Baselining is often overlooked as an important element of improving. These micro-essays look at phases of a successful baselining process.

1. Baselining: a foundation for improvement
by Tom Curtis

2. Information
Created by Tom Curtis July 2010
Blog: www.onimproving.blogspot.com
Other presentation on www.slideshare.net
Under Onimproving
Email: ideamerchants@gmail.com

3. If perception is to govern our actions,
Then they will rarely find real traction.

4. Baselining does not need to be a huge or expensive endeavor.
It can be simple or quick, or deep and lengthy depending on
the need. But the goal when done is to know where we are
and where we are going. We need to be playing in reality, with
a plan to improve. Baselining is often skipped because of it's
simplicity. Many of us feel we do not have time to stop and
observe where we are and to plan. When we skip such
fundamentals, we do so at great peril. Baselining may not be
exciting, it may be painful, and hard work, but it can be
foundational to sustained improvement. Its application may
be as simple as reviewing a task list to see what really needs
to be done or as complex as for a full organization. What
follows are micro-essays on phases for a baselining process.
If followed they will guide to real improvement.
Please enjoy! - Tom Curtis

5. Establish a baseline,
Then work to refine.

6. Baselining: the phases
• See current reality and recognize need for improvement
• Identify focused area(s) for improvement and create
metrics to measure progress
• Develop improvement plans and schedule follow up
activities

7. Reality we must regularly come to see,
If we would consistently better be.

8. Baselining: see current reality and recognize the
need for improvement
When we try to improve based on what we think is happening
rather than what is reality, we are on shaky ground. We will be
left will many unexpected results that will not match our linear
expectations of outcome. Baselining can help us to come to see
what is really happening. In so doing, we can design
improvement to better focus on the areas of need. Doing so
requires a willingness to recognize weakness or fault. Such
humility can be rare. We must cultivate an environment of
weakness safety. This does not mean that we tolerate poor
performance, but rather uncover and make open opportunities
for growth and improvement. Such openness must be
legitimately modeled from the top of an organization. We must be
willing to see, questioning until we understand what really is.

9. In being able to recognize,
Improvement's seed lies.

10. Baselining: identify focused area(s) for improvement
and create metrics to measure progress
If we have seen reality and recognized the need the for
improvement, we can become more focused on where we
should target improvement and how we will tell improvement has
taken place. We must focus in. This allows us to leverage
resources and expedite time. This is the choosing of the "vital
few". Distraction is the enemy of improving. Once we have
focused, we need metrics or measures that will allow us to know
if we are getting the desired results. Without such we will lose
focus, agreement and make correction along our path more
difficult. These measures must be concrete, have consensus,
and be clear. This requires time, but will be worth the time
invested. Do not move on to the next phase without ensuring
completion. This can be adjusted, but a standard must be set.

11. Planning's price not paid
Is pain's plan laid.

12. Baselining: develop improvement plans and
schedule follow up activities
In this phase we are to design what is to be done and how and
when we will review and follow up to ensure we are meeting the
metrics and measures previously defined. Again, here we need
to be detailed. We need the right individuals involved and need
to define at a minimum the following: action, owner, due date,
follow up mechanism, team, how we will know it is complete and
effective. This must be done at each step we design. This helps
with alignment to overall goals of the improvement and to ensure
clarity in resource allocation and expectation in completing the
action. This initially may not be quick, but is not to be skipped or
skimped. Follow up needs to be scheduled and clearly
articulated if it is to be effective and useful to all participants.