Introductions and Welcome! level of knowledge with quality and what you hope to get out of this training Why Continuous Improvement? What is Quality? Why Quality and Continuous Improvement? Alignment

Agenda For Today! Quality Tools: Parking lot, plus/delta, radar chart, brainstorming, affinity diagram, nominal group technique, process diagram Quality Processes: Overview of PDSA and PDSA- Define the System. Principles of Quality: Overview of the principles of quality, The Customer Principle The Continuous Improvement Classroom: Creating a continuous improvement environment (ground rules, classroom mission statements and goal setting)

What’s Your Definition of Quality? Every organization needs to understand what quality is and what it isn’t. (Read slide first..) At the beginning of our continuous improvement journey, we knew that we didn’t have the highest quality educational system that we could have. --> We knew that we could be better than we were. --> The first task was to be able to know there is a better way! --> We needed to understand what quality looks like, in order to obtain it.

(Read this first ) If you were an auto mechnanic, would you describe this as “quality“. Would you be satisfied with the safety factor? --> What if you were a customer with car trouble, would you have this guy work on your car?

(Read this first ) Does this look like quality work (Read this first ) Does this look like quality work? What if you were a customer of this warehouse?

(Read this first ) This certainly is creative. , but is it quality (Read this first ) This certainly is creative! , but is it quality? Would you be calling this company to work on your power lines? --> In order to achieve excellence, everyone within the organization needs to be able to define, recongize and produce quality.

What is a Quality Teacher? Create a Quality something with the class

Changing Mindset… A paradigm is any set of rules or regulations that defines boundaries and tells you how to behave. Paradigms help us get through the day, but they also can work against us. Read slide…

Look at the words and name the colors you see Look at the words and name the colors you see. Don’t name the words you read. (Read this first ) Paradigm shifts were difficult in Rock Island, as they might be in your organization as well. Here’s an exercise to illustrate concept of paradigm shift. -->As you can see from this brief exercise, paradigm shifts and change can be unsettling.

Theory, Process, & Tools Theory Process Tools Baldrige Criteria In order to create the new paradigm, we needed a set of beliefs, structures and proven processes to determine our journey. Tools Baldrige Criteria

Our First Tools! Parking Lot/Issue Bin: (Supplement #1) Designed to allow participants to “park” ideas that need to be addressed in the future Allows the meeting to stay focused and on task Items can be placed on the parking lot at any time Plus/Delta: (Supplement #2) An interactive “plus/delta” allows customer feedback throughout the session

Supplemental worksheet 2A (for classroom use)

Self Assessment - Radar Diagram A radar diagram provides a visual display of performance in various categories. See (Supplement #3) “Radar Diagram” for step by step directions Complete the “Self Assessment Radar Diagram” (Supplement #4) What is your current level of knowledge of continuous improvement process and tools?

The Continuous Improvement Classroom Creating the spirit and substance of continuous improvement in the classroom How do we create the environment? What does it look like, sound like and feel like? Review Supplemental #9 & #10 PowerPoint- Intro to the Continuous Improvement Classroom

ACT PLAN STUDY DO Plan Continuous Improvement Define the System Standardize Improvement ACT Assess Current Situation PLAN STUDY Study the Results DO Analyze Causes Try Out Improvement Theory

(Read this first ) In RISD, all schools began to utilize the PDSA model as part of the school improvement planning process.

(Read this first ) PDSA story boards are displayed for all stakeholders to see. As new data becomes available, it is posted on the story board. --> The story board became the medium to communicate with customers and stakeholders about the problems we were facing the solutions we were finding.

I want to know more about… Review PDSA With a partner, take a few minutes to review the following: Process & Tools Work Book pages 42 – 64 Review “Improvement guide and PDSA Samples” (in the 3-ring binder to see actual school examples of PDSA Complete PDSA KWL (Supplemental # 5) I know that PDSA is… I want to know more about… I learned that PDSA is…

7 Step Improvement Process (Pages 42-64) Communication Story Board (42-43) Define the system (44-53) Assess current situation (54-56) Analyze cause (57) Try out improvement theory (58-59) Study the results (60-62) Standardize improvements (63) Plan for continuous improvement (64)

Let’s Get Started!

