The background

Let’s put the requirement to “continually improve” in context. There is no requirement that everything can or should be improved all the time – that is just impractical. Conversely we can’t assume we have a capable continual improvement process just because there may be evidence that some things are better than they were – that could easily be just good fortune or an accident of circumstance – either way it’s not repeatable. That brings us the real nub of the assessment …

Have we got a controlled, repeatable, PDCA driven continual improvement process?

First steps

First we need to understand where it all starts. We said earlier that it is unreasonable to expect everything improve all the time, so what should be improved? Well the answer’s simple, priorities, that’s what. First and foremost we really need to see our continual improvement process fed with a small number of key priority areas (identified at senior level), which in turn should be smartened into our “Quality Objectives” (clause 5.4.1). This provides a basis for step 2 …

Saying it doesn’t make it happen

OK, so far so good, but (returning to one of our favourite themes) saying it (specifying an objective) doesn’t make it happen, so the next thing we want to see is a plan (5.4.2 a). Call it a project plan, implementation plan, quality plan, control plan, it doesn’t matter. But this plan performs the important function of mapping out the route for improvement, identifying stages, milestones, responsibilities and resources. It increases significantly the chance things will actually get done. Once we’ve got hold of the plan, we can ask the very relevant question “So tell me, how’s it all going?” … time for step 3
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