Culture and Sport Improvement Toolkit 8.

Improvement planning

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

Improvement planning Improvementplanningisthemostimportantpartoftheprocess.Itistheprimereasonfor carryingoutself-assessmentinthefirstplace. The final evaluation will provide a picture of the organisation overall and where it currently standsagainsttheidealmodel. The analysis of strengths and weaknesses can be drawn together and presented to the organisation along with the improvement priorities. A template for an improvement plan is includedbelow.Improvementplanningisitselfacriticalprocess.Itisimportantthat: improvementsareprioritised,focusingonthosethatwillmakethebiggestimpact theplanisSMART[specific,measurable,attainable,realisticandtimely] theimprovementsarethemselvesmeasurableandcanbemonitoredtoidentifyifthe actionsarehavingthedesiredeffect theimprovementtasksareallocatedtospecificindividualswhowillhavetheauthorityto bringaboutchangeandimprovement,and theimprovementplanisreportedonaperiodicalbasistoseniormanagementand electedmembersresponsiblefortheservice(s).

Amechanismforannualreviewandsubsequentimprovementplanningshouldlinkwiththe normalbusinessplanningprocesses.Itshouldbeintegratedintotheorganisationspolicyand strategyframework,aswellascorporate,serviceandbudgetplanningprocesses. Aswellasestablishingabaselineforsubsequentdiscussionsabouthowandwhere improvementshavebeenmadeandwhattheirimpacthasbeen,theself-assessmentfindings canbeusedforcomparisonswithotherorganisationsifrequired.Thiscanbedonetohelpshare bestpracticeandsupportlearning.Discussionswithregionalpartnersandagenciesinthesector maybebasedonthesefindings. Principles of improvement planning Improvementplanninginvolvesprioritisingthekeyareasforimprovementandidentifyingthe improvementprojectsthatwillmakethegreatestdifference.Theimprovementplanshould containasmallnumberofbreakthroughimprovementprojects,ratherthanmanyminor actionsorincrementalimprovementtasksrelatingtopartsoftheorganisation.Atfirstthismay seemcounter-intuitive,asmanyareasforimprovementwillhavebeenestablishedduringthe self-assessment. CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

Rememberthatpeoplewilloften(andshouldbeencouragedto)goawayfromtheselfassessmentandapplywhattheyhavelearnedtotheirteamandindividualplans.Rememberalso 1 thatawarenessiscurative peopleoftenaltertheirownbehaviourmerelyasaresultof becomingmoreawareofhowtheyaredoing. Implementingimprovementprojectsinvolvespeoplechangingtheirworkingbehaviour. Therefore,considerationneedstobegiventohowthischangeismanaged.Thiscouldinclude: Theimprovementprojectsshouldachievesustainablechange.Thisisdoneby: Wherepossible,theimprovementprojectsshouldbeallocatedtoimprovementteams,which aregiventhecompleteresponsibilitytoplanandimplementtheimprovementaction.Ideally, theseteamsshouldcomprisestaffinvolvedintheparticularprocessatalllevels. Projectmanagementtechniquesshouldbeusedtoplanandimplementtheimprovements, including: identifyingdefinedoutputs clearstartandfinishtimes milestones pilotprojects definedoutputs. focusingtheprojectsontacklingrootcauses changingtheorganisationsmanagementsystem embeddingthechangesintoprocessdocumentation,teamandindividualgoals,and traininganddevelopmentplans. piloting training one-to-oneandgroupcoachingormentoring.

Improvementtoolscouldalsobeused,includingscenarioplanning,cause-and-effectanalysis, andcreativitytools. Toensurethisplaniseffective,itisimportantitisnotseenasanadd-ontotheorganisation.It mustbeseenastheintegralelementofserviceplans.Soitisimportantthattheself-assessment programmeiscoordinatedwiththeplanningcycle. Changeandinvestmentwillrequirepoliticalleadershipandsupportfromelectedmembers. Theirinvolvementinthewholeprocess,particularlyimprovementplanning,iscritical.

