How can you align quality improvement with your goals?

1 Identify your goals and priorities

The first step is to clearly define your goals and priorities for quality improvement. What are the problems or gaps that you want to address? What are the desired outcomes or benefits that you want to achieve? How do they align with your vision, mission, values, and strategic objectives? You can use tools such as SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) criteria, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, or stakeholder mapping to help you identify and prioritize your goals.

2 Choose a quality improvement method

The next step is to select a quality improvement method that suits your context, needs, and resources. There are various methods and frameworks that you can use, such as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, Lean, Six Sigma, or Total Quality Management (TQM). Each method has its own principles, tools, and techniques that can help you design, execute, and monitor your quality improvement projects. You should choose a method that is compatible with your goals, culture, and capabilities, and that can provide you with clear guidance, structure, and feedback.

3 Engage your team and stakeholders

The third step is to involve your team and stakeholders in your quality improvement process. Your team and stakeholders are the people who are directly or indirectly affected by your quality improvement efforts, such as your employees, customers, suppliers, partners, or regulators. You should engage them from the start to understand their needs, expectations, and perspectives, and to gain their support, input, and feedback. You can use methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or workshops to communicate and collaborate with your team and stakeholders.

4 Implement and measure your quality improvement actions

The fourth step is to implement and measure your quality improvement actions. Your actions are the specific tasks or activities that you plan to do to achieve your quality improvement goals. You should follow your chosen quality improvement method to execute your actions in a systematic and efficient way. You should also measure the impact and progress of your actions using relevant indicators, data, and evidence. You can use tools such as checklists, charts, dashboards, or reports to track and document your implementation and measurement results.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?