Blog question submitted: Do organizations need formalized process improvement programs?

This is a great question and one that is often debated by process and quality improvement professionals on various levels. As you know from previous blogs, we have discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly of process improvement programs. We have even defined various process improvement programs such as lean and six sigma.

The short answer is “it depends”.

In some cases, organizations that have had multiple process improvement programs in the past no longer have formalized programs because the continuous improvement culture is ingrained in the organization and the tools and resources are readily available when needed.

In cases where organizations have never implemented a process improvement program, regardless of the name of the program, formalizing the program sometimes demonstrates the following:

  1. A sense of urgency that shows that quality, process, or continuous improvement is taken seriously in the organization

  2. A structured approach that offers training and focus for process improvement efforts

  3. A centralization of experts, tools, and performance tracking against the goals of the organization

So, the short answer again is “it depends”. If you have questions or want to know how to get started with improving your business by improving your business processes, contact us to help you get started!

Branner Consulting, LLC excels in business process improvement consulting and training. We are problem solvers and business coaches. We perform business process audits and provide thought leadership on implementing or improving a process improvement program. In addition, we facilitate process improvement workshops and provide one-on-one coaching.