1

Source:TimothyGallweyInnerGameofWork

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

Theimprovementplanmustbeaworkingdocument,whichenablestheorganisationtofocus itsresourcesandattentionsonchangingthewayitworks,whichwillinturnleadto improvementsintheoutcomesachieved. Improvement planning process

Todevelopimprovementplans,theself-assessmentteamshouldfollowthestepsbelow. Reviewthestrengthsandareasofimprovementtoidentifythemesandimprovement priorities,bearinginmindlong-termstrategicdirectionandstakeholdersneeds. Identifyimprovementprojectsthatwilltackletheseimprovementthemesandpriorities andmakeasignificantdifferencetotheservice.Remembertoconsiderresourcesand existingworkloadwhenagreeingimprovementprojects.Asmallnumberofcompleted projectsismuchbetterthanmanyhalf-completedprojects.Alsoconsiderthe opportunityforsomequickwins.

Establishaclearoutputforeachimprovementproject(whatchangeswillbemade).

Identifyanimprovementteamleadertoberesponsibleforcompletingthisimprovement project(ie.achievingthisoutput).Identifyothermembersoftheimprovementteam, involvingpeoplewhoareinvolvedintheelementoftheorganisationtobeimproved.

Identifyaprojectstartdateandplannedcompletiondate.

Thinkcreativelyabouttheproject.Captureanyideasforactionrelatingtothe improvementproject,includingpossiblebenchmarkingpartners(seebelow)andother resources(forexample,peersupport).

Documenttheimprovementproject,output,improvementteamleader,improvement team,startdate,plannedcompletiondateandanyideasforaction.

Communicatetheimprovementplanwiththeseniormanagementteamandelected members.Developtheirownershipandsupportfortheprojects.Addtheplantothe businessplan,incorporatingexistingimprovementprojectsintotheoneplan.

Distributetheimprovementplantocorestaffandpartnersasappropriate.Communicate theplanviameetings,workshopsorseminars.Ensuretheplanisseenandusedasalive, workingdocument.Linkindividualgoalstotheimprovementprojects. 4

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

Reviewprogressinachievingtheimprovementprojectsonaregularbasis(quarterly,for example).Updatetheimprovementplandocumentasaresultofthisreviewshowing achievements,andre-issue.

Improvement teams Animprovementteamisasmallandrepresentativeteamestablishedtoidentify,planand implementimprovements,whichshouldleadtoincreasedvalue.Theyworkonaspecific improvementprojecttoachievethedefinedoutput. Improvementteamsshouldoperateinastructuredwayandshouldusearangeofimprovement toolsandtechniques(improvementteamtrainingcouldbeconsidered).

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

 Thisisatypicalimprovementteamprocess:
Phase 4: agree Agree the changes through consensus discussion Phase 3: check Analyse the cause of the existing behaviour and the barriers to making the changes Phase 2: innovate Come up with creative and innovative practices (use benchmarking if required) Phase 1: clarify and challenge Clarify what needs to change, the brief and boundaries of the improvement team

Phase 5: implement Implement the changes, through communication, training, changes to paperwork, etc

Phase 6: monitor, review and adjust Monitor the implementation of the changes, review their effectiveness and take any necessary action

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

Learning and sharing best practice Onceyouhaveidentifiedareasforimprovementitmakessensetolooktoothersinthe organisationoroutsidewhocouldsupportyourimprovement,ratherthanyouhavingto reinventthewheel. Weneedtocarryoutsharedlearning,because: Makingimprovementswithinyourorganisationinvolvesadoptingdifferentprocessesand practices.Itisoftenquitedifficulttobesufficientlyinnovativetoidentifydifferentwaysofdoing thingsweareoftenverycaughtupinthewaywecurrentlydothings.Onetechniqueavailable toimprovementteams(andtoindividualsseekingcontinuouspersonaldevelopment)issimply toaskotherpeoplehowdoyoudothis?Initsformalsensethisisknownasbest-practiceor processbenchmarking.Itisoneofthemostpopularorganisationaltoolsthroughouttheworld. Best-practicebenchmarkingcanbedefinedas: Acontinuous,systematicprocessforevaluatingtheworkpracticesoforganisations,whichare 2 recognisedasrepresentingbestpractices,forthepurposesoforganisationalimprovement. Bestpracticebenchmarkingcouldinvolvethefollowingsteps:
2

weallhavetoomuchtodoandnotenoughtimeinwhichtodoit weneedtofocusontheoutsideworld noneofuscankeepupwitheverything.

