Introduction

This course presents a high level appreciation of the features and benefits of three key Performance areas namely; Performance Measurement, Continuous Improvement and Benchmarking. Originally led by Japanese organizations, many International Companies are now leveling the field as performance measurement is seen as vital to quality process management and therefore Shareholder Value.

This course will feature:

• Understanding Performance Measurement
• How to instigate, prolong and measure Continuous Improvement
• How to find and decipher the good stuff
• The vital impact of people on process
• Running a Benchmarking Project

objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the benefits of Performance Measurement, Continuous Improvement and Benchmarking.
• Show how these activities play a part in helping their organization perform at a higher level
• Determine methods for generating and implementing effective performance metrics
• Use a process improvement methodology back at work
• Run a benchmarking project more effectively

Contents

Day One

Performance Measurement: The Starting Point for Improvement

• The Need for Measurement
• Data Use and Abuse: Using Data Constructively
• Methods of Selecting Performance Measures
• Developing a Framework for Measurement
• Understanding Variation: The key to understanding performance
• What histograms, run charts and control charts tell us about performance

Day Two

Continuous Improvement

• Understanding Variation: The Range and Standard Deviation
• Taking Appropriate Action against a Process
• An Introduction to Control Charts
• How to Improve a Process
• The Power of Teamwork
• Problem and Mission Statements

Day Three

The Tools of Continuous Improvement

• Understanding and Analyzing a Process
• Identifying causes of problems, and potential solutions
• Demonstrating the link between a cause and its effect
• Understanding the Process
• Investigating Relationships between Variables

Day Four

An Introduction to Benchmarking

• What is benchmarking?
• History of benchmarking
• Different Methods of benchmarking and how they relate to each other
• How to identify potential benchmarking projects
• An overview of the benchmarking process
• Selecting your first project

Day Five

Running a Successful Benchmarking Project

• Scoping and planning benchmarking study
• Identifying and selecting benchmarking Metrics & Partners
• Participant meetings: Planning and running effective meetings to attain the aims of the study
• Benchmarking project management
• Management support activities
• Legal issues