Assessment found in book Quality as an Organizational Strategy: Building A System of Improvement by Clifford L. Norman, Lloyd P. Provost and David M. Williams. QOS
They encourage you to complete the assessment grid, now, based on your current understanding.
Then, as you read their book (which I highly recommend), update this assessment to reflect your learning.
Establishing and Communicating the Purpose of the Organization:
- Score 0 if: You have no written statement
- Score 2 if: A statement exists
- Score 4 if: Mission and tenants are defined and visible
- Score 6 if: Communicated and understood by employees
- Score 8 if: Used to align and guide the organization
- Score 10 if: Fully integrated into the structure
Viewing the Organization as a System:
- Score 0 if: Work as a process is not understood
- Score 2 if: Major processes are documented
- Score 4 if: Relationships between processes are documented
- Score 6 if: Systems thinking and language are common
- Score 8 if: Systems diagrams are used in the organization
- Score 10 if: Management systems have integrated the systems view
Measuring the System:
- Score 0 if: Financial data are used for management reports
- Score 2 if: Financial and other operational measures are used
- Score 4 if: Family of measures is assembled and reported regularly
- Score 6 if: Balanced set of measures, each presented as a time series
- Score 8 if: Set of measures aligned; both variation and interrelationships are understood
- Score 10 if: Set of balanced measures fully integrated into all management systems
A System for Obtaining Information:
- Score 0 if: Information is gathered on an ad hoc, reactive basis
- Score 2 if: System is based on passive information
- Score 4 if: System is well documented and includes active sources
- Score 6 if: Information is documented and communicated
- Score 8 if: Comprehensive system with analysis and synthesis for decision-making
- Score 10 if: Marketing leads and integrates information system
Planning for Improvement:
- Score 0 if: No formal long-term planning, reactive culture
- Score 2 if: Planning for improvement is done on an informal basis
- Score 4 if: A formal, documented process exists for planning improvement
- Score 6 if: Integrated process identifies objectives, efforts and resources
- Score 8 if: All other planning processes are defined and linked with planning to improve
- Score 10 if: Planning system is regularly improved and integrated in all areas
Managing Improvement Efforts:
- Score 0 if: No system exists to manage improvement efforts
- Score 2 if: Improvements recognized on an as-needed basis and resources assigned
- Score 4 if: Leaders provide formal guidance for individuals and teams
- Score 6 if: Improvements are guided by planning; leaders learn from all improvements
- Score 8 if: The impact of improvement is understood and actively managed to achieve benefits
- Score 10 if: Improvement system is integrated and continually improved
Engaging People with Quality as an Organizational Strategy:
- Score 0 if: No standard approach to improvement efforts
- Score 2 if: Various approaches are used for improvement
- Score 4 if: Training on the model and expectation of its use
- Score 6 if: Theory behind the model is understood
- Score 8 if: Improvements are managed as PDSA cycles
- Score 10 if: Model for improvement is routinely used by all
Leadership System:
- Score 0 if: Structure does not exist to make improvement a focus of the organization
- Score 2 if: The importance of improvement is recognized and responsibility assigned
- Score 4 if: A formal system for improvement is defined
- Score 6 if: Leadership team assumes responsibility for integrating improvement
- Score 8 if: Improvement is linked to planning and other key business activities
- Score 10 if: Improvement is completely integrated into all aspects of operating and developing the business