identifythesubjectofbenchmarking(forexample,oneoftheimprovementprojects)

establishaprojectteam

clarifythesubjecttobebenchmarked

findsuitablebenchmarkingpartners,throughindustrymedia,professionalbodies, regionalgroups,industrynetworks,personalcontactorconsultants

Source: M. Spendolini

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08



makecontactandestablishthepartnership

agreeprotocol,includingconfidentiality

meet,discuss,listencarefully,observetheirwaysandcollecttheinformation

planandcarryoutimprovements,and

reviewprogress.

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

An example of an improvement plan Note:inthisexample,theimprovementteamsareresponsibleforagreeingandplanningthespecificactions.

Theme and criteria numbers Strategyand policy Projectoutput: 2.1,2.2 Communityconsultationstrategyandneedsauditcompleted Culturalstrategyproducedandlinkedtosustainablecommunity strategy JohnPeters Clearperformanceoutcomesestablishedfortheorganisationin linewithstrategicprioritiesandlinkedtothelocalareaagreement (LAA). Performancemeasuresandtargetsdirectlylinkedtothese outcomes Specificchangegoalsdeveloped Clearlinksbetweenstrategyandserviceplans PeterPerkins FredJones JaneThomas Improve the organisations strategic approach JulieSmith 1April 2006 Improvement priority and key tasks Person responsible Project start date Planned completion date 30 September 2006 Financialresources tocarryoutsurvey andconsultation events Resourcestocollect andanalyse performancedata onaregularbasis Capacitytoproduce andalignallservice planningwith partners Servicecontributes tocorporateand LAAimprovement targets Strategiesreflect currentcommunity aspirationsand needs Outcomes, objectivesand targetsembedded insustainable communitystrategy andLAA Resources required Measured outcomes

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

 Ideas:

Improvementandservicedevelopmentplansinserviceplans Astrategyreviewanddevelopmentprocessinoperation

Developabenchmarkingpartnershipwithinrelationtodeveloping strategicsynergywithpartners

InvestigatetheuseofBalancedScorecard

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

10

Theme and criteria numbers People management 6.1,6.2,6.4, 6.5

Improvement priority and key tasks

Person responsible

Project start date 1April 2006

Planned completion date 30 September 2006

Resources required

Measured outcomes

Increase the involvement of staff and partners in improvement activity ProjectOutput:

Timeforpeople totakepartin andcontribute Resourcesto captureand investigate improvement ideas

Cross-functionalimprovementteams,including representativesfrompartners,setupforeach improvementproject Asysteminplaceforestablishingwhichpeoplewill beinvolvedinwhichteams Asysteminplaceforcapturingandusingpeoples improvementideas 1July 2006 31March 2006

Staffsatisfaction andmorale improveasa resultofbeing engagedin improvement Customer satisfaction improves

Performance, achievement andlearning

Improve performance measurement and review ProjectOutput: Asysteminplaceforcollectingandcollating performanceinformationrelatingtotheperformance measures Asysteminplacetomeasureuser,partnerandstaff satisfaction

Systemstocollect andstoredata Capacityto analyseand communicate performance information

Awarenessabout organisations performancehas increased

8.1,8.2, 8.3,8.4

Performance informationused toinform decisionmaking

Asysteminplaceforanalysingtheperformance informationinrelationtohistoricaltrendsandinternal targets Quarterlyreviewprocessinplace

Timetomonitor andreviewdata Outcomesbeing delivered

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

11

 Improvement plan template

Theme and criteria numbers

Improvement priority and key tasks

Person responsible

Project start date

Planned completion date

Resources required

Measured outcomes

CultureandSportImprovementToolkitJan08

12