To be effective a Process Improvement initiative should be conducted as a project in its own right and planned and managed accordingly. You cannot expect improvement to take place unless definite plans have been established. Therefore, as for any project in your organisation, you should clearly define objectives, scope, budget and time constraints. You should ensure an adequate infrastructure - this requires a Sponsor, a Project Manager and the necessary resources to ensure delivery of your improvement objectives.

CSE can help in one of two ways:

• provide a resource with the expertise and skills required by your organisation to prioritise, plan and manage your improvement project
• provide mentoring to an internal resource on a regular basis