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The challenges we face in education, healthcare and social welfare are multi-faceted, reflecting the complex systems we live in. Out of urgency and often the best of intentions, organizations implement new policies, technologies, and other innovations to tackle these issues, and hope for the best.
However, addressing these challenges requires more than heroic individuals with silver bullet solutions. We need teams with diverse expertise that know how to learn together and use their collective knowledge to redesign our social systems for the improved well-being of our communities.
Journey to Improvement serves as a roadmap for teams ready to follow a different path to better outcomes. Drawing on their decades of on-the-ground experience leading improvement work in different social sectors, the authors walk teams through the various phases of an improvement journey, from launching the team, to trying ideas in practice to spreading those that work. The book highlights the personal, relational and technical aspects of taking an improvement science approach and illustrates these ideas through real world examples from across the social sector and around the world.
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Praise for Journey to Improvement
“Grunow, Park, and Bennett have thought of everything, and they’ve packaged it neatly for easy consumption. From roles team members will play, to mindsets they will manage, to measures they must collect— this text is both relevant and comprehensive. It is a must have introduction or reference for any improver, coach, or social sector team member seeking to systematically make the world a better place— one [PDSA] cycle at a time.”
— Brandi Hinnant-Crawford PhD
Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, Department of Educational Leadership and Organizational Development, Clemson University
“In my work in the social sector, I have come across two types of people: those who like to talk about reform and those who actually make a difference. This book offers a practical guide for anyone committed to doing the hard, collaborative, and messy work of changing complex systems.“
Sherry Lachman, Founder, Foster America, Former Associate Director for Education, Income Maintenance and Labor, Office of Management and Budget, The White House
— Sherry Lachman
Founder, Foster America; Former Associate Director for Education, Income Maintenance and Labor, Office of Management and Budget, The White House
“This book is a treasure trove for teams in the social sector wanting to make things better. Grounded in the Science of Improvement, it teaches how to understand problems, use everyone's skills, and learn together. The book’s focus on changing inequitable systems and practices is unique in the improvement literature. By targeting examples from the social sector, it equips readers with the tools and insights needed to address pressing societal challenges. The metaphor of a journey for an improvement team following the Model for Improvement leads to learning, making changes and getting feedback to see what works. The book makes it easy for teams to follow a map of their journey and learn their way into improvement.
— Lloyd Provost
Improvement Advisor, Associates in Process Improvement; author of The Improvement Guide
“This is a fantastic guide for anyone interested in improvement science generally, and especially for those toiling to improve outcomes in the social sector. The authors present a masterclass on improvement – from its philosophical and scientific underpinnings to its continual adaptation and refinement in practice. I’m particularly pleased with the focus on equity and the evidence that shows how keeping equity at the forefront of teams’ minds will lead to deeper engagement and better results. Anyone who wants to improve the lives of individuals, communities, and even whole populations needs to read this book.”
— Kedar Mate, MD
President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
“This book offers a masterclass on the work of improvement teams. Its authors are extraordinary teachers, mentors and facilitators for such teams. Their practical expertise infuses the pages of this book. It is an essential read for anyone working on an improvement team as well as for those who may be positioned to support such teams. It is literally the best available book in this genre.”
— Anthony S. Bryk
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, President, Emeritus, Stanford
“Improvement Science is a mindset. Its aim is to develop pathways to equity-centered systems change in Education and allied disciplines. This extraordinary volume will help us use Improvement Science to sharpen our collaborative skills and support evidence-centered action to improve the life chances of the people we serve.”
— Louis Gomez
Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
“This is a must-read for educators who are looking to take a scientific approach to systemic improvement. This is the invaluable guide you need in your library. You will reach for it again and again.”
— Taqwanda Hailey
Chief analytics officer, Schools That Lead; Former assistant head of school, Charlotte Secondary School
“Journey to Improvement offers a road map for action for those who are interested in improving organizations. It blends deep theoretical knowledge with practical advice from leading thinkers in the field of improvement science. Five stars.”
— Ben Daley
President, High Tech High Graduate School of Education