GSS Process Model

Management

Consultants

General Service Systems Management Consultants

Organization Performance Assessment, Analysis, and Improvement

GSS Performance Improvement Cycle

Full Implementation of the improvement cycle is the preferred approach when there is uncertainty regarding the exact nature or scope of the needed change or the performance improvement required. It is also warranted when a major strategic change is being considered. In these cases, GSS Consultants can employ a wide variety of assessment, survey, and interview techniques to help management clearly articulate the nature and scope of the issue and enable the remaining steps of the cycle to be implemented most effectively.

Many clients, after thorough management review, have already clearly identified the precise nature and the organizational dimensions of the improvement and changes needed and have determined that internal organizational resources are insufficient or unlikely to effect the improvement. In cases like these, GSS Consultants and the management team can focus their efforts on the remaining steps of the improvement cycle.

DEFINE ORGANIZATIONAL NEED/PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT: Good management maintains a commitment to improving organizational effectiveness and the agility necessary to react to the changing environment. Organizational improvement efforts are undertaken to enhance the performance of people, processes, products or services. Working with company management, GSS can assist in developing a clear and concise statement of the necessary improvement or performance requirement desired.

DETERMINE PROJECT DIMENSIONS: Project Dimensions refers to an analysis of the size and scope of the project necessary to achieve the desired improvement. Project dimensions encompass all of the people, processes, products, documentation, communications, systems, and organizational functions and levels involved directly, or indirectly, in both the existing performance deficiency or in operationalizing the desired improvement. In addition, the basic dimensions of project cost/benefits, and resource allocation should be assessed.

ASSESS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: Current performance must be accurately assessed. Internal company measures tend to be high-level and, while they may identify performance deficiencies, they rarely provide guidance regarding ‘why’ or ‘how’ those deficiencies occur. GSS has assembled an extensive library of key performance indicators, specific to industry, business, and operational level, such that they provide insight into why and how performance deficiencies occur.

BEST PRACTICE COMPARISON: GSS also maintains an extensive library of “Best Practices” culled from contemporary research and surveys in the operations of world class companies across a number of major industries and businesses. This GSS Best Practice library is an excellent resource providing methods, practices, tools and measures by which GSS clients can review options to ‘fill’ the performance gaps identified.

PERFORM GAP ANALYSIS: Gap analysis is a technique for determining the steps necessary to move from a current state (performance deficiency) to a desired future state (improved performance). It involves a detailed analysis of the present situation, including the attributes, competencies, and performance of all of the project dimensions listed in 2 above; compares them with those necessary to achieve the desired outcome, and then highlights the gaps that exist.

IMPLEMENT ACTION PLAN: Based on the performance assessment of key indicators, the Gap Analysis, and the review and selection of appropriate best practices, a comprehensive and effective action plan that institutionalizes the new performance can be determined and implemented.

REPEAT ASSESSMENT CYCLE: The improvement process cycle must be continuous. With the new performance level measured regularly against the more rigorous performance indicators.