We need to really understand what our systems are doing and what we want to change in order to start our change activity.

Langley et al, 1996

 

The Model for Improvement was developed by Associates in Process Improvement, and tells us to ensure that any changes we make are based on an understanding of what it is we are trying to achieve, then testing our changes and analysing the results. The Model supports the idea of the ‘trial and learning’ approach to close the gap between evidence of the best way to do things and how things actually need to be done in practice.

The three fundamental improvement questions which help us to form this understanding are:

1. What are we trying to achieve?

• Know exactly what you are trying to do – have clear aims and objectives

2. How will we know that change is an improvement?

• Measuring processes and outcomes

3. What changes can we make that will result in an improvement?

• What have others done? What hunches do we have? What can we learn as we go along?

 

The Model for Improvement