CLE015 Continuous Improvement Familiarization After completing this module, you will be able to: Recognize the effect of CPI on an organization’s performance Identify key CPI methodologies Recognize the CPI deployment process Identify key CPI deployment roles and responsibilities Welcome to the CPI Effect on Organizational Performance lesson. This lesson will provide information on how organizations function and the role of CPI in improving organizational performance. Approximate length: 30 minutes The target audience includes all military and civilian Department of Defense personnel and contractors supporting DoD activities. Located throughout this lesson are Knowledge Reviews, which are not graded but enable you to measure your comprehension of the lesson material. After completing this lesson, you will be able to: Identify functions of the entities in the Enterprise Organization Model Define the factors that influence an organization’s performance Define Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Identify the goal of CPI in organizational performance modification Identify key facts in the history of business transformation in the DoD Identify the objective of business transformation in the DoD In the past, organizations were treated as discrete units. Each had its own facilities, people, equipment, and materials and used these resources according to its own plan. Now, the Enterprise Organization Model recognizes the interdependencies among various entities, including suppliers, customers, and communities. An enterprise is one or more organizations having related activities, unified operation, and a common purpose. The graphic below shows some of the entities involved in the military enterprise. Select each entity to learn more. External Factors such as policies, laws, threats, budget, etc. o Usually an organization has limited or no influence on external factors o Understanding the external factors is essential to scoping an organization's performance improvement activities o Additional external factors for DoD organizations include Warfighter needs, other government agencies, commands, and services — our customers Internal Factors such as leadership, strategy, process, etc. o An organization has control or influence over internal factors o Leadership — Guides development of an organization's vision and strategy o Vision — Determines an organization's key customers and the overall aim o Strategy — Drives and determines an organization's critical processes for satisfying the customer o Processes — Drive an organization's requirement for people and resources; determine what must be measured All of the above factors determine an organization's culture The external and internal factors that affect organizations are described here. Select each external and internal factor to learn more. Diagram showing external and internal factors that affect the military enterprise. Each factor is represented by a box. A box in the center of the graphic displays the internal factors. Leadership is at the top. Below Leadership is an organization chart. The first level is Strategy and Objectives with an arrow that flows to Critical Processes in the second level, and Goals and Measurements and Culture in the third level. Critical Processes has an arrow that flows into the third level factors: Goals and Measurements, Human Capabilities, Information Knowledge Management, Organizational Structure/Roles and Responsibilities, and Culture. Issue Resolution is at the bottom. External factors are displayed on the perimeter. Laws and Regulations (Domestic and International) has an arrow labeled Limitations that flows to internal factors. Economy has an arrow labeled Economic Conditions that flows to internal factors. Society, Community and Foreign Cultures has an arrow labeled Concerns that flows into internal factors. Other Services, Agencies and Commands has four arrows: an arrow labeled Services and Equipment that flows from internal factors, an arrow labeled needs that flows into internal factors, an arrow labeled Services and Equipment that flows into the Warfighter, and an arrow labeled Needs that flows from the the Warfighter. The Warfighter has three arrows: an arrow labeled Services and Equipment that flows from external factors, an arrow labeled Needs that flows into internal factors and an arrow flowing to Worldwide Threats. Raw Materials Equipment and Services has an arrow flowing into internal factors and World Threats. Resources: Money, People, and Technology have any arrow flowing into internal factors. The external and internal factors that affect organizations are described here. Select each external and internal factor to learn more. Continuous Process Improvement Familiarization True. Internal factors are those that an organization has control of or influence on. The Department of Defense's mission is to maintain and employ Armed Forces to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. CPI is an integrated system of improvement that focuses on doing the right things, right. CPI is also an enterprise-wide "way of thinking" for achieving lower cost, shorter lead times, and higher quality. As a way of thinking, CPI is relevant to any process, regardless of complexity or relative importance. The CPI system has an on-going focus on enhancing the satisfaction of the Warfighter's needs. The goal of CPI is to continuously improve products and services. Essential to achieving this goal is knowing what the customer wants — the customer