Quality Improvement Tools for Problem Solving

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Quality Improvement Tools to Advance Public Health Performance

Whether used individually or within a team, these tools guide the problem solving process by identifying root cause, offering methods to achieve consensus, and developing visual representations of problems and solutions.

8D Customer Complaint Resolution Report - Solve customer complaints through an eight step analysis that elevates organizational focus on the customer
A3 Problem Solving Report - Concisely describe and document a problem solving process, similar to a Storyboard
Analytic Cause Tree - Determine root causes of a problem and develop corrective actions to remedy it
Clean Sheet Process Redesign - Empower a team to move away from current state and enable a complete transformation of a work flow process
Community Stakeholder Services Map - Develop a visual representation of where services are physically located in relation to each other
Consensus Decision Making Matrix - Divide an issue into primary and secondary components as a framework for achieving consensus
Diagnostic Force Field Analysis - Expand a Force Field Analysis to include relative strength of drivers and restrainers
Mind Mapping - Develop a non-linear graphical diagram to link and organize information about an issue
Nine Windows - Visualize alternatives to current state by viewing a problem through nine different lenses
Population Health Driver Diagram - Identify primary and secondary drivers of a community health issue, as a starting point for development of targeted improvements
Process Value Analysis - Enable a team to analyze each step in a process to determine its value, developing a ratio of function to cost
SCAMPER Technique - Generate a list of ideas focused on customer needs and optimum process improvements
SIPOC+CM+CE Collection Form - Identify and analyze the major elements of organizational core processes
Solvability and Control Matrix - Explore and assess process problems to determine which can be easily solved and which should be brought to a quality improvement team

Want more?

PHF experts have activated these tools in the field. If your organization needs support in using these tools, has questions, or can share an example of how these tools have been used, please contact Vanessa Lamers at [email protected].

Find more resources to support performance improvement in the Public Health Improvement Resource Center
Develop successful performance management systems using the Performance Management Toolkit
Review quality improvement courses in the TRAIN Learning Network
Learn about customized technical assistance to apply QI tools and techniques