CI&I – Seven Steps
The CI&I process is a logical sequence of steps, actions and tools to achieve successes, improvements and innovations.
CI&I is a simple, cyclical and dynamic process of seven steps that has proven successful in a range of contexts.
For each of step there is a selection of tools to improve the quality of thinking and action.
Find more about tools.
We suggest you practise the cycle on something simple and small. Once you have an understanding of the dynamics between steps and skill in using the process and associated tools you will be better able to adjust the process and tools to suit your situation and need.
When using the CI&I process consciously engage thinking, feelings and actions. If you're working with other people make sure you all agree on what important words mean. You can use a glossary such as the one provided on this website.
For each of step there is a selection of tools to improve the quality of thinking and action.
Find more about tools.
We suggest you practise the cycle on something simple and small. Once you have an understanding of the dynamics between steps and skill in using the process and associated tools you will be better able to adjust the process and tools to suit your situation and need.
When using the CI&I process consciously engage thinking, feelings and actions. If you're working with other people make sure you all agree on what important words mean. You can use a glossary such as the one provided on this website.
The Seven Steps
The figure below shows the seven steps of the process.
It shows how every time a cycle is completed a new level of performance is created. From this new level further improvement and innovation is possible.
It shows how every time a cycle is completed a new level of performance is created. From this new level further improvement and innovation is possible.
Step 1 - Focus / Re-Focus
To focus is to concentrate interest or activity on something, or to...
F o l l o w
O n e
C o u r s e
U n t i l
S u c c e s s f u l
This is the first step, or the start of the process. Where should we start? At the end, of course!
Stephen Covey says to “start with the end in mind”.
This step is about developing clear outcome-based goals.
If we are working with others these goals need to be shared and agreed.
They also need to align with the vision, mission and principles of life, organisations and partnerships we work in.
It is important that goals are outcome focused – not activity focused.
Activity-based goals lead to “activity disease” (Make Success Measurable by Douglas Smith 1999). It is also important that the outcome goals are SMARTT. In this version SMARTT stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Targeted and Timeframed.
What does an activity goal look like versus a SMARTT outcome goal?
Activity goal: "To develop a web site"
Outcome goal: "By July there are 100 people using the web site to successfully achieve measurable successes, improvements and innovations"
Particularly with long term goals, it is useful to also develop short and medium term goals that will keep us on track. Setting short, medium and long term goals helps us establish the key measures we will use to track our performance. It also helps with maintaining motivation – we are energised by our short term successes.
This step is also about setting clear boundaries and principles of practice – what is and isn’t included or acceptable. The Focus you develop in this step is used to keep you focused in every other step, so keep it handy so you can STAY FOCUSED!
Each time a cycle of the process is completed a new situation has been created from which different improvements and innovations are possible, and new goals are set in Re-Focus.
This step identifies a clear need for improvement and sets the target outcomes required to meet that need.
F o l l o w
O n e
C o u r s e
U n t i l
S u c c e s s f u l
This is the first step, or the start of the process. Where should we start? At the end, of course!
Stephen Covey says to “start with the end in mind”.
This step is about developing clear outcome-based goals.
If we are working with others these goals need to be shared and agreed.
They also need to align with the vision, mission and principles of life, organisations and partnerships we work in.
It is important that goals are outcome focused – not activity focused.
Activity-based goals lead to “activity disease” (Make Success Measurable by Douglas Smith 1999). It is also important that the outcome goals are SMARTT. In this version SMARTT stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Targeted and Timeframed.
What does an activity goal look like versus a SMARTT outcome goal?
Activity goal: "To develop a web site"
Outcome goal: "By July there are 100 people using the web site to successfully achieve measurable successes, improvements and innovations"
Particularly with long term goals, it is useful to also develop short and medium term goals that will keep us on track. Setting short, medium and long term goals helps us establish the key measures we will use to track our performance. It also helps with maintaining motivation – we are energised by our short term successes.
This step is also about setting clear boundaries and principles of practice – what is and isn’t included or acceptable. The Focus you develop in this step is used to keep you focused in every other step, so keep it handy so you can STAY FOCUSED!
Each time a cycle of the process is completed a new situation has been created from which different improvements and innovations are possible, and new goals are set in Re-Focus.
This step identifies a clear need for improvement and sets the target outcomes required to meet that need.
Step 2 - Explore the Situation
In this step, explore the situation relating to your Focus and identify opportunities to generate more successes, improvements and innovations.