determines what is of value. Voice of the Customer (VOC) means actively listening and responding to the needs of the customer. Through this active listening customer requirements can be captured in a variety of ways, including: Direct discussion Surveys Customer specifications Observation Warranty data Field reports CPI is being used by the DoD to achieve transformation. One of the goals of DoD transformation is to address the challenges posed by the high cost of acquiring new weapon systems and maintaining legacy systems. A strategic approach is needed to improve: Reliability Cycle time Cost Quality Productivity The objective is to ensure that the right capabilities, resources, and materiel are rapidly delivered to our Warfighters: What they need, where they need it, when they need it, anywhere in the world. Warfare in the 21st century is very different from the conflicts of the past: During the Cold War, national security was oriented toward defeating large, powerful nation-states with slow-moving and predictable armies and weapons systems Today, our enemies are often characterized by small, stateless networks of agile organizations, as well as traditional threats To defend against this broad range of threats requires an agile joint force dominant across the full spectrum of military operations. Such a highly flexible and adaptable fighting force requires an equally flexible, highperformance, and responsive business and financial support infrastructure, capable of adapting to ever-changing conditions. CPI programs are being initiated throughout the DoD. They are often referred to as Lean, Six Sigma, Quality, Theory of Constraints, or have service specific titles such as the Navy's AIRSpeed, the Air Force's Smart Operations 21, and the Army's Lean Six Sigma program. A 2005 analysis of material readiness to support the Warfighter by the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics and Materiel Readiness) indicated that CPI is a viable concept for improving Warfighter support by achieving shorter lead times, higher quality, and lower costs. Five areas were identified that would benefit from the application of CPI concepts and tools: Materiel acquisition In-service engineering Materiel maintenance Supply support Materiel distribution A goal of Continuous Process Improvement is to continuously improve products and services by actively listening and responding to the needs of the customer. False. In the 21st century, our enemies will most likely be small, stateless networks of agile organizations, as well as traditional threats. Congratulations. You have completed the CPI Effect on Organizational Performance lesson. The following are some of the topics that were presented: The Enterprise Organization Model is a way to view an organization by all of the factors that impact it, both external and internal Organizations have little or no influence over external factors Since organizations have control over internal factors, improvement efforts should begin with them The goal of CPI is to continuously improve products and services (output) by actively listening and responding to the needs of the customer (input) The objective of DoD transformation is to ensure that the right capabilities, resources, and materiel are rapidly delivered to our Warfighters An analysis of material readiness to support the Warfighter indicated that CPI is a viable concept for improving Warfighter support by achieving shorter lead times, higher quality, and lower costs Welcome to the Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Methodologies lesson. Several methods for process improvement exist. Three methods will be discussed: Six Sigma Lean Theory of Constraints (TOC) Approximate length: 1 hour The target audience includes all military and civilian Department of Defense personnel and contractors supporting DoD activities. Located throughout the lesson are Knowledge Reviews, which are not graded but enable you to measure your comprehension of the lesson material. After completing this lesson, you will be able to: State the purpose of Six Sigma Define effectiveness Identify key Six Sigma methodology and tools Identify how Six Sigma methodology applies to the Enterprise Model State the purpose of Lean Define efficiency Identify key Lean methodology and tools Identify how Lean methodology applies to the Enterprise Model Define Lean Six Sigma Define the Theory of Constraints (TOC) Identify what Six Sigma, Lean, and TOC have in common Define common metrics used in Lean, Six Sigma, and TOC Identify successful applications of Six Sigma, Lean, and TOC within DoD Six Sigma was embraced by the Motorola Corporation as a method of improving customer satisfaction by increasing product quality. Six Sigma has roots in the field of statistics. Key terms include: Specification — The customer's requirement for product performance Sigma () — A quantitative measure of a process's variation in delivering products A Six Sigma process delivers 99.9999998% of its products within specification (they meet the customer's requirements). Six Sigma is a widely accepted improvement methodology that focuses on reducing process variation. Many proponents throughout government, industry, and academia recognize that improving quality, by reducing variation, leads to reduced costs and increased customer satisfaction. Six Sigma methodology relies on straightforward problem-solving principles supported by statistical analysis. When discussing Six Sigma, effectiveness refers to decreasing