Continuous improvement software is a fairly new idea for businesses outside of manufacturing and health care. It is designed to bring structure and management to the process of gathering and implementing ideas for business improvement. Continuous improvement software solutions ignite improvement by inspiring and empowering people to identify and implement improvement ideas in their daily work.

Here are 10 signs that your company needs continuous improvement software:

1)      You need to make continuous improvement sustainable

Employees in every organization in every industry are capable of coming up with ideas for improving the business. Smart organizations try to capture those ideas to harness the creative power of their employees, but it can be hard. Continuous improvement software makes it easy to collect ideas, manage them through to completion, and track their impact. Even more than that, there are a variety of continuous improvement software features specifically geared toward increasing the engagement levels of staff AND leaders. If ideas and suggestions only get implemented in fits and starts in your organization, continuous improvement software can help improve on the execution.

2)      Processes are in place because “We’ve always done it that way.”

Do you have processes and policies that have been in place for so long, no one remembers why they were started in the first place?  If so, the right software can open up opportunities for employees to question the status quo and test old ideas against new ways of doing things.

3)      Or, it’s opposite - “We tried it once and failed.”

Similar to “we’ve always done it that way,” “we tried it once and failed” shuts down creative notions before they can be fully explored.  Why did the previous attempt fail, how did it fail and could it work with a tweak?  Have conditions changed to make the idea more feasible?  Continuous improvement software helps you answer these questions and potentially revives a once thought impossible approach.

4)      The team is distributed

Today teams tend to be distributed either by distance or by role and it isn’t always possible to get everyone into the same room at the same time for a brainstorming session.  The use of continuous improvement software gives everyone at all levels of the organization visibility into each improvement idea, no matter where or when they work. Cross functional collaboration is smooth and seamless as employees resolve problems and make improvements, even if they are never in the same building.

5)      You want to gain trust

Continuous improvement software is an excellent way to gain the trust of employees by demonstrating a culture of transparency.  Employees have visibility into the projects that are considered important to the company and can join you on the journey toward tackling your most difficult challenges.

6)      The business changes quickly

The rate of change in business is increasing as people are becoming more connected, customer habits are changing, and technology is an increasingly important factor in our personal and business lives.  What is critical to business today may be less important tomorrow as some new factor requires additional attention.  It can be hard for employees to keep up with the changing business strategy and tactics.  Innovation software can help create a structure for evaluating and evolving priorities.

7)      You need a culture of inspiration

One of the great things about continuous improvement software is that each improvement leads to MORE improvements.  When employees can see how their ideas affect real change in the business, they and their colleagues become more willing to speak up, identify problems, and suggest solutions.  Inspiration is contagious. 

8)      Employee recognition is a value

It isn’t always easy for senior level management to see the contributions of each employee toward continuous improvement and innovation.  Continuous improvement software helps you see which employees are pointing out opportunities for improvement and which are executing them in a way that positively impacts the business.  These key contributors can be recognized and rewarded for their creativity and dedication.

9)   You have a major obstacle

Usually business success is determined by a number of small factors, and little changes can make a big difference. Once in a while, though, there is a problem so big or pervasive that an “all hands on deck” approach is needed.  When the team must all rally around solving a troubling problem or ensuring the success of a particular project, continuous improvement software can be the glue that brings the team together and gets the job done.

If any of these situations strike a chord, it’s time to give continuous improvement software a serious look.  After all, your employees are your best resource for identifying opportunities for improvement and executing on them.  Why not invest in a solution that supports these efforts and helps set you up for success?

For more information about continuous improvement software, check out this free eBook: