(92d) Using a Management System Maturity Model to Drive Continual Improvement

All organizations want to improve performance relative to their competition. However, there can be much debate about how to do this. The basis of the debate is usually dependent upon individual views and experience regarding improvement. The challenge is to bring all this energy and experience together to create a shared vision and path forward.

Differences in orientation, in many cases, come from the fact that sites within a typical organization are usually operating at different levels on a maturity model. The maturity of an organization, just like a maturing child, must pass through certain experiences in order to become a productive adult. A particular maturity level can be determined by certain attributes that have been shown to correlate with improved performance. For example, some sites may embrace a process-oriented operating model, whereas other sites use a functional-based model. Another example is where some sites may have chosen to pursue certification to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 international standards, whereas other sites have not. So who's right? The answer is that everyone is right! All approaches are appropriate at certain times in an organisation's life!

This paper demonstrates how Management System Maturity Model (isrs7) can drive continual improvement. Isrs7 provides requirements for ten distinct levels of organizational maturity. Site maturity can then be assessed and a customized improvement plan created to advance site maturity and corresponding improved performance.

Isrs7 was developed as a joint industry project between DNV and partners from the nuclear, chemical and petrochemicals industries worldwide and encompasses the following internationally recognized standards: · ISO 9001:2000 ? Quality Management · ISO 14001:2004 ? Environmental Management · OHSAS 18001:1999 ? Health and Safety Management · PAS 55:2004 ? Asset Management · Global Reporting Initiative 2002 ? Corporate Social Responsibility · In addition, it is aligned with EFQM, the MBNQA, and Michael Hammer's Phoenix Maturity Model

The following approach was used to demonstrate how isrs7 could be used to drive continual improvement. A typical management system performance scenario at the 30% level was described for three typical management system elements: 1) Leadership and Commitment; 2) Learning from Events; 3) Results and Review. The isrs7 protocol was scored using this 30% scenario to generate scores for the chosen elements. These scoring results were then used to generate isrs7 performance graphs at this 30% level of performance for each of the elements. Using the results of the scoring to identify gaps in each of the elements, it was possible to provide examples of the steps required to improve from the 30% level to the 50% level. Each element was re-scored assuming these steps had been satisfactorily completed. The new score was used to generate graphs for the 50% level. Finally, example requirements to improve from the 50% level to the 70% level were identified. Once again, assuming all of these steps were successfully completed, isrs7 was re-scored to generate typical scores and graphs for the 70% level.

In summary, this paper demonstrates that isrs7 can be used to: · Determine the existing performance level. · Determine the gaps between the established level of performance and the desired level of performance. · Verify that the desired performance level has been obtained.