When I was a wee-lad beginning my professional career, fresh out of college, people were still talking about something called “TQM” or “Totally Quality Management.” Where I worked, managers were extolling the virtues of a 9-step approach to process improvement. I got my hands on a copy of a document that contained the list, and I quickly typed up a copy to keep on my PC.
Fast forward a decade and change to last week when I was sifting through all the e-clutter contained in my vast and labyrithine data folder structure at work. What did I find in the bowels of my system? The 9-step list, sans original context. Amazingly, and this is as much a testament to Demming’s original ideas as anything else, this process still holds water. Seriously, it’s a good list! Of course, today this sort of process seems intuitive because the basic approach has seen many iterations in the time since TQM hit the height of its popularity. Still, if you don’t already have a process that you use, maybe, just maybe, this dusty old list might come in handy!
The Nine Step Approach to Work
1. Identify the Purpose
2. Identify the Customer (s)
3. Identify the Requirements
4. Plan an Approach
5. Select Measurements
6. Set Goals
7. Take Action
8. Evaluate Results
9. Repeat For Continuous Improvements
Illuminate Possibilities 