By David M. Williams, Ph.D. Making changes to a process is essential to improvement. Improvement efforts require chartering projects that will impact strategic processes requiring design or redesign. Organizations routinely struggle with selecting processes needing improvement and that will achieve the organization’s objectives. What follows is a structured process, using qualitative methods, to support selecting […]
Problem-Solving by Learning From the Process
in Improvement Science, Knowledge, Systems, Tools & Methods, VariationBy David M. Williams, Ph.D. Photo by Bluehouse Skis on Unsplash Let’s face it…patient care documentation is not the most enjoyable aspect of clinical care delivery. It takes time, the electronic medical record isn’t user friendly, and caregivers have a lot going on. It’s no surprise improving clinical documentation is a common improvement opportunity for a […]
How Leaders Decide a Change is Needed
in Improvement Science, Knowledge, Leadership, Quality as an Organizational Strategy (QOS), SystemsBy David M. Williams, Ph.D. Photo by Tetiana SHYSHKINA on Unsplash Have you ever searched your computer hard drive only to be surprised by the number of files and multiple versions of a similar theme? I have hundreds of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations from client engagements, trainings, and conferences I’ve delivered and dozens of Microsoft Word documents of blog […]
Single and Double Loop Learning
in Improvement Science, Knowledge, PDSABy David M. Williams, PhD Simulation is a powerful method for teaching new improvers how to learn and use the plan, do, study, act (PDSA) cycle to test changes. In addition to the Mr. Potato Head and the Coin Spin PDSA exercises, there are a host of other worthwhile options like the sequence exercise. You […]
QOS: Activity 5 – Managing Improvement Efforts
in Knowledge, Quality as an Organizational Strategy (QOS)by David M. Williams, Ph.D. In a recent blog post (here), I shared how Associates in Process Improvement transformed Dr. Deming’s theory of Organizations Viewed as a Production System into a five-part approach known as Quality as an Organizational Strategy. In this series, we’ll take a deeper look at each of the five activities including […]
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 […]
How to Build Your Degree of Belief Over Time
in Health Care, Knowledge, PDSA, VideosBy David M. Williams, PhD Harvardx course Practical Improvement Science in Health Care with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. When we develop a change our degree of belief starts off slow, because we have limited knowledge to support our test and our predictions. As we do more testing and discover what works and what doesn’t, as […]
What Are Rules for Doing Concurrent PDSA Cycles?
in Knowledge, 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.
D.S.S.S. Model for Rapid Learning
in KnowledgeBy David M. Williams, PhD I’ve been a fan of Timothy Ferriss (@tferriss) for a number of years. Ferriss is best known for his popular blog and first book – The 4-Hour Work Week – about hacking your life. He has since written The 4-hour Body and The 4-Hour Chef where he applies similar concepts to […]
Definition of Quality – In the Eyes of the Beholder?
in KnowledgeFor almost 15 years, I’ve been driving the same old Jeep (1996 Jeep Cherokee SE). I’m not a big driver, so it still has less than 80,000 miles. It’s paid off, has AC (important in TX when it’s 104F), and is reliable, just not pretty. For me, it’s a great vehicle, but to many it’s […]