8 Steps to Selecting a Digital Continuous Improvement Platform

Today’s unpredictable and fast-paced business environment requires organizations to empower people with more decision making ability, leverage technology in new ways, and constantly improve their processes. This means Continuous Improvement must be a philosophy that is part of all facets of the organization.

Here are 10 steps to help you when digitizing your Continuous Improvement program.

1. Identify your requirements.
Ask yourself these questions: Does the solution answer the needs and problems I want to solve? Does the solution fit with the overall business strategy

2. Know your KPIs.
Critical operational and business metrics need to be built into the continuous improvement system. This will help you monitor activity and performance impact, as well as identify where help is needed.

3. Assess your organization’s continuous improvement program maturity and culture.
Leadership must develop the correct enabling patterns of behavior and cultural attributes of excellence.

4. Plan your timeline.
Identify realistic steps, milestones, and key players. Look for quick wins along the way, but be patient and consistent.

5. Ensure executive team support.
Get sign-off from all stakeholders on goals, requirements, and capability building. Make sure the operations team and primary users will have proper decision making ability and control.

6. Make a decision based on facts.
Select the provider that can best help you attain the goals you set at the start of the procurement process. Minimize human emotion and political positioning.

7. Get started.
The earlier you get started, the sooner you’ll see results. Assess your current best practice maturity and formulate an appropriate change management strategy.

8. Review, optimize and improve.
·Invest in training
·Build internal capability and culture
·Regular check-ins (monthly and quarterly program reviews)
·Engage with your vendor’s best practice community to learn and share
·Celebrate all wins.

Look to make an impact quickly for credibility and momentum. Pick your battles, and don’t try to tackle all objectives at once. Focus on strategic objectives as the primary measure for deciding if something should be done and how it should be done.