As we enter the Improve stage, we should have a clearer understanding of the areas where improvement is needed. We are now all set to generate, select, implement, and validate ideas. The key deliverables of the improve stage are:
Generate ideas
Select ideas
Implement solutions
Validate improvements
As usual, let's explore these deliverables in detail.
The first step in the improve stage is idea generation. We will explore some of the different tools and techniques for idea generation now.
Brain storming is used to generate numerous ideas on a topic in a relatively short period of time. The most commonly used technique involves participants simply calling out their ideas while the facilitator jots them down. There are other variations such as brain-writing where participants, instead of voicing their ideas, write their ideas on a piece of paper, which are then compiled by the facilitator. Sometimes the group may not be able to come up with...