To have sustained improvement, people need to be able to drive improvement as part of their daily roles. We need to start by understanding what is preventing them from driving the improvement themselves. For example, data must come out in the right form at the right time to the right people. Prioritisation processes need to be in place so people focus on the right things, accountabilities need to be clear and closed-loop performance reviews need to be in place so we check that results are being achieved and actions completed. There are three rules that PIP thinks are essential for ongoing, continuous improvement:
- Improvement must become part of the wiring of an organisation that continues ad infinitum – it does not occur as a project with a defined start and end
- People in the line operations must be accountable for and drive improvement in their areas. For this to succeed, we must make it easy for them to do so
- Line managers need to understand how the wiring of their business fits together– so they can adapt, sustain, defend and modify the wiring to ensure it continues to drive and sustain continuous improvement in a changing environment.
PIPware integrates the key tools that Partners in Performance uses in driving improvement and is the solution for a sustainable implementation of PIP’s methodologies. The system includes individualised user profiles and dashboards and is underlined by a scalable and fully customisable architecture. The simple and user-friendly interface ensures rapid uptake and use of the tools.
Central KPI Database
PIPware is supported by a central database. All aspects of the tool draw from this; including Idea Forms, Value Driver Trees, Benefits Tracking and Results Action Reviews. This ensures that there is a single and consistent version of the truth. The KPI database easily integrates with your disparate data sources.
Results Action Reviews
Performance management involves ensuring clear accountabilities, tracking and reviewing individual performance regularly against their KPIs and the reviewing of team members’ effectiveness. PIP implements Results-Action-Reviews (RARs) to establish the disciplines required to sustain performance in the line.
PIPware provides a structured framework that the reviewee uses to capture key messages and to report on performance from the centralised KPI database. This streamlines the RAR process and ensures that these conversations are entrenched into an organisation’s rhythm.
Ideas Pipeline
PIPware enables the management of ideas through all stages of the Ideas Pipeline and uses Idea Forms to capture the specific attributes individual ideas require to be likely to become Locked In. These include:
Root cause analysis: Are we solving the right problem?
Valuation: The idea’s value assessed with sufficient accuracy to decide if it is worth including in the pipeline and to test later if it is working.
Risks: Identify and eliminate/manage the risks to both the idea and the business.
Agreement & approval: Both the implementers who will need to make it work and the stakeholders who must sustain it should agree with and approve of it
Implementation plan: It is owned by those who must drive it, and has sufficient detail that the implementer understands what to do.
Tracking: The KPIs (results and risks) that need to be tracked are identified and measurement (what, by whom, by when) is determined.
Dashboard
Each user has their own dashboard which shows their KPIs, their ideas and their idea approvals. They can quickly drill down into the detail of what is driving current performance.
Action Tracking and Reporting
The action tracking provides a portfolio-view of the Idea Pipeline, the status of each idea, its value and the next action required to move it forward. The reporting provides multiple views of the pipeline versus targets including cumulative pipeline, departmental and exception reports. There is a clear understanding of how effort should be prioritised.
Scalable and Fully Customisable Architecture
Every aspect of the system is configurable including the likes of departments, positions, calendars and colours. PIPware is a role / user-based access system that allows full flexibility as to who can access, view and edit content. The solution can be hosted both locally or in the cloud.
Management Operating Systems
An effective Management Operating System enables an organisation to plan, communicate and manage the activities which are key to the delivery of required results. A PIPware module creates the backbone for a Management Operating System.
