The Continual Improvement Process (vs. Continuous Improvement?)

[Marc]

Craig was kind enough to send me a copy of his book.

Over all the book is well done. Good organization and concise - not overly wordy. There are some good examples of different forms and such which one could use in getting an improvement process going.

The book best targets folks newer to the quality profession. For some of us 'old' hats', some of the book is repetitive in places but this is because of the book's breadth. For example, in chapter 6 - Effective Problem Solving - the "8-D" process is described and statistical evaluation methods are briefly touched on.

This is not to say the book is only for 'newbies'. It's a good, consolidated book for anyone. There are some good ideas in it and I see it as a useful read - a welcome addition to my library.

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Originally Posted by Marc

Craig was kind enough to send me a copy of his book.

I got one as well ( Craig). I agree with what Marc said and will also add that this book will be put to good use. It will not collect dust. I'm not saying it's going to revolutionize anything, but it is a well written and solid product I'll keep coming back to.

Like Marc, I appreciate the style. Informative and to the point.

All in all a job well done, Craig

/Claes

[Greg B]

Craig,

I see the book (both of your books) are now available on Amazon.com . I have asked work to order a couple.

Greg B

[ccochran]

Greg,

The only hitch is that Amazon charges extra for Kangaroo Insurance to ship to your parts. We'll work out a special deal, though... ;-)

Craig

[Greg B]

I promised to do a review for Craig many months ago and I have finally done it. Here it goes:

Introduction:
The first paragraph says it all – ‘Continual Improvement is the incremental process of becoming a smarter, stronger and more successful organisation’ – This is a good sensible introduction that leads you into the CI Process, setting your mind on track with words like ‘ incremental’, ‘process’ and ‘champion’. The structure of the book covers all the fundamentals.

Chapter 2:
Deciding What’s Important
Great explanation of Key measures and it is very necessary to understand this before progressing. This is a great chapter, not only for CI, but also for people starting out on the certification process of 9K2K or, business in general. The sample Key Measures and worksheet, in the appendix, is an excellent tool, especially for the Novice or Intermediate. Note: See some of the recent KPI materia in the cove by Roxane (ie – RCBeyette)

Chapter 3:
Communicating what’s Important
This, IMHO, is the single most important aspect of not only CI but also business. This is broken down into 4 small phases.
Phase 1: Educate Midlevel Managers
Phase 2: Identify Local Activities Affecting Key Measures
Phase 3: Roll Out Key Measures To Entire Organisation
Phase 4: Continuous Communication
This is fairly standard change management technique but so many people and organisations get this key step wrong. If people are not informed of the reasons or involved in the change then it will not happen.

Chapter 4:
Analysis and Action
As my cove signature says ‘Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare’ and this chapter deals with the necessity for both analysis and action. It gets the core of what Management Review is all about. The appendix in this chapter is invaluable and I think that for any organisation constructing a Quality plan this is a must.

Chapter 5:
Process Orientation
This is a very good explanation of the process journey but I would like to have seen an Appendix showing some ‘ process mapping’ information to help the novices ‘visualise’ the interaction between processes (i.e. The input – output).

Chapter 6:
Effective Problem Solving
Some great scenarios that help people understand the techniques of questioning a problem to the end (Why, why, why etc). It has some solid examples of tools along with graphics (Histogram Flowchart etc). This is an excellent chapter and IMO it is one of the best in the book coupled with another great appendix that contains a CAPA procedure and a Root Cause Worksheet.

Chapter 7:
High Impact Auditing
This is a must read for ‘Top managers’ to help them understand ‘why’ we need to conduct audits. The second paragraph on page 98 spells out the links between audits and the CAPA system and shows the responsibilities associated with each area for both auditors and auditees. These are strong points differentiating ‘opinion’ against ‘objective evidence’ which is an essential requirement for auditors to understand (great example on page 101 & 102). There are well structured Step-by-Step instructions for auditors

Chapter 8:
Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement
A very simple but concise overview of a difficult topic. As most Quality professionals will realise, without the culture of quality you are fighting an uphill battle. There is a strong emphasis on ‘Involvement’ as one of the cornerstones of CI. This is possibly my favourite chapter as it has excellent practical ideas and examples to improve involvement with suggestions systems, newsletters, meetings, orderliness and my all time favourite ‘Recognition’. Again, this chapter has excellent examples in the appendix. This is one of the longest chapters but arguably the most important when discussing CI (next to communication).

Chapter 9:
Conclusion
A summary of the key points:

· Involve top management
· Appoint a champion
· Communicate vigorously
· Cultivate a culture

The top four listed by Craig and as I went through my notes I saw that I ranked these key points as my favourite chapters.

Craig has done a wonderful job in compiling this book – IMO this is a must read for not only Quality professionals but those involved in sister systems such as Safety and Environment. It is an excellent manual for any business that wants to succeed, for without CI a company will sit by the side of the road as their competitors roll on by on the Improvement highway. My company will definitely be putting this book at the head of the list for managers and supervisors. It does not support a theory of management or a catch phrase quality mentality – It advocates simple business philosophies that all companies must adopt.


Greg Baker
Internal Systems Auditor & Quality Coordinator
Dip Mgmt, Ad Dip Eng

[WALLACE]

Yeah,
Craig sent me a PDF copy to read and, I can't stop keyboarding it
An excellent reference publication.
Thanks Craig.
Wallace.

[Greg B]

As you can probably see in my book review, above, I think it is an excellent book. The samples, worksheets and suggested proceeures in the chapter appendices (sp?) are excellent and ideal for any company.

Greg B