by David M. Williams, PhD As organizations pursue quality as a business strategy, they quickly realize a need to develop improvement capability across the workforce. This requires understanding what people need to know, who needs to know what, and what is the best way to learn. This is part two of a four-part series. You […]
Developing Improvement Capability: Part 1 – What do we need to know?
in Building Capabilityby David M. Williams, PhD As organizations pursue quality as a business strategy, they quickly realize a need to develop improvement capability across the workforce. This requires understanding what people need to know, who needs to know what, and what is the best way to learn. This is part one of a four-part series. You […]
Improvement Science and Implementation Science
in Improvement Science, ResearchBy David M. Williams, PhD As the use of the terms ‘Improvement Science’ or the ‘Science of Improvement’ have spread across health care and education, some ask how it differs or relates to Implementation Science? While implementation, and the study of it, could apply to any sector, it appears Implementation Science had its genesis in […]
Coin Spin PDSA Exercise
in Building Capability, Knowledge, Measurement, PDSA, Variation, VideosBy David M. Williams, PhD Several years ago, I was facilitating an improvement learning session and planned to use an exercise to help the participants learn how to do proper PDSAs and track data over time in a run chart. Normally, I would use my Mr. Potato Head PDSA exercise, but I didn’t want to carry […]
Why Should Leaders Support Building Improvement Capability?
in Building Capability, Leadership, VideosBy David M. Williams, PhD Interview with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. — If this was helpful, share and include me @DaveWilliamsATX. Sign up here to receive a monthly email from me that includes all my blog posts and other Improvement Science resources I think you’d appreciate.
New Article – Leading Quality Across a System
in Education, Health Care, LeadershipThe role of Chief Quality Officer (CQO) has emerged across North America and now globally over the last several years. No universal theory or professional development program existed to establish a foundation for the body of knowledge of what a CQO should include or how to lead quality across a complex health system. Dr. Williams […]
New Paper – Adverse Event Trigger Tool for EMS
in Measurement, ResearchOver the last several years, through my work at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and as a subject matter expert in paramedic delivery systems, I’ve had the pleasure to work with the great team at Hamad Medical Corporation’s national ambulance service. HMC Ambulance leaders aspired to develop an ambulance trigger tool modeled after the IHI […]
Video: Building Capacity and Capability: The Really BIG Challenge!
in Building Capability, VideosBy David M. Williams, Ph.D. In 2017, I had the honor of sharing the stage with Dr. Amar Shaw, Chief Quality Officer at East London Foundation Trust. Dr Shaw is a consultant forensic psychologist and improvement advisor. Together we delivered a plenary talk on building improvement capability at the BMJ Institute for Healthcare Improvement International […]
Candy Exercise to Learn About Variation
in Building Capability, Variation, VideosBy David M. Williams, PhD Looking for easy ways to help your team understand variation and the difference between common cause and special cause. One exercise I enjoy using is counting candy. All you need is ten or more “fun size” packets of regular M&Ms and one to two “fun size” peanut M&Ms. Run charts can […]
Challenges of Improvement
in Health Care, VideosBy David M. Williams, PhD Harvardx course Practical Improvement Science in Health Care with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Don’t be fooled into thinking improvement is easy. It’s slow. It’s thoughtful and often complicated work. I don’t tell you that to dissuade you, but rather to reinforce the point that creating and sustaining meaningful change is […]