The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhancing Organizational Performance

by Gerald J. Langley, Ronald D. Moen, Kevin M. Nolan

This new edition of this bestselling guide offers an integrated approach to process improvement that delivers quick and substantial results in quality and productivity in diverse settings. The authors explore their Model for Improvement that worked with international improvement efforts at multinational companies as well as in different industries such as healthcare and public agencies. This edition includes new information that shows how to accelerate improvement by spreading changes across multiple sites. The book presents a practical tool kit of ideas, examples, and applications.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction, Management, Professional Development, Medicine

512 pages, Hardcover

First published November 13, 1996

Reviews

[Michael Culbertson]

According to Langley, the core of improvement science consists of the questions: (1) What are we trying to accomplish? (2) How will we know if a change is an improvement? (3) What changes might we introduce and why?

Sound kind of obvious? If so, you probably won't get much more from reading this book. Bringing systems thinking into the discussion is helpful, but there are other, better treatments of this (e.g., the work of Peter Senge). On the up side, the book is filled with concrete illustrations of improvement principles. If you're looking for scenarios and examples, this book could be a helpful resource.

[Todd]

Skip this one. You can find a better book on performance improvement. It's written like many of the books when the field was first taking off. The model for improvement is not the best model out there. The examples are weak and they don't run through well. There are better books out there. Do yourself a favor and find one.

[Atharva Ameria]

When I first started reading this book, I was unsure as to why I'm reading it. I'm still a student and the book talks about improvement tactics in an organization. But as I started reading it, I was surprised with the ease with which the topics were covered and it just felt super easy and lucid. I'm a student of health-care and I was able to totally relate with the examples given in the book and it made my understanding much more easier. It was a fantastic book for anyone who is interested in some improvement work or is looking to solve a workplace problem associated with operation, quality or customer satisfaction.

[Heidi]

This was required reading for a graduate class, and while I love the idea of focusing on improvement in organizations, I did not find it compelling or inspiring.

[Henrik Laursen]

All these quality improvement guys weave a tale of their own lineages' brilliance.

But its good that someone is doing it

[Amanda Puffett]

Lots of practical information and how-tos.

[Amy]

Finished at 50% per class

[Amy]

Amazing reference material and tools for anyone planning on improving organizational performance.

[Jim Duncan]

Companion to the health care data guide