F101: The Practices of Continuous Improvement Deliver the Results of Operational Excellence

We often get the terms continuous improvement and operational excellence confused. One is a method, and one is an outcome. They are complementary and one cannot occur without the other. Defining our outcomes and using the tools, techniques, and methods to deliver those defined results is the core from Lean that is most often missed. There is a flow that requires the participation of three key players, each with their own responsibilities. Until we can discern the absence or presence of these players and the presence of their contributions, our deployments will continue to be less efficient and ineffective into the future, risking our commitment to the program and the benefits OpEx can offer.