If you are new to the idea of a structured approach to continuous improvement, this post is perfect for you. We will lay out the basics of some of the most common tools used to grease the skids for improvement efforts. We'll also include links to more complete content on each one, so you can dig in more to the ones that catch your attention. There are no rules about what tools you must use, and not every tool is right for the job, but this overview should help you get started finding out what will work best for your organization.

Almost every industry and profession develops a language of its own. Scientists, lawyers, doctors, and many other vocations have a set of vocabulary that sounds like gibberish to everybody else. In much the same way, the practice of continuous quality improvement has developed a language that is unique to it. Some terms are generally used across all improvement methodologies, while others are specific to particular practices such as Lean and SixSigma.

We thought it would be useful to offer a quick list of some of the most common and important terms. If you are just getting started with continuous quality improvement, this is a great place to start. It’s also a terrific resource for new employees. We’ll link to more detail about each of the terms we mention.

Taking responsibility for managing the work of others for the first time can be somewhat intimidating. Now, you are in a position to magnify your impact on the organization by helping others produce outstanding results. While it is true that there’s no substitute for experience, there are some proven tools and techniques that can help you hit the ground running. Here are a few of our favorites.

For many companies, 2020 will be the year they implement digital continuous improvement. If your organization has decided to do that or is considering doing so, congratulations! We know from the considerable experience of our clients that implementing improvement technology can lead to more completed projects with a more significant impact.

Like most things that are worth doing, however, it isn’t as simple as it may seem. Just picking an application and asking employees to login, isn’t going to produce optimal results. There are some very specific things your team can do to set the stage for success. Based on what we’ve heard from our customers, here’s what we recommend.