How do you ensure the sustainability and scalability of your BPI outcomes and benefits?

1 Continuous improvement cycle

The continuous improvement cycle, also known as the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, is a four-step method to implement and improve processes based on feedback and data. This cycle begins with defining the problem, goal, scope, and measures of your BPI initiative, as well as identifying the root causes, potential solutions, and action plan. Then, the action plan is executed and tested, and the results and observations are documented. After that, the results are analyzed and compared with the expected outcomes and measures, and any gaps, errors, and deviations are identified. Finally, the solutions that work are implemented and the ones that don't are eliminated, and the new process is standardized and communicated. This cycle is repeated until the desired results are achieved and sustained.

2 Agile principles

Agile is a mindset and set of values and principles that guide the delivery of products and services in a dynamic and uncertain environment. It emphasizes customer collaboration, adaptive planning, iterative development, and continuous delivery. To support your BPI efforts, you should deliver value early and often, embrace change and uncertainty, empower and engage your team, and inspect and adapt. Focus on the most important and valuable features and processes for your customers and stakeholders, and deliver them in small and frequent increments to get feedback. Expect and welcome changes in the requirements, expectations, and environment, and adapt your plans and processes accordingly. Involve your team members in the planning, execution, and improvement of your BPI initiatives, and foster a culture of learning, experimentation, and innovation. Review and reflect on your BPI outcomes, processes, and practices regularly and systematically, and identify what works well and what needs improvement. Implement the changes and measure the impact.

3 How to combine the cycle and the principles

The continuous improvement cycle and agile principles can be used together to enhance your BPI efforts. You can use the cycle as a framework to structure your initiatives and the principles as a mindset to shape your culture and behavior. Align your goals and measures with customer and stakeholder value and satisfaction, and use feedback and data to validate your assumptions and decisions. Break down your initiatives into smaller chunks and prioritize and execute them in short and iterative cycles. Involve customers, stakeholders, and team members in your initiatives, and collaborate and communicate with them throughout the cycle. Experiment and test your solutions and hypotheses, and learn from your failures and successes. Adjust and optimize your processes and practices based on the findings.

4 Benefits of using the cycle and the principles

The continuous improvement cycle and agile principles can bring several benefits to your BPI efforts, such as increased efficiency and quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty, adaptability and resilience, and innovation and growth. By continuously monitoring, evaluating, and improving your processes, you can eliminate waste, errors, and defects, as well as optimize your resources, time, and costs. Additionally, by delivering value early and often, you can meet and exceed customer expectations and needs, while also building trust and rapport. Furthermore, by embracing change and uncertainty, you can cope with and capitalize on external and internal factors. Finally, by empowering and engaging your team, you can unleash their creativity and potential, fostering a culture of learning, experimentation, and innovation that can drive your BPI outcomes and benefits.