The Psychology of Quality and More

A Toolbook for Quality Improvement and Problem Solving (contents)

A Framework for Process Improvement: 7. Review

The Quality Toolbook > Applications for Tools > Framework for Process Improvement > 7. Review

Identify | Define | Problem | Cause | Solution | Implement | Review | Follow-up

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This is the overall process:

Fig. 1. The overall process

This stage is used to determine the real success of the project, both in the short term gains of the most recent implementation activity and in the overall success of the tools and processes used. The results are then used in the following stage to determine subsequent actions.

Activities at this stage may include:

• Reviewing measures made, to determine the actual improvement in the process against goals or expectations.
• Determining why improvements did not occur as expected.
• Reviewing the use of the tools and framework, to find how well they were applied and how their use may be improved.
• Deciding whether to continue the project, by looping back to previous stages for further process improvement, or to draw it to a close.
• Holding a general project review of the success of the overall project to determine 'best practices' and other learning points.

In practice, this can be a difficult stage when improvements have not occurred as expected, and it can be tempting to blame the tools. If that can be overcome, then it can be a real learning opportunity, especially when things have gone wrong.

Tools that may be used in the Review stage are described on the Tools for the Review stage page in the Tool Finder.

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