Sustainable improvement begins with a safe, organised, and controlled daily operation. Workplace organisation, standardised work, and reliable quality and data management together form the basis for further development.
Before organisations can achieve sustainable improvement with Lean, Six Sigma, digitalisation, or other improvement programmes, a stable operational base is required. Within the CIMM model developed by Symbol, a stable foundation therefore constitutes the first maturity level.
A stable foundation means that employees work in a safe and organised environment, following clear and practical standards. Additionally, the organisation has reliable information regarding quality, deviations, and process performance.
When this foundation is lacking, inconsistencies in execution arise. Teams develop their own working methods, instructions do not always align with practice, and employees waste time searching, waiting, or improvising. It also becomes more difficult to determine what the normal situation is, when a deviation occurs, and whether a change actually leads to improvement.
The goal is not to implement as many procedures, dashboards, or systems as possible. It is about a daily operation where agreements are clear, information is reliable, and improvements can be applied and sustained.
A stable operational base is created by developing three building blocks in conjunction. Together, they ensure an organised work environment, consistent execution of tasks, and reliable information on quality and performance.
A safe and organised work environment helps employees work efficiently and systematically. Materials, tools, and information are available where needed, and deviations become visible more quickly.
Standardised work describes the best known and mutually agreed-upon working method at present. Clear instructions and procedures help employees perform tasks safely, consistently, and predictably.
Quality management ensures clear quality requirements, unambiguous registrations, and reliable process information. The organisation determines what data is needed, how it is recorded, and who is responsible for management and follow-up.
A stable foundation is not achieved once a 5S project has been completed, work instructions have been drawn up, or a dashboard is available. The agreements and systems must be part of daily work, applied consistently, and adjusted when practice demands it.
When the three building blocks work well together, the result is:
When this foundation functions adequately, the organisation can take the next step: systematically involving employees in identifying and solving problems. This is central to CIMM Level 2 – Create a culture of continuous improvement.
Not every department, location, or process is at the same maturity level. With the CIMM assessment, we map out which components are already well developed, where gaps still exist, and which next steps are most logical.
This creates a targeted development path that aligns with the organisation’s current situation and ambitions.