In chapter 15, “Building the Future Firm Continuously,” I discuss many methods of improvement in the systems of your firms. The following table lists the eight continuous process improvement (CPI) phases and discusses their benefits and effects on any change program.
CPI Phases |
Benefits |
Effect on the Change Program |
Define Business Drivers |
Identifies business drivers and reason(s) for change early in the program. |
Identifies program champions and develops the foundation for organizational buy-in. |
Design and Align Strategies |
Aligns change program goals with the organization’s business strategy. |
Ensures early alignment of the CPI initiative with the existing organizational strategy and capabilities. |
Develop Vision |
Identifies the key business drivers, organizational goals, and performance measures. |
Reduces the risk of initiating change programs without clearly defined performance measures. |
Current State Understanding |
Provides a clear picture of the existing processes and identifies potential areas for improvement. |
Identifies the root causes and reasons behind process bottlenecks early and the key features of future state processes. |
Future State Design |
Defines a clear future picture of the renewed processes and identifies the required organizational assets needed to enable continuous improvement. |
Confirms the business case and develops the foundation for developing the implementation road map. |
Road Map Development |
Defines in detail the future state implementation road map, such as critical milestones and early wins. |
Reduces program management risks and identifies the required steps to accomplish key milestones. |
Execution |
Delivers the early and ongoing benefits of the change program. |
Delivers business objectives and secures organizational buy-in. |
Continuing Improvement |
Initiates the required processes to improve, monitor, and control the new and renewed processes on a continuous basis. |
Institutionalizes the steps and procedures needed to continuously improve renewed processes. |