Importance Of Continuous Process Improvement

Continuous process improvement towards lean production Continuous improvement processes method which takes the action to reduce the problems step by step to shows the solution and Improvements are based on many small changes rather than the radical changes that might arise from Research and Development. If improvement is defined as making a change that results in a better outcome, then continuous improvement is simply always identifying and making changes that result in better outcomes. Continuous improvement is a concept that is central to quality management theories and programs. Continuous improvement processes feature a systems approach to improving the work flow in an organization. By focusing on making

Edwards Deming, considered by many to be the father of quality improvement, worked with Japanese automobile manufacturers in the mid-20th century on quality management techniques that helped them become known for the excellence of their work. As part of that work, Deming introduced the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle (PDCA) of continual improvement.

The importance of Continuous Process Improvement :

The idea of Continuous Process Improvement is a relatively simple concept that has a proven track record and is adaptable to nearly every business. Putting it bluntly, Continuous Process Improvement is what it says it is – introducing improvements continually.

Whether working in manufacturing or a service industry, in a giant corporation or the corner eatery, serving as a corporate executive or working at a day care center, living in the United States or most anywhere else in the world, businesses perform work that usually has room for improvement. Imagine a product assembly line where each week brought some small but useful improvement to its process. A better tool might be introduced one week, an easier-to-reach point of assembly the next, a common part replacing two similar parts the next, and so on. While each change was simple and of limited impact, the steady accumulation of these improvements over time made for a dramatically improved

Why is continual improvement important to an organisation?

All managerial activity is either directed at control or improvement. Managers are either devoting their efforts at maintaining performance, preventing change or creating change, breakthrough or improvement. If businesses stand still they will loose their competitive edge, so improvements must be made to keep pace and stay in business.

Improvement is not about using a set of tools and techniques. Improvement is not going through the motions of organising improvement teams and training people. Improvement is a result, so it can only be claimed after there has been a beneficial change in an organisation's performance.

There are three types of improvement. Continuous improvement is gradual never-ending change, whereas continual improvement is incremental change. Both types of improvements are what the Japanese call Kaizen. Breakthroughs are improvements but in one giant leap - a step change. However, the method of achievement is the same but breakthroughs tend to arise out of chance discoveries and could take years before being made (see