Difference between Continuous and Continual Improvement

[Quality-1]

Can someone please explain precisely the Difference between Continuos and Continual Improvement.

Thank you

[Craig H.]

In Reply to Parent Post by Quality-1

Can someone please explain precisely the Difference between Continuos and Continual Improvement.

Thank you

Q-1:

Continuous, to me, implies constant, never ending.

Continual means that you are continuing to improve, but it is more incremental. Once you improve, you continue to improve more.

Have you done a search? I think there was a fairly long discussion of this earlier.

Craig

[Quality-1]

Thank you Craig for a quick reply. I like it.

[Kevin Mader]

Continuous Improvement as I have learned it implies that the event occurs in a predictable manner. A continuous beep might be: beep (pause 2 seconds) beep (pause 2 seconds) beep (pause 2 seconds)...onward. It occurs in an established, predictable pattern/rhythm.

Continual improvement implies starts and stops in an unestablished manner. For example: beep (pause 10 seconds) beep (pause 4 seconds) beep (pause 3 seconds) beep (pause 8 seconds). No discernable pattern or rhythm.

Most organizations operate under a Continual Improvment philosophy. I think Craig's comments are appropriate. Organizations improve to some level, pause, and then improve more (hopefully anyway).

Kevin

[howste]

I agree with Craig. Here's the ISO 9000:2000 definition of continual improvement:

continual improvement
recurring activity to increase the ability to fulfil requirements

[Greg B]

The difference between Continuous and Continual is 'ous' and 'al'

Dictionary:
Continual: constantly or frequently recurring, always happening (broken)

Continuous: uninterupted, connected throughout, in time and space (unbroken)

I still think it is semantics (MHO)

Greg B

[Randy]

Continual has a step incorporated in it that was lacking under continuous....a systematic & planned review process by Top (executive level) management that is to be utilized to determine effectiveness, continuing suitablility, & address the need for change thru the use of the organizations checking mechanism (ie, internal audit) and other information deemed necessary.

Instead of a charted rise you should see something similar to a stairway if improvement is graphed out.

[pthareja]

Quality -I must have been enriched and amused by wonderful responses.

To a layman:-

continuous improvement is uninterrupted. But you do sleep, get off from work. So how can it be continuous! Come next morning, and recommence the left work. It was very sensible to modify the word usage in ISO 9k2k, so you do not fell ashamed in 'what u do u write'

pthareja