Ground Rules For Teams See page 13 in Process & Tools work book Expectations can help establish ground rules for working together Expectations of Self Expectations of Team Establish your ground rules See handout “Ground Rules” (Supplemental # 6)

Setting Ground Rules Teams will process several ideas for ground rules utilizing the following quality tools: Brainstorming Affinity diagram Nominal group technique

Brainstorming (Supplemental # 7) What is it? The free, uninhibited generation of ideas, usually in a group setting. A process for generating many ideas

Brainstorming Goals To generate a wide variety and extensive number of ideas. Everyone on the team becomes involved in the problem solving process. To insure that nothing is overlooked. To create an atmosphere of creativity and openness.

Brainstorming Rules No criticism allowed. Each person has an equal opportunity to express ideas. Quantity over quality. Piggybacking or hitchhiking is encouraged.

Brainstorming How is it made? 1. Select a recorder and group facilitator. 2. Generate ideas. 3. Record the ideas.

Try It Out- Brainstorming In teams, brainstorm a list of possible ground rules for your team. 1. Select a recorder and group facilitator. 2. Generate ideas. 3. Record the ideas-1 per sticky note

Now Let’s Organize Our Thoughts The affinity diagram

Affinity Diagrams Affinity diagrams help organize the output of a brainstorming session and is one of the seven management tools for planning.

Students use affinity diagrams to organize their ideas.

Affinity Diagram (pages 1-10 tool book) What is it? Organized output from brainstorming session. A tool to generate, organize, and consolidate information.

Affinity Diagram How is it made? Choose a group leader or facilitator. Move the sticky notes into like piles. Name each group/pile with header information (descriptive phrase). Discuss the piles and categories.

The affinity diagram helps a team develop its own system of thought about a complex issue or problem. Affinity Diagram

Affinity Diagram Let’s see how elementary students learn how to use the affinity diagram (Play video: 4- Affinity Diagram)

Try It Out- Affinity Diagram Complete the affinity diagram using the list of ideas generated from the brainstorming session Choose a group leader or facilitator. Move the sticky notes into like piles. Name each group/pile with header information (descriptive phrase). Discuss the piles and categories.

Getting to the Critical Few… If there are too many groups of ideas, teams may have to narrow selections down to the “critical few” A word about consensus (Page 16) Using the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to narrow choices

Light Voting/NGT --> The light voting tool (also called Nominal Group Technique) gives every student a voice in the classroom.

--> Students are more empowered when they have an opportunity to provide authentic input. --> This structured group process tool helps in the decision making process.

Nominal Group Technique (pages 129-138 tool book) What is it? - A structured group process used to help make decisions - A tool to give everyone on the team an equal voice in decision making - A way to generate more unique, higher quality ideas

Nominal Group Technique How is it made? 1. Begin by looking at the results of the affinity diagram (the grouped areas of focus) 2. Discuss each group/pile and clarify 3. Establish criteria for the voting Rank order, weighted vote, distribution vote

Nominal Group Technique How is it made? (cont.) 4. Conduct a preliminary vote. a. Individuals choose the items most important to them. b. Rank order the ideas. c. Record the votes. d. Discuss the results of the vote.

Try It Out- NGT Now that the affinity diagram is complete… Individuals choose the items most important to them. a. Rank order the cards (or vote) b. Record the votes c. Discuss the results of the vote d. Agree/get consensus on decision

Ground Rules Report Out What are your group’s ground rules?

Probletunity! (Read this first ) This photo presents another probletunity. You can bet that this guy has learned from the experience and has probably been prompted to change his process for loading the cart. --> I guess this problem can happen even when you do put the horse before the cart! --> In Rock Island, we began to look at problems in a different way- as opportunities!

Problems are opportunities in disguise Early experience often teaches that failure is to be avoided at all costs… (Read this first ) In the 1920’s, when Ernest Hemingway was working hard to perfect his craft, he lost a suitcase containing all his manuscripts. --> They included many stories he’d laboriously polished to jewel-like perfection and planned on publishing. --> The devastated Hemingway couldn’t conceive of re-doing his work. But when he lamented his loss to the poet Esra Pound, he called it a stroke of luck. Pound assured Hemingway that when he re-wrote the stories, he would forget the weak parts; only the best material would reappear. --> Instead of framing the event in disappointment, Pound cast it in the light of opportunity. --> Hemingway did re-write the stories – and the rest, as they say, is history. He became a major figure in American literature. A perfect example of a probletunities!

