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CHANGE MANAGEMENT & IMPROVEMENT TOOLS

Creating change is not easy, neither is coming up with fresh ideas and perspectives to prompt those changes in the first place! Below I provide a model for change management and a list of change/improvement idea prompts. First of all here is an eight stage process for implementing change referred to as Kotters Model.
March 26, 2011
4 min read

Creating change is not easy, neither is coming up with fresh ideas and perspectives to prompt those changes in the first place! Below I provide a model for change management and a list of change/improvement idea prompts.

First of all here is an eight stage process for implementing change referred to as Kotters Model.

  1. Establish a sense of urgency
  2. Create the guiding coalition
  3. Develop a vision and strategy
  4. Communicate the vision
  5. Empower board based action
  6. Generate short term wins
  7. Consolidate gains and produce more change
  8. Anchor new approaches in the culture

Of course before you implement change you need to know what you want to change too! So here is a set of ideas may be just want you need to help spark an idea! You can use this to systematically go through when you need to create improvements.

For example if you want to improve workflow what sort of things could you consider to help you do just that? You could focus on (from below) B14 Minimize handoffs and B16 Find and remove bottlenecks for example.  What about managing time or avoiding mistakes?  In the table below are 70 tips to help you focus on improvement.  Once achieved, then you can use the 8 step process to actually implement those improvements.

 

CHANGE CONCEPTS

 

Category

Change Concept

A. Eliminate Waste

1

Eliminate the things that are not used

 

2

Eliminate multiple entry

 

3

Reduce or eliminate overkill

 

4

Reduce controls on the system

 

5

Recycle or reuse

 

6

Use substitution

 

7

Reduce classifications

 

8

Remove intermediaries

 

9

Match the amount to the need

 

10

Use sampling

 

11

Change targets or set points

 

 

 

B. Improve Work Flow

12

Synchronize

 

13

Schedule into multiple processes

 

14

Minimize handoffs

 

15

Move steps in the process close together

 

16

Find and remove bottlenecks

 

17

Use automation

 

18

Smooth work flow

 

19

Do tasks in parallel

 

20

Consider people as in the same system

 

21

Use multiple processing units

 

22

Adjust to peak demand

 

C. Optimize Inventory

23

Match inventory to predicted demand

 

24

Use pull systems

 

25

Reduce choice of features

 

26

Reduce multiple brands of same item

 

 

 

D. Change the Work Environment

27

Give people access to information

 

28

Use proper measurements

 

29

Take care of basics

 

30

Reduce demotivating aspects of pay system

 

31

Conduct training

 

32

Implement cross-training

 

33

Invest more resources in improvement

 

34

Focus on core processes and purpose

 

35

Share risks

 

36

Emphasize natural and logical consequences

 

37

Develop alliance/cooperative relationships

 

 

 

E. Enhance the producer/customer relationship

38

Listen to customers

 

39

Coach customers to use product/service

 

40

Focus on the outcome to a customer

 

41

Use a coordinator

 

42

Reach agreement on expectations

 

43

Outsource for “free”

 

44

Optimize level of inspection

 

45

Work with suppliers

 

F. Manage Time

46

Reduce setup or startup time

 

47

Set up timing to use discounts

 

48

Optimize maintenance

 

49

Extend specialist’s time

 

50

Reduce wait time

 

 

 

G. Manage variation

51

Standardize (create a formal process)

 

52

Stop tampering

 

53

Develop operational definitions

 

54

Improve predictions

 

55

Develop contingency plans

 

56

Sort product into grades

 

57

Desensitize

 

58

Exploit variation

 

 

 

H. Avoid mistakes

59

Use reminders

 

60

Use differentiation

 

61

Use constraints

 

62

Use affordances

 

I. Focus on the product or service

63

Mass customize

 

64

Offer product/service anytime

 

65

Offer product/service anyplace

 

66

Emphasize intangibles

 

67

Influence or take advantage of fashion trends

 

68

Reduce the number of components

 

69

Disguise defects or problems

 

70

Differentiate product using quality dimensions

 

 

(Reference: The Improvement Guide, Langley, Moen, Nolan, Nolan, Norman & Provost)

NEXT TIME, Lean & Six Sigma

About the Author

Denis Leonard

Denis Leonard has a degree in construction engineering an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in quality management. Denis is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality, a Certified Quality Manager, Auditor and Six Sigma Black Belt. He has been an Examiner for the Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Examiners a Judge on the International Team Excellence Competition and a Lead Judge on the National Housing Quality Award. A former Professor of Quality at the University of Wisconsin, he has experience as a quality manager in the homebuilding industry as well as construction engineer, site manager and in training, auditing and consulting with expertise in strategic and operational quality improvement initiatives. His work has achieved national quality, environmental and safety management awards for clients.

Denis is co-author of 'The Executive Guide to Understanding and Implementing the Baldrige Criteria: Improve Revenue and Create Organizational Excellence'.

http://www.BusinessExcellenceConsulting.net

[email protected]

Full listing of blogs http://www.housingzone.com/author/denis-leonard

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