output variation, whether for a product or a service. For a process performing within specification, reducing variation reduces defects, which in turn will increase customer satisfaction. In the graphic, the upper curve represents a process with a standard deviation of 4 units. The control limits represent a 6 process, resulting in 2 defects per billion opportunities (dpbo). The lower curve (red) represents a process with a standard deviation of 8 units. The control limits represent a 3 process, which results in 2700 defects per million opportunities (dpmo). Clearly, reducing the process variation results in delivery of fewer defects. To illustrate the effect of variation on customer satisfaction, we'll use tires: A manufacturer advertises tires that last 40,000 miles. If one set lasts 30,000 miles, another lasts 40,000 miles, and a third lasts 50,000 miles, the average expected life for each set is 40,000 miles, which meets the manufacturer's claims. The person who got the set of tires that lasted 30,000 miles will notice this variation (he expected 40,000 and got 30,000 — he will be disappointed) The person with the 40,000 mile set got what he expected — nothing to notice The person with the 50,000 mile set will also notice this variation. He will probably be happy since his expectations were exceeded What gets noticed is the difference between expectations and reality — the variation. Six Sigma uses a five-step model called DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) to reduce variation. Select each portion of the graphic to read about the step. Six Sigma can be described as a methodology for reducing process and product variation. Reducing varaiations defines effectiveness. Lean is a system for reducing or eliminating the waste of resources. The following resources must be used efficiently to provide the best possible value for the customer: Money Materials Time Intellectual capital Space Waste is minimized by evaluating processes and eliminating anything that does not add value. Lean was embraced by the Japanese auto manufacturer, Toyota, and was a key philosophy in the evolving Toyota Production System (TPS). The TPS was developed after a visit to a Ford plant in Detroit revealed that the American model of mass production would not work in Japan. Toyota viewed the production system at Ford as wasteful and believed there were better ways to produce quality products while recognizing the talents of workers. Even though the TPS was designed to improve manufacturing processes, Lean has spread beyond manufacturing enterprises and has been used successfully in transactional (office) environments. Efficiency is what we are trying to achieve with Lean, by reducing or eliminating waste. When evaluating processes, it's important to determine which tasks or activities are value added or non-value added. The identification and elimination of waste are central to the Lean philosophy. Lean recognizes two categories of waste: information waste and manufacturing waste. Select the two tabs on the top of the image to the right and then select the different types to learn more. An enterprise must be viewed as a system. Each part is interdependent for proper operation. Listed below are the four kinds of linkage relationships and some examples: Information — Information must flow between the parts of an enterprise, the enterprise and supplier, and the enterprise and customer Organization — Integrated Product Teams may be used to integrate different parts of an enterprise Process — The enterprise may employ a standardized process for Integrated Product and Process Development Technology — The Internet is used to link enterprises with their suppliers and customers Dr. James Womack, renowned management expert and proponent of Lean, developed five fundamental principles of Lean thinking. Select each principle to learn more. Lean Six Sigma, as the name implies, combines Lean and Six Sigma to achieve greater process improvement gains. The purpose of Lean is to minimize waste (increase efficiency) and that of Six Sigma is to reduce variation (increase effectiveness). The result of the combination is the customer will receive a defect-free product faster. In general, Lean techniques will result in more immediate gains. Improvements from Six Sigma application will take longer. Using the methods together will maximize productivity and ensure customers are getting what they need, when they need it. Lean and Six Sigma each provide tools to improve processes and customer satisfaction, but results can be more dramatic when both approaches are applied simultaneously. Six Sigma provides statistical proof of quality improvement, while Lean helps deliver quality products faster by removing barriers to flow and minimizing wasteful practices. The purpose of Lean is to reduce or eliminate waste. True. The five fundamental principles of Lean thinking are: Define value in the customer's terms, identify the value stream, make the process flow, pull value from the customer, and pursue perfection. The Theory of Constraints (TOC), developed by Dr. Eliyahu M. Goldratt, is based on the idea that quality and productivity will increase if various constraints are removed. TOC can apply to: Manufacturing processes, such as inefficient factory layouts, wrong quantity or type of inventory, or schedule problems Management processes, such as outdated policies or procedures TOC is not a substitute for other CPI tools. It should be used in conjunction with other CPI tools to