Your toughest problems can be your springboard to the new paradigm. (Read this first ) What do we usually say or do when we come across a problem that we can’t seem to solve? **It’s too expensive to solve right now. **There isn’t enough time or **Hey, it’s not my problem. --> These unsolved problems are the critical elements that will trigger the next paradigm shift. This leads us to our next lesson…

A Probletunity… A probletunity is a problem… yet an opportunity for improvement Begin thinking about areas for improvement at your school We will be going through the P-D-S-A process using a real problem from your school If possible, a problem that is easily measurable works well

PDSA Team Assistance Guide Locate your team’s PDSA Team Assistance Guide (in your 3-ring binder). One member of the team needs to keep the “Master Copy” that will be used back at school. Identify who will be the keeper of the master copy. The PDSA Team Assistance Guide has online components to assist you after training.

Probletunity Report Out Begin your PDSA by completing the PDSA Team Assistance Guide page 1 to provide some background information Team members names Area of opportunity Reason for selection Examples on page 44 (workbook) and also see school examples in binder. What is your group’s probeletunity? Share with the group (page 1 of the T.A.G)

Complete Page 1 of the Team Assistance Guide Example on Page 44 of the workbook

Foundation Principles of Quality

Foundation Principles Are… (Pages 18-39 & Supplemental # 8) A synthesis of the principles found in leading quality theory A system of thought to guide the total quality transformation of organizations Essential for understanding continuous improvement process and tools and why it works

Foundation Principles Customer Customers have dynamic needs and expectations Systems Customers needs are satisfied through purposeful activities or Systems People People drive change Foundation Principles Variation All systems exhibit Variation Planned Change Continuous improvement of systems occurs through Planned Change Knowledge Knowledge comes from the rotating the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle

Customer Satisfaction? (Read this first ) Is this what our customer satisfaction was like? --> In order to determine customer satisfaction, it was necessary for us to identify who are customers and stakeholders were and then use some quality tools to measure their satisfaction levels. --> We did not want to portray this type of customer satisfaction (point to slide)

The Customer Principle (19) Customers are those who benefit from what you do They represent the individuals and groups whom you serve Schools are founded to respond to customer needs Without these customers and their needs, there would be no purpose for schools

The Customer Principle By providing services that respond to the customer needs, schools also create customer expectations Concepts of customer needs and expectations apply to both internal and external customers

Types of Customers Internal External Those within the school organization who benefit from its service External Those outside the school who actually receive its outputs; their needs are the school’s reason for being Those outside the school who have a stake in the work it does and may have power over it

ACT PLAN STUDY DO Plan Continuous Improvement Define the System Standardize Improvement ACT Assess Current Situation PLAN STUDY Study the Results DO Analyze Causes Try Out Improvement Theory

Define the System (Workbook p. 66-90) Purpose: to have a description of all the characteristics of the system that is being studied and to begin gathering data on the system. Outcomes: a complete description of the system (as it currently exists), a project statement and data. Tools: Flow chart, operational definition, data gathering plan, check sheet, run chart

Process Form Now that page 1 is completed… Define the resources that are currently being used to produce the product or outcome of the process you selected to improve? Model use of PROCESS form We will do an example together Process & Tools workbook page 71 See school examples (T.A.G. and PDSA Samples tab)

Variability in math skills Help students become knowledgeable in math 10th grade math teaching and learning Improvement in math, help from teacher Math Skills Students Hands on Math notebook Assignment log Variability in math skills Help students become knowledgeable in math Board Calculators 2 Computers Students Mr. Briggs Parents

Process Diagram- Try It Out Complete the PROCESS diagram (pages 2 & 2A of the T.A.G.) Select a facilitator and recorder Brainstorm ideas for each section of the process diagram Complete the diagram as a group

The Continuous Improvement Classroom Classroom ground rules, mission statements, goal setting

What Questions Do You Have? Review parking lot Overview of day 2 (tomorrow!) Continue “Define the System” Evaluate today’s meeting Plus/Delta

Why This, Why Now? Mission: To develop world-class learners and responsible citizens Core Value: Data Driven Decisions Goal: Improve all student performance, enhance social, emotional & behavioral development

A framework for continuous improvement

Why are we doing this??

