The Missouri Quality Award
Over the next 30 days or so, I will be working on the first stage of the Missouri Quality Award. Confidentiality prevents me from writing anything about the applicant, or their application. But, I thought it might be interesting to write about the process itself. Even though the mission of this blog is to talk about using the Baldrige criteria for improvement, and not for winning an award, I think it's important that you understand how the criteria work. Understanding the process may give you a better idea of how the criteria might apply to your business.
On May 24 and 25, examiners in the St. Louis area got together for two days of training. The process was repeated in central Missouri and in Kansas City and is similar to the training given to Baldrige examiners and probably to examiners for most other state awards as well. Training consisted of reviewing a "case study", or a fictional application from a fictional company.
Over two days we review techniques for comment writing, individual scoring, consensus comments and scoring, and site visits. Perhaps a timeline will give you some idea of how it all works.
Applications were due at the Excellence in Missouri Foundation by the end of last week. The award office has been working feverishly for the last two days (Monday and Tuesday) to get the applications ready to send to the examiners. Examiners are matched to applicants base on several factors including award experience, industry background, and lack of conflict of interest. The aplications will be sent FedEx to the examiners to day, to arrive tomorrow. We have until July 3 to complete our first stage work.
The output from each examiner in the first stage is a completed score book. The score book includes comments on the applicant's answers for each of the award's criteria. Comments are made on strengths and opportunities for improvement. Opportunities for improvement are not weaknesses, they are exactly what the name says. What can this applicant do to move up to the next level?
Finally, each examiner will score the applicant on each item. Applications are then returned to the award office in preparation for stage 2, concensus review. Stay tuned.
Update: 6/8/06 The link above to the Baldrige case study is a link to last year's. You can download the 2006 case study here.
On May 24 and 25, examiners in the St. Louis area got together for two days of training. The process was repeated in central Missouri and in Kansas City and is similar to the training given to Baldrige examiners and probably to examiners for most other state awards as well. Training consisted of reviewing a "case study", or a fictional application from a fictional company.
Over two days we review techniques for comment writing, individual scoring, consensus comments and scoring, and site visits. Perhaps a timeline will give you some idea of how it all works.
Applications were due at the Excellence in Missouri Foundation by the end of last week. The award office has been working feverishly for the last two days (Monday and Tuesday) to get the applications ready to send to the examiners. Examiners are matched to applicants base on several factors including award experience, industry background, and lack of conflict of interest. The aplications will be sent FedEx to the examiners to day, to arrive tomorrow. We have until July 3 to complete our first stage work.
The output from each examiner in the first stage is a completed score book. The score book includes comments on the applicant's answers for each of the award's criteria. Comments are made on strengths and opportunities for improvement. Opportunities for improvement are not weaknesses, they are exactly what the name says. What can this applicant do to move up to the next level?
Finally, each examiner will score the applicant on each item. Applications are then returned to the award office in preparation for stage 2, concensus review. Stay tuned.
Update: 6/8/06 The link above to the Baldrige case study is a link to last year's. You can download the 2006 case study here.
posted by Mike at 6:05 PM
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