3.4.2. CI Model Steps: Action, Evaluation, and Momentum

💡 First Principle: The value of an improvement plan is only realized through execution, followed by honest evaluation against the original target and a deliberate effort to embed the success into the organization's culture.

Scenario: A team takes action on their plan to improve incident response by implementing a new escalation policy. After a month, they did we get there? by measuring the new average resolution time and comparing it to their target. The improvement was successful, so they decide how to keep the momentum going by updating their official documentation and celebrating the team's success to encourage future improvement ideas.

This part details the execution, review, and sustainability phases of the Continual Improvement model. 5. Take action! (Execute plan) * Your Role: Implement the improvement plan. This might involve making changes to processes, technology, or how people work. 6. Did we get there? (Evaluate results vs targets) * Your Role: Measure the results of your actions and compare them against your defined targets. Did you achieve the desired outcome? Be honest in your evaluation. 7. How do we keep the momentum going? (Embed improvement) * Your Role: Ensure the improvements are sustained and look for the next opportunity to improve. Embedding improvement into daily activities and culture is key.

⚠️ Common Pitfall: Stopping at step 6 ("Did we get there?"). Even if an improvement is successful, it can be lost over time if it's not embedded into standard processes and culture. Step 7 is crucial for making improvements last.

Key Trade-Offs:

• Declaring Victory vs. Continuous Improvement: The trade-off in step 7 is between celebrating a success and immediately moving on to the next problem. It's important to do both: acknowledge the achievement to build momentum, and then re-enter the cycle at "What is the vision?" to tackle the next priority.

Reflection Question: What are some practical ways a team can "keep the momentum going" after a successful improvement initiative?