Preface

Basically, I perceived the need for a systematic method of improvement. I wanted the method to be easy to understand and straightforward; based on fundamentals; and to be universally applicable to any type of business. Accordingly, I wanted to write this book in order to assemble the different ideas, processes, and techniques under the same roof, to develop a systematic methodology that is easily understandable and applicable.

Moreover, my intention was to bring a new perspective to the reader, and more significantly, to provide a different benefit by the application of this systematic methodology.

This book provides a complete set of practical improvement techniques. Where appropriate, I have refined these tools (from their original sources) to make them more user-friendly and effective. But, perhaps most importantly, you are guided in identifying under what circumstances you might use particular tools, and also how, and in targeting them directly to achieve effective results.

Systematic Improvement Planning consists of a pattern of six steps through which each project passes, and the three fundamentals involved in any improvement project. Each step is described in detail in the chapters.

This book aims to provide a detailed framework regarding systematic improvement planning. The method and its techniques,

Xi example cases, and working forms will guide you through preparing the improvement plan of your existing or future business.

• • In Part I, the systematic pattern and characteristics of results- based improvement planning are overviewed.
• • Part II describes the steps of systematic improvement planning in detail.

This book is written mainly for three groups of people:

• • The first is the individual who desires to achieve improvement. He or she is skilled in devising improvement plans, but may not fully recognize that improvement planning of any business calls for a different procedure. His or her conventional approach must be replaced by broader analysis; his or her individual and factual analysis of specifics must give way to group opinions and evaluation of convenience or preference. This methodology presents an easy-to-follow procedure, and documents the work as it progresses. This will almost certainly ease the path to getting an approval.
• • The second group is the improvement project team. By following a consistent approach, communications are greatly simplified, and the team will complete its project sooner with better results.
• • The third group includes small business owners. They typically are reluctant (if indeed able) to commit large amounts of time and budget to improvement projects, but still have the need and desire to improve.

The contents of this book are drawn from the conclusions obtained from different application environments of the subject issue and by the composition of the cause-and-effect relations of these. To obtain maximum benefit from the book, the issues in the steps shall be addressed as a whole.

In reality, this book is an instruction manual. It has been designed to be specific, simple to understand, and easy to use. I hope it is of direct help to you.

Furthermore, I owe a great debt of gratitude to all my fellow businessmen who contributed through their opinions and efforts to the development of this book.

Most of all, I am very thankful to Richard Muther and his incredible innovation for planners, which is called Planning by Design (PxD), and is the best planning methodology that I have ever seen or heard of.

PxD is simply a methodology that lets you generate a methodology on any specific subject area. Based on PxD concepts, so many widely known methodologies have been developed for the use of planners in several businesses such as Systematic Layout Planning (SLP), Systematic Handling Analysis (SHA), Systematic Planning of Manufacturing Cells (SPMC), Multiple Careers Planning (MCP), Systematic Strategic Planning (SSP), and others.