The Process Optimization Path® is a process improvement model that automates and scales process improvement throughout any organization. It’s the AI (Artificial Intelligence) that powers Kure, the process improvement platform that integrates project management, collaboration and ROI reporting.
Step 1: What's My Opportunity? – Clarify what optimizing the process will accomplish.
Step 2: What's My Process? – Explore the steps by which the work gets done and find opportunities.
Step 3: What's Causing My Problem? – Identify one or more specific, actionable items producing the undesired effect.
Step 4: What's My Solution? – Implement specific changes to make the problem go away.
The Process Optimization Path® was developed by Kure’s diverse team of process improvement, technology and education experts who have 40+ years of success using dozens of proven process improvement methodologies.
Kure’s Process Optimization Path (POP) empowers everyone with the power of process improvement – no need to spend weeks in training or on expensive management consultants.
It’s like TurboTax or Waze for process improvement programs – just answer simple questions and the app does the rest.
How Does the Process Optimization Path Work?
The Process Optimization Path integrates 3 key functions organizations need to automate and scale their process improvement programs:
Drive project completion (with our Optimization Explorer™)
Manage projects and track their results (with our Optimization Project Manager™)
Align projects with strategic objectives (with our Optimization Strategy Planner™)
Finish Projects Faster
Our Optimization Explorer automates your process improvement project workflows. Jump right in and skip weeks of training because Kure guides you through process improvement projects. You’ll get results in weeks, not months.
Here are a few types of process improvement projects (paths) you can complete:
Quick Win
Step 1: What's My Opportunity? ➔ Charter
Step 2: What's My Process? ➔ Process Map ➔ Process Walk
Step 3: What's Causing My Problem? ➔ Before Photo ➔ 5S ➔ 5 Whys
Step 4: What's My Solution? ➔ Quick Wins ➔ After Photo ➔ Project Handoff ➔ Project Summary
Do a Quick Win project when you need simple, rapid improvement and/or workplace organization.
The Quick Win path is an easy way to get started, or take a look at your process for improvement opportunities. The results are typically solutions that are very easy to implement.
Healthcare Example: Improve signage and communication for social distancing and the use of masks.
Government Example: Minimizing handoffs between departments in budget process
Manufacturing Example: Organizing the work area (5S) to make it more intuitive and efficient
Root Cause Exploration™
Step 1: What's My Opportunity? ➔ Screener ➔ Goal Statement ➔ Charter ➔ VOC ➔ SIPOC
Step 2: What's My Process? ➔ As-Is Map ➔ Data Collection ➔ Data Entry ➔ Baseline
Step 3: What's Causing My Problem? ➔ Clues ➔ Fishbone ➔ 5 Whys ➔ Confirm
Step 4: What's My Solution? ➔ Solutions ➔ Implement ➔ To-Be Map ➔ Verification ➔ Monitoring & Response ➔ Transfer Opportunities ➔ Project Handoff ➔ Project Summary
Do a Root Cause Exploration™ project when you have a specific problem to solve and root causes to understand.
Root Cause Exploration™ helps you solve problems for which the cause is not clearly known or may be uncertain. It leads you to systematically identify potential root causes to the problem, confirm them and create appropriate solutions.
Healthcare Example: Improve protective clothing inventory distribution to patients, families and staff to minimize delays and maximize safety.
Government Example: Reducing the time to process permits by identifying and improving the major causes of delays
Manufacturing Example: Improving process yield by reducing the causes of defects and rework
Kreative Solution™
Qualitative
Step 1: What's My Opportunity? ➔ Charter
Step 2: What's My Solution? ➔ Solution Builder ➔ Solutions ➔ Verification ➔ Project Handoff ➔ Project Summary
Quantitative
Step 1: What's My Opportunity? ➔ Goal Statement ➔ Charter ➔ Data Collection ➔ Baseline
Step 2: What's My Solution? ➔ Solution Builder ➔ Solutions ➔ Verification ➔ Project Handoff ➔ Project Summary
Do a Kreative Solution™ project if you need a new, innovative way to accomplish an objective with no problem to solve.
Kreative Solution™ helps you develop innovative solutions when there is no cause to be found, or if the cause is already clearly known. For example, you might have a new requirement to meet, but there is nothing wrong—you simply need a way to do it.
Healthcare Example: Creating a new patient flow within the facility to maximize speed and social distancing for COVID vaccinations
Government Example: Improving public safety and social distancing by reserving times for customers to use high volume government services such as licensing and registrations.
Manufacturing Example: Redesigning product packaging to improve the customer’s handling and storage of the product
Within these paths there may be multiple options, depending on your specific situation. Kure guides you through simple questions to navigate the right path and use the best tools to reach your goal.
Manage All Your Projects & Track ROI
Our Optimization Project Manager™ helps your organization manage all its projects and align them to their strategy. The Optimization Project Manager (OPM) provides leadership visibility to all projects and their progress along their specific paths.
With our OPM, leadership is able to direct and support projects toward the goals. The Optimization Project Manager tracks the individual and collective projects benefits both realized and forecasted.
Align Projects With Strategic Objectives
Our Optimization Strategy Planner™ fully optimizes organization-wide improvement, by helping leadership plan their optimization strategy and identify current and future optimization projects in pursuit of this strategy.
Kure’s Optimization Strategy Planner (OSP) helps leadership be confident that they have the right projects identified, all following the best optimization path while receiving real-time project status and results.
Ready to take your first step on the Process Optimization Path®?