What’s Your Definition of Quality? Every organization needs to understand what quality is and what it isn’t. (Read slide first..) At the beginning of our continuous improvement journey, we knew that we didn’t have the highest quality educational system that we could have. --> We knew that we could be better than we were. --> The first task was to be able to know there is a better way! --> We needed to understand what quality looks like, in order to obtain it.

(Read this first ) If you were an auto mechnanic, would you describe this as “quality“. Would you be satisfied with the safety factor? --> What if you were a customer with car trouble, would you have this guy work on your car?

(Read this first ) Does this look like quality work (Read this first ) Does this look like quality work? What if you were a customer of this warehouse?

(Read this first ) This certainly is creative. , but is it quality (Read this first ) This certainly is creative! , but is it quality? Would you be calling this company to work on your power lines? --> In order to achieve excellence, everyone within the organization needs to be able to define, recongize and produce quality.

Changing Mindset… A paradigm is any set of rules or regulations that defines boundaries and tells you how to behave. Paradigms help us get through the day, but they also can work against us. Read slide…

Look at the words and name the colors you see Look at the words and name the colors you see. Don’t name the words you read. (Read this first ) Paradigm shifts were difficult in Rock Island, as they might be in your organization as well. Here’s an exercise to illustrate concept of paradigm shift. -->As you can see from this brief exercise, paradigm shifts and change can be unsettling.

Theory, Process, & Tools Theory Process Tools Baldrige Criteria In order to create the new paradigm, we needed a set of beliefs, structures and proven processes to determine our journey. Tools Baldrige Criteria

Foundation Principles Customer Customers have dynamic needs and expectations Systems Customers needs are satisfied through purposeful activities or Systems People People drive change Foundation Principles Variation All systems exhibit Variation Planned Change Continuous improvement of systems occurs through Planned Change Knowledge Knowledge comes from the rotating the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle

The Systems Principle It is more productive to look for solutions or improvements that take the entire system into account, including its customers and suppliers (rather than a single subsystem) All parts of the system are related… if a change is made in one part of the system, the change will likely affect the entire system itself

Random Acts of Improvement Aim of the Organization Goals and Measures Goals and Measures Aim of the Organization Aligned Acts of Improvement

Aligned Acts of Improvement School Improvement Plan = Programs and processes GOALS

Performance Excellence At All Levels…

Alignment: The Starting Point GOALS GOALS vs. This This

It’s About Alignment! Can we get everyone rowing in the same direction?

Leadership Requires leaders to set and communicate direction consistent with stakeholder requirements How do leaders set and communicate direction?

The Critical Role of Walking Your Talk Simply put: “If the leader doesn’t get significantly involved with the effort, no one else will take it seriously.” (Read this first --> ) A lesson learned by fortune 500 companies was (read slide…) In Rock Island school district, we were lucky enough to have a CEO that lead the continuous improvement effort by example. --> He inspired and motivated others to believe there was a better way. He lead the charge and empowered others to lead the change process. --> He ensured that when he left his post last year, the continuous improvement efforts would continue. --> That CEO (Dr. David Markward) is now the Superintendent of Cedar Rapids Community School District, where continuous improvement is alive and growing daily under his leadership. --> I might also add that he hired a heck of an Assistant Superintendent to help keep continuous improvement moving forward. (ok, you were supposed to chuckle at that)

Lotus Diagram Alignment Systems Thinking PDSA/ Action Research Data-Driven Decisions & Measurement Continuous Improvement Quality Tools Leadership/ Quality Liaison Stakeholders & Customers Staff Development

What’s Been Done… “Navigating change in uncertain times” concept (Michael Fullan) L to J (Lee Jenkins) Contemporary School Leadership An overview of the Baldrige framework Action Research and quality tools and processes (Susan Leddick) Groups: Beginners, Continuing, Pioneers…

Building … Continue Action Research teams Utilize quality tools and the PDSA process for data driven decisions Continue to align student, classroom, school and District actions Connect all employees to CSIPs and the District strategic plan Continue driving toward student ownership and accountability for learning

Quality Level feedback Changes in Level document Research Links