Four success factors for a highly effective Continuous Improvement Program

A continuous improvement program helps companies to implement organizational innovation as efficiently as possible: Saving time, cutting costs, avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy. But how can processes really be improved? For improvement companies use methods such as the continuous improvement process. But something else is important: a corporate culture that actively promotes improvements!

The experiences from idea management and innovation management can be transferred to your continuous improvement program. Although the innovation process plays a major role in innovation, an innovation culture that promotes creativity and ideation is even more important. In this article, you will learn about four key success factors to make your continuous improvement program a success.

In our free e-book “Create Outstanding Organizations” you will learn how to win and successfully implement high-value employee ideas in order to win by implementing continuous improvement.

Success factor 1 for your continuous improvement program: Challenge processes and procedures radically

Over time, internal business processes become increasingly complex. A responsibility is added here, a junction is set up there, a decision level is added for each step. The result: processes and procedures become slower, the company as a whole becomes more and more inefficient.

Establish a process management system and regularly question all processes and procedures. In addition, regularly develop process innovations – i.e. processes that have been rethought from scratch.

Success factor 2 for your continuous improvement program: Involve employees in the process

Success factor 3 for your continuous improvement program: Take advantage of the opportunities from digitalization

Process management and the continuous improvement process are subject to major changes. You should take this into account when implementing a continuous improvement program. The digital strategy makes collaboration and the use of swarm intelligence possible. Methods such as Open Innovation and Customer Co-creation can be used to involve customers and external parties in the processes. Many Innolytics^® software customers use the tool to optimize processes together with customers, partners (suppliers, logistics partners, etc.).

Success factor 4 for your continuous improvement program: Use continuous improvement as an engine of competitiveness

Companies that, for example, have been certified according to ISO 9001:2015 benefit from greater customer orientation, efficient, lean processes and an increased capability to innovate. With Innolytics^® software, companies can achieve these goals quickly, easily and cost-effectively:

• More ideas for cost savings and more efficient processes,
• more concepts for product development and service innovations,
• more initiatives for digitalization and digital transformation in companies.

You can immediately start optimizing processes and procedures at any time.