reap maximum benefits. A constraint is anything that hinders an organization in reaching its goals. There are two types of constraints: physical and non-physical. Examples of physical constraints: Warehouse space Machine capacity Number of delivery vehicles Examples of non-physical constraints: Employee attitudes Customer demand Company procedures The steps in applying TOC are as follows: 1. Identify the constraint(s) — Examine process flow and determine where the problem lies 2. Decide how to manage the constraint — How to get the most from the constrained element 3. Adjust other parts of the process as necessary to get the best use of the constrained element in step 2 4. Break the constraint — If the adjustments in step 3 did not work, it may be time to retool, hire more workers, find new suppliers, etc. If the constraint returns or a new one develops, return to step 1 Although each of the CPI methodologies has different tool sets and different goals, there is a common thread — all involve reducing or removing barriers to customer service. Six Sigma reduces variation Lean reduces waste TOC reduces constraints Application Guideline Program Theory Application Guidelines Focus Six Sigma Reduce Variation Lean Thinking Remove Waste Theory of Constraints Manage Constraints 1. Define 1. Identify Value 1. Identify Constraint 2. Measure 2. Identify Value Stream 2. Exploit Coinstraint 3. Analyze 3. Flow 3. Subordinate Process 4. Improvement 4. Pull 4. Elevate Constraint 5. Control 5. Perfections 5. Repeat Cycle Problem Focused Flow Focused System Constraints Which CPI tool is best? There is no right answer to this question. All of the tools have been used successfully. The selection of the tool depends on the organization's goals. Answering the following questions will assist an organization in the selection of a CPI tool. Do we want to get better? Do we want to get faster? Metrics are a means of measuring progress toward goals. This means that the current state must be documented, so improvements can be measured. It is important that metrics be aligned with organizational goals. If they are not, the data collected will be of little or no value. Additionally, metrics should be used in combination with each other to ensure that gains in one area don't cause losses in another. For example, if a shipper stresses on-time deliveries, employees may meet this goal, but at the expense of safety or condition of items at delivery. Multiple metrics should be used to track all factors relevant to providing the best customer service. There are two types of metrics: Lagging metrics — Metrics that are collected and reported after the fact. This type of metric is good for tracking trends, but by the time the trend is noticed, there may already be problems Leading metrics — Metrics that indicate how an outcome should be achieved. This type of metric can be helpful in minimizing problems There are five key characteristics of good metrics: Valid Obtainable Accurate Repeatable Actionable If one or more of these attributes are missing, metrics will be of little value. If metrics are being compiled simply to show the boss on a regular basis that something important is being done, then the metrics are pointless and the time spent updating them would be better spent elsewhere. Good metrics are those that show improvements in effectiveness and efficiency, which translate to increased value for the customer. True. The Theory of Constraints is based on the idea that quality and productivity will increase if various constraints are removed. Theory of Constraints (TOC), Six Sigma, and Lean involve reducing or removing barriers to customer service. Congratulations. You have completed the Continuous Process Improvement Methodologies lesson. The following are some of the topics that were presented: Six Sigma enables organizations to increase effectiveness by minimizing output variation Six Sigma uses a five-step model called DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-ImproveControl) to reduce variation Several tools, such as Pareto charts and Poka Yoke, are available to help implement Six Sigma Lean enables organizations to increase efficiency by reducing or eliminating waste Lean Six Sigma enables organizations to deliver defect-free products faster The five principles of Lean are define value, identify the value stream, make the process flow, pull value from the customer, and pursue perfection Lean Six Sigma combines Lean and Six Sigma which results in the customer receiving a defect-free product faster Theory of Constraints states that quality and productivity will increase if constraints are removed Good metrics are important in ensuring that process outputs are what they are supposed to be Welcome to the Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Deployment lesson. This lesson will explain the principles behind CPI, a logical method for implementing CPI, and mistakes to avoid. Also, several DoD success stories are related. Approximate length: 45 minutes The target audience includes all military and civilian Department of Defense personnel and contractors supporting DoD activities. Located throughout the lesson are Knowledge Reviews, which are not graded but enable you to measure your comprehension of the lesson material. After completing this lesson, you will be able to: Identify successful practices of CPI deployment Identify common reasons why CPI deployments fail Identify how to select projects for improvement According to the DoD CPI Transformation