Process Improvement Project Framework
1. Initiate PI Project
- Project is an item on the Comprehensive Operational Plan.
- Requested by department head.
- Requested by Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services or President.
2. Planning
- Begin planning at least four weeks prior to mapping sessions.
- Team formation (5 – 10 members).
- Develop charter: scope of project, parameters, and goal.
- Answer the following questions: current problems, who is customer, benefit to improving, what and why are we improving?
- Collection of relevant data.
- Perform Gemba walk.
3. Current State Map
- Team will identify general rules.
- Map layout of the current state process “as is”.
- Identify the process improvement metrics; i.e. process time (PT), lead time (LT), percent complete and accurate (%C/A), delay time.
- Identify barriers or roadblocks and OFIs (parking lot).
- Add details to the map as necessary.
- Agree on current state process.
4. Desired State Map
- Team will review current process.
- Design desired state, “where we want to be” with projected PT, LT, %C/A.
- Remove non-valued added steps.
- Identify immediate improvements (Kaizen Burst of 1 – 5 days).
- Agree on future state process.
5. Develop Action Plan
- Team will create action plan to realize the desired state map.
- Present and obtain approval from leadership per action plan/future state.
- Action plan should be regularly communicated to leadership.
- Develop pilot improvement efforts on a small scale prior to implementing across the organization.
- Determine metrics to measure improvement efforts.
6. Execute Action Plan
- Team will execute action plan.
- Perform micro PDCA for specific improvements.
- Perform pilot testing.
- Refine action plan as necessary.
