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.

Establish a sense of urgency
Create the guiding coalition
Develop a vision and strategy
Communicate the vision
Empower board based action
Generate short term wins
Consolidate gains and produce more change
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

CHANGE MANAGEMENT & IMPROVEMENT TOOLS

CHANGE CONCEPTS

About the Author

Denis Leonard

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