Guidebook, there are three fundamental concepts for CPI implementation: a set of "musts," a set of principles, and the Scientific Method. The DoD system for implementing CPI is called the Mission Deployment Cycle (MDC). The MDC is a "Systems Thinking" approach to transformation consisting of nine steps. Select each step to learn more. DoD has provided guidelines for writing Implementation Plans at the DoD and Organizational levels. Implementation is accomplished in three phases. CPI implementation will go much more smoothly if these tenets are followed: Narrow focus and build on previous successes Develop a sense of urgency Maintain patience and realistic expectations Develop and execute a written deployment plan with metrics Lead the program from the top down Develop intolerance to excuses Establish aligned, collaborative, and outcome-based metrics Align requirements and expectations throughout the value stream Treat training as a business objective and not a discretionary set of actions Developing a sense of urgency will help avoid mistakes in CPI implementation. True. Successful practices of CPI deployment are based on a set of "musts," a set of principles, and the Scientific Method. There are three approaches for selecting projects for improvement. These approaches include: Pilot study Project by project Enterprise-wide The DoD and Organization Implementation Plans discussed earlier are the means by which the DoD will eventually achieve enterprise-wide implementation. Most organizations will start CPI implementation by performing pilot studies. These will involve processes that are important and will make a positive impact on the organization, but are not necessarily the highest priority processes to be improved. They should be processes that are very visible, but relatively simple to accomplish. This approach allows the organization to learn how to use the tools and realize some immediate gains. We will discuss several DoD CPI success stories. They demonstrate how effective CPI implementation benefits organizations and their customers. Objective: Reduce time between user request and contract award — time reduction brings capability to Warfighter more quickly Initial Alpha Contracting event held in Feb 2003 — reduced contracting time from 351 days to 252 days (initial 28% reduction) Alpha Contracting Event II held 3-6 May 2004 — objective was further reducing contracting time to support spiral acquisition Results o o Estimated cycle time reductions: Development Contracts: 218 days (38% reduction) Production Contracts: 212 days (40% reduction) Engineering/Contract Change Contracts: 92 days (74% reduction) Alpha Contracting Guide being revised to address the differences in contract types Further refinement and maturation of processes expected to lead to further reduction Letterkenny Army Depot - High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) Lean manufacturing techniques, such as flow and pull, were implemented to decrease turnaround time All vehicle maintenance complete on or ahead of schedule Money is freed up that can be used for other mission support projects Warner Robins ALC, Robins Air Force Base, GA — Won the 2005 Shingo Prize Public Sector Gold award for its C-5 Programmed Depot Maintenance; the depot now provides 100 percent on-time delivery Ogden ALC, Hill AFB, UT — Won two 2005 Shingo Prize Public Sector Silver awards: o F-16 Common Configuration Implementation Program — Reduced flow time for structural and electrical work by 30 percent and increased defect-free aircraft by 80 percent o Commodities Branch Pylon Shop — Reduced cycle time for maintaining, overhauling, and repairing fuel and weapons pylons from 145 days to 18 days Oklahoma City ALC, Tinker AFB, OK — Won the 2005 Shingo Prize Public Sector Silver award for improving quality, efficiency, and safety in its KC-135 depot D Letterkenny Army Depot - Patriot Recapitalization Patriot Air Defense System sets sent to depot, where the maintenance processes have been "Leaned" Radar, electrical, mechanical, and antenna systems are inspected and overhauled Field units extremely pleased with the quality of the recapitalized systems The enterprise-wide approach to selecting projects for improvement has the highest risk, but also offers the greatest chance for real transformation. True. When selecting projects for improvement, most organizations will start by performing pilot studies. Congratulations. You have completed the Continuous Process Improvement Deployment lesson. The following are some of the topics that were presented: The CPI "Musts," including "Must have mission-related goals" and "Must have strong and visible leadership commitment" Fundamental CPI principles include: never pass on defects, make every task clear and simple, and strive for consensus in decision making Since CPI is fact-based, the Scientific Method is used to solve problems Mistakes to avoid when implementing CPI, such as losing patience and having unrealistic expectations Three approaches for selecting projects for improvement: pilot study, project by project, or enterprise-wide DoD CPI success stories, including Patriot Recapitalization and Military Manpower Management Welcome to the CPI Roles and Responsibilities lesson. Organizations are built around people and their knowledge. A CPI project involves a series of processes, which are led and managed by groups and individuals with defined roles. This lesson describes those roles and their associated responsibilities. Approximate