The Procurement Glossary » Continuous Improvement
Continuous Improvement
Strategy & Operations
Definition
An ongoing effort to incrementally improve processes, performance and outcomes over time.
Explanation
Rather than one-off projects, continuous improvement embeds regular review, measurement and refinement into procurement — trimming cycle time, error rates and cost year after year. It draws on methods like lean and Six Sigma and on performance data.
Example
A continuous-improvement review each quarter shaves another two days off average requisition cycle time.
Related terms
- Lean Procurement — Applying lean principles to eliminate waste and add value across procurement processes.
- Cycle Time — The total time taken to complete a defined process, such as procure-to-pay or requisition-to-order.
- Root Cause Analysis (RCA) — A structured method for finding the underlying cause of a problem so it can be permanently fixed.
- Key Performance Indicator (KPI) — A metric chosen to track progress toward a specific objective.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Continuous Improvement?
An ongoing effort to incrementally improve processes, performance and outcomes over time. Rather than one-off projects, continuous improvement embeds regular review, measurement and refinement into procurement — trimming cycle time, error rates and cost year after year. It draws on methods like lean and Six Sigma and on performance data.
Can you give an example of Continuous Improvement?
A continuous-improvement review each quarter shaves another two days off average requisition cycle time.
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