Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Prepare for improvement event 

1.1

Engage team members in the improvement event.

1.2

Identify process or processes to be targeted in the improvement event.

1.3

Assist team members to identify how their own roles contribute to value to the customer.

1.4

Assist team to identify the boundaries of the event, including any imposed exclusions.

1.5

Identify key process indicators and other information required for improvement event.

1.6

Identify skill needs for personnel engaged in breakthrough improvement event and arrange for any required training.

1.7

Establish communication processes with sponsor and stakeholders.

2

Identify improvements 

2.1

Assist team to review current processes, operations or products and identify options for radical improvements.

2.2

Facilitate team activities and other relevant personnel to evaluate the options and agree on improvements to be made.

2.3

Encourage and assist team and others to plan the activities and identify metrics to be monitored.

2.4

Facilitate allocation of resources and strategies to manage impact on routine work.

3

Facilitate the event 

3.1

Assist team to gather baseline data on the selected metrics.

3.2

Assist team to identify and address barriers to making the improvements.

3.3

Monitor team dynamics and facilitate team focus and cooperation.

3.4

Liaise with sponsor to communicate progress and maintain their support.

4

Evaluate improvements 

4.1

Assist team to gather and interpret data on the metrics.

4.2

Facilitate team activities to evaluate the outcomes of the event.

4.3

Identify causes for areas of poor performance from changes and identify any additional changes to address them.

4.4

Report to sponsor and other stakeholders on the outcomes of the event.

5

Embed improvements 

5.1

Establish mechanisms to ensure new systems and/or practices are communicated to relevant personnel.

5.2

Motivate team to apply the new systems and/or practices and sustain improvements.

5.3

Ensure the new systems and/or practices are reflected in relevant procedures.

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.

Competitive systems and practices include one or more of: 

• lean operations
• agile operations
• preventative and predictive maintenance approaches
• statistical process control systems, including six sigma and three sigma
• Just in Time (JIT), kanban and other pull-related operations control systems
• supply, value, and demand chain monitoring and analysis
• 5S
• continuous improvement (kaizen)
• breakthrough improvement (kaizen blitz)
• cause/effect diagrams
• overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
• takt time
• process mapping
• problem solving
• run charts
• standard procedures
• current reality tree.

Team in this unit is any group of employees engaged in a breakthrough improvement event and includes one or more of: 

• a permanent formally identified team
• a sub-group of a team
• a formally designated teams
• an informal groups of employees
• other stakeholders who may be brought together for a breakthrough improvement event
• a specially established group for the breakthrough event (e.g. a combined production/administration/ logistics group convened for a breakthrough event addressing delivery issues).

Scope and benefit statements include one or more of: 

• description of the business
• the target work process
• what key stakeholders seek from the improvement project
• a mission for the event
• a set of goals
• a statement of the do's and don'ts for the improvement project.

Boundaries define one or more of: 

• the start and end point of the process being targeted
• the steps of the process to be included and excluded
• specific job roles or related processes to be included or excluded
• timeframe for the event.

Breakthrough improvement (also known as kaizen blitz) is characterised by one or more of: 

• using a formal process
• being a discrete targeted activity that is achieved in a relatively short timeframe
• delivering significant level of improvement.

Mechanisms to communicate and sustain improvements include one or more of: 

• scheduled audits
• regular monitoring and/or reporting activities
• use of visual aids, such as targets and progress boards, process charts and procedure posters
• communications, such as standing items for team meetings, email reminders or updates.

Imposed exclusions include one or more of: 

• equipment excluded from efficiency or layout review because of budget constraints
• regulatory requirements that do not add value
• organisation requirements, policies or procedures beyond the influence of the team
• other required muda.

Key process indicators include one or more of 

• statistical process control data/charts
• orders
• lost time, injury and other work health and safety (WHS) records
• equipment reliability charts.