length: 30 minutes The target audience includes all military and civilian Department of Defense personnel and contractors supporting DoD activities. Located at the end of this lesson are Knowledge Reviews, which are not graded but enable you to measure your comprehension of the lesson material. After completing this lesson, you will be able to: Define the responsibilities of the Steering Committee Define the responsibilities of the CPI Support Team Define the responsibilities of the Work Group Define the responsibilities of a Green Belt Define the responsibilities of a Black Belt Define the responsibilities of a Master Black Belt Define the responsibilities of a Champion Define the responsibilities of a Sponsor/Process Owner Define the responsibilities of Leadership Successful CPI implementation requires a variety of roles that are spread across the organization. These roles are performed by both groups and individuals. The group roles associated with CPI are the Steering Committee, the CPI Support Team, and the Work Group. Other organizational elements that contribute to the CPI process include: IT staff and vendors, facilities, finance, and engineering. Select each role to learn about its responsibilities. The individual roles associated with CPI are Green Belt, Black Belt, Master Black Belt, Champion, Sponsor/Process Owner, and Leadership. Select each role to learn about team member responsibilities The Steering Committee is responsible for creating and sharing the organizational vision, developing a strategy that is focused on organizational success, and developing and deploying the annual plan. A Master Black Belt is a person trained in CPI methodology who acts as an organization-wide CPI director or program manager. Congratulations. You have completed the CPI Roles and Responsibilities lesson. The following topics were presented: The Steering Committee develops a strategy that is focused on organizational success The CPI Support Team assists in creating a plan to improve performance The Work Group analyzes the current situation using metrics Green Belts are members of process improvement action teams Black Belts have the ability to lead teams as well as advise management Master Black Belts act as organization-wide CPI directors or program managers Champions are accountable for all process improvement initiatives Sponsors/Process Owners provide direction to Belts Leadership ensures emphasis is given to process improvement Congratulations. You have completed the Continuous Process Improvement Familiarization module. The topics you have learned about are: The Enterprise Organization Model is a way to view an organization by all of the factors that impact it, both external and internal Organizations have little or no influence over external factors Since organizations have control over internal factors, improvement efforts should begin with them The goal of CPI is to continuously improve products and services (output) by actively listening and responding to the needs of the customer (input) The objective of DoD transformation is to ensure that the right capabilities, resources, and materiel are rapidly delivered to our Warfighters An analysis of material readiness to support the Warfighter indicated that CPI is a viable concept for improving Warfighter support by achieving shorter lead times, higher quality, and lower costs Six Sigma enables organizations to increase effectiveness by minimizing output variation Six Sigma uses a five-step model called DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-ImproveControl) to reduce variation Several tools, such as Pareto charts and Poka Yoke, are available to help implement Six Sigma Lean enables organizations to increase efficiency by reducing or eliminating waste Lean Six Sigma enables organizations to deliver defect-free products faster The five principles of Lean are define value, identify the value stream, make the process flow, pull value from the customer, and pursue perfection Lean Six Sigma combines Lean and Six Sigma which results in the customer receiving a defect-free product faster Theory of Constraints states that quality and productivity will increase if constraints are removed Good metrics are important in ensuring that process outputs are what they are supposed to be The CPI "Musts," including "Must have mission-related goals" and "Must have strong and visible leadership commitment" Fundamental CPI principles include: never pass on defects, make every task clear and simple, and strive for consensus in decision making Since CPI is fact-based, the Scientific Method is used to solve problems Mistakes to avoid when implementing CPI, such as losing patience and having unrealistic expectations The three approaches for selecting CPI projects are: pilot study, project by project, or enterprise-wide DoD CPI success stories, including Patriot Recapitalization and Military Manpower Management The Steering Committee develops a strategy that is focused on organizational success The CPI Support Team assists in creating a plan to improve performance The Work Group analyzes the current situation using metrics Green Belts are members of process improvement action teams Black Belts have the ability to lead teams as well as advise management Master Black Belts act as organization-wide CPI directors or program managers Champions are accountable for all process improvement initiatives Sponsors/Process Owners provide direction to Belts Leadership ensures emphasis is given to process improvement