By David M. Williams, PhD “Improvement would be easy if it weren’t for all of the people involved.” — David M. Williams, PhD In the books we read or in the workshops where we learn, improvement can feel very matter of fact. Use tools like cause and effect diagrams or Pareto charts to […]
Developing Improvement Capability: Part 4 – How do we scale up our improvement capability?
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 four of a four-part series. You […]
Developing Improvement Capability: Part 3 – What is the best way to learn to improve?
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 three of a four-part series. You […]
Developing Improvement Capability: Part 2 – Who needs to know what?
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 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 […]
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.
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 […]
What’s an Easy Way to Learn about PDSA Cycles?
in Building Capability, PDSA, 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.