VALUE
IMPROVEMENT
LEADERS
TOPIC #18
798 words + 1 activity  | 4 minutes (3 to read, 1 to visit your value summary)
VALUE SUMMARY REVISIT
PRINCIPLE
The value summary helps you “act your way into thinking” about improvement design.

TOOLS
• Value Summary
• Sundry 

APPLICATION
Click through your value summary and update it as needed. Don’t forget to attach any evidentiary documents.
This discussion continues the theme we’ve belabor regularly: follow the methodology to promote long-term sustainability. Previous articles have largely centered on the project definition, baseline analysis, and investigation phases. We’re now moving the discussion into the second half of the methodology.
Principles and Tools of Improvement Design

When initially discussing the concept of a value improvement methodology, I highlighted the urge to skip the hard work of project definition, baseline analysis, and investigation by stating:
 
Problem-solving runs into challenges when an immediate solution is implemented as a reaction to the problem. Following a proven, structured, and balanced improvement methodology forces reflection on a problem.
 
But you didn’t fall into that trap. You’ve diligently worked through those phases. Data-driven-ness is in your DNA now. Your waste goggles are permanent, metaphoric fixtures. The voice of the customer rings through.
 
Now what? What’s available to you to maintain your fidelity to these principles? Answer: 
  • More principles
  • More tools
  • Your trusty Value Summary 
Let’s Back Up Just a Second...

This article is about phase 4 of 6 of our value improvement methodology:

  1. Project Definition
  2. Baseline Analysis 
  3. Investigation
  4. Improvement Design
  5. Improvement Implementation
  6. Monitor

Improvement design and improvement implementation are different phases characterized by distinct activities. They really don’t overlap the way baseline analysis and investigation overlap. Whatever the specific intervention, there is a standard sequence of events: design > then build > then introduce .
 
Example: Let’s say your team wants a change in the EMR. You’ll a) sketch it out on paper, b) update the EMR, then c) go live. Having stated that, your improvement may actually be a suite of multiple improvements, each in a different stage of design > then build > then introduce . Thus on the macro scale of your project, you can be in both improvement design and improvement implementation at once. For this reason, they share space on the value summary, the pink section in the lower right.
Improvement Design: As Principled As Previous Phases

These are the most prominent principles and tools used in the improvement design phase. As you might expect, some principles are shared with previous phases.
To keep the value summary simple, we chose to put process mapping, all varieties of benchmarking, and voice of the customer just in the Baseline Analysis and Investigation section, but technically these tools can be applied in improvement design as well: 

  • A future state process map is an invaluable tool for communicating within your team and outside of it. Input from internal and external customers is just as important in this phase as it was in baseline. 
  • Process benchmarking focuses on the process of others who are succeeding, especially where we might be struggling. Consulting research literature is a form of process benchmarking. These tools can be applied in either phase. Performance benchmarking ignores process and focuses on the numbers, and tends to be applied earlier in a project. 
  • Voice of the customer work (asking customers for their input) before starting to design, or about your proposed solutions as you are finishing up is often invaluable.

When you use these tools as part of improvement design, document your work with a brief note in the value summary. In other articles we address forcing functions, visual workplace management, and metrics.
How the Value Summary Helps

The Improvement Design and Implementation section of the value summary is divided into four sub-sections:
 
  • Summarize the improved design (free text)
  • Communicate the improved design (drop down with free text)
  • Ensure the improved design is followed (drop down with free text)
  • Track progress and reflect (drop down with free text)
Recall, the value summary helps teams act their way into thinking. It does so with suggested improvement tools in drop-downs, just as in the Baseline Analysis and Investigation section. For instance, four types of forcing functions are listed under, “To ensure the improved design is followed…” Choose the tools your team used and briefly explain how it impacted your project. Ask yourselves if unused tools would be of benefit. If you used tools not listed (e.g.: process mapping, benchmarking, or voice of the customer) each drop down has an “other” category.
Visit Your Value Summary

Click through your value summary and update it as needed. Don’t forget to attach any evidentiary documents.
LINKS

Quickly locate all course videos, slides, and previous emails here .
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Questions? Email:  kim.mahoney@hsc.utah.edu