DCI Objectives provides extensive knowledge, expertise and support for clients who are involved with or realize the need to start implementation of a Continuous Improvement process plan.

Often referred to in the business world as: Kaizen the Japanese word for Continuous Improvement.

Continuous Improvement implies improvement that involves everyone, both managers and workers and often entails relatively little expense. Although improvements are normally achieved with small and incremental gains within the organization, the process brings about dramatic results over time.

Company management plays a key role in the overall effectiveness of this program. Managements key principle is: Maintain and Improve Standards

Maintenance (Maintain) refers to activities directed toward maintaining current company technological, managerial and operating standards. This is done through training and company standards. Often these are called standard operating procedure(s), SOP(s).

Improvement (Improve) refers to activities which are directed toward elevating current standards.

The following are major concepts which help companies institute a process oriented thinking philosophy:

Process Vs. Result - By having a process based business perspective, each unique process leads to overall improvement and better results. It therefore is clear that if the results are poor then there has been a process failure.

PDCA/SDCA Cycles - These cycles are used to assure the continuity of the company policy of maintaining and improving standards:
   Plan - Do - Check - Act
   Standardized - Do - Check - Act

Each cycle has its key benefit to the process:
   PDCA - Improves the process
   SDCA - Stabilizes the process

Putting Quality First - Of the primary goals of quality, cost and delivery, quality must have the highest priority. All else is secondary for without quality the rest will not matter.

Talking with Data - In order to make solid process improvements relevant data must be kept and analyzed to assure that recognized problems can be properly addressed.

Next Process is the Customer - It is important to not only look at the company's customer as your customer, but also the next process after yours in the series within the company. Remember you have both internal and external customers.

Another simple way of looking at Continuous Improvement:

LPIP
Learn-Practice-Improve-Perfect

Learn the fundamentals of the process, Practice those fundamentals every day, find ways to Improve on the techniques of the process and then Perfect them, making your own company standard of excellence.