019), "Application of continuous improvement techniques to improve organization performance: A case study", International Journal of Lean Six Sigma , Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 542-565. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-05-2017-0048

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Failure Analysis of Automotive Drive System: A Six Sigma DMADV Approach

• Tools and Techniques
• Published: 24 August 2024

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• Shivagond Teli 1 ,
• Vinod Surange   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3388-9489 2 &
• Lokpriya Gaikwad 3  

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This study outlines the application of the Six Sigma methodology to rectify oil seal leaks in an automobile company's hollow drive shafts. Persistent issues with oil seepage through the shaft's oil seal led to clutch malfunctions, power failures, and subsequent breakdowns, resulting in high warranty costs, which negatively impacted the status of a firm in the market and the level of fulfillment experienced by its clients. Projects are crucial for translating an organization's strategic goals into achievable outcomes, serving as the cornerstone of success. We implemented a quality-driven effort using Six Sigma and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) to foster a culture of continuous improvement. Utilizing the procedures-oriented DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify) technique, the oil seal leakage issue was addressed and resolved successfully from the gearbox. The Pugh matrix was used to choose a new design from various alternatives, a KANO model to evaluate customer demands, and a cause-and-effect diagram to analyze possible failure situations. The overall aim was to determine the failure situations that were most likely to occur. Through its deployment, we intended to improve both the product's dependability and the production process's efficiency. Following the design improvements, the defects observed in the assemblies dropped to 58, with no occurrences of oil seal leakage. It is plausible to conclude that these techniques can significantly enhance product quality. The study demonstrates the efficacy of Six Sigma methodologies in tackling intricate situations.

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Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Nagpur, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India

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Teli, S., Surange, V. & Gaikwad, L. Failure Analysis of Automotive Drive System: A Six Sigma DMADV Approach. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-024-02003-8

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Received : 21 March 2024

Revised : 06 July 2024

Accepted : 21 July 2024

Published : 24 August 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-024-02003-8

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