What look like constraints, issues and problems can all be rethought of as opportunities for improvement and innovation. Opportunities can range from simple to complex, short, medium or long-term, as long as they have potential to contribute to achieving your Focus.
What look like constraints, issues and problems can all be rethought of as opportunities for improvement and innovation. Opportunities can range from simple to complex, short, medium or long-term, as long as they have potential to contribute to achieving your Focus.
Step 3 - Select Targets
There is no real choice without options.
Having identified a number of options or opportunities in Step 2, use the appropriate decision-making tools to prioritise and determine which opportunities are worth following through on in order to achieve your Focus.
Having identified a number of options or opportunities in Step 2, use the appropriate decision-making tools to prioritise and determine which opportunities are worth following through on in order to achieve your Focus.
Step 4 - Design Action
Steven Covey says "All things are created twice".
"There is a mental first creation and a physical second creation".
If you're building a home you put a lot of effort into imagining what the finished product will look like, feel like, be like to live in, in as much detail as possible. And then you reduce it to a blue-print with detailed construction plans. To the extent that you do this well, you can prevent expensive omissions and mistakes that would increase the cost and decrease the quality of your home. It is the same with business projects or family matters.
Step 4 is about the first creation, using conscious design to rehearse action and increase your chance of success.
Design can help you think about doing things differently or doing different things to achieve your Focus and target outcomes.
Design is different to planning. Planning is the scheduling of actions and resources over time but doesn't necessarily deliver confidence that the vision will be achieved.
"There is a mental first creation and a physical second creation".
If you're building a home you put a lot of effort into imagining what the finished product will look like, feel like, be like to live in, in as much detail as possible. And then you reduce it to a blue-print with detailed construction plans. To the extent that you do this well, you can prevent expensive omissions and mistakes that would increase the cost and decrease the quality of your home. It is the same with business projects or family matters.
Step 4 is about the first creation, using conscious design to rehearse action and increase your chance of success.
Design can help you think about doing things differently or doing different things to achieve your Focus and target outcomes.
Design is different to planning. Planning is the scheduling of actions and resources over time but doesn't necessarily deliver confidence that the vision will be achieved.
Step 5 - Action Taking
Take your Action Design and implement it.
Taking action is not a linear process, it is dynamic. Action is not just about behaviour, it is also about thinking, feeling, sense of momentum and level of motivation. Stay focused on the target. Monitor the feedback you're getting and adjust as necessary to achieve the target.
Taking action is a process of going through regular cycles: "Is our broad goal right?", "Is the focus we've chosen right?", "Is the design working to get me there?", "What results am I getting?", "Is it turning out as expected or are there unexpected consequences?".
In this step, action also includes regular and frequent meetings of the team for sharing thinking and support. You've got to be sure you are doing it!
Taking action is not a linear process, it is dynamic. Action is not just about behaviour, it is also about thinking, feeling, sense of momentum and level of motivation. Stay focused on the target. Monitor the feedback you're getting and adjust as necessary to achieve the target.
Taking action is a process of going through regular cycles: "Is our broad goal right?", "Is the focus we've chosen right?", "Is the design working to get me there?", "What results am I getting?", "Is it turning out as expected or are there unexpected consequences?".
In this step, action also includes regular and frequent meetings of the team for sharing thinking and support. You've got to be sure you are doing it!
- Implement your design
- Regular thinking, feeling, actions and results
- Regular monitoring, feedback and re-design to stay on track to achieving the Focus
- Receive support to maintain momentum and motivation
Step 6 - Results Assessment
Assess and interpret the results of your actions in relation to your Focus and target outcomes.
Did you achieve your target outcomes? What were the results? What was achieved?
How many new successes, improvements and innovations were achieved? What were they?
Were there unintended outcomes - positive or negative?
What do these results tell you about the assumptions underlying your Action Design?
What do you know now about the focus situation that you didn't know before?
Which methods worked well and which did not?
How well have you given supportive feedback to yourself and others about the contributions made to success?How well have you acknowledged and celebrated your successes, improvements and innovations?
Now you should have:
How many new successes, improvements and innovations were achieved? What were they?
Were there unintended outcomes - positive or negative?
What do these results tell you about the assumptions underlying your Action Design?
What do you know now about the focus situation that you didn't know before?
Which methods worked well and which did not?
How well have you given supportive feedback to yourself and others about the contributions made to success?How well have you acknowledged and celebrated your successes, improvements and innovations?
Now you should have:
- Improved knowledge of what works and doesn't work in this system to achieve this Focus and these outcomes.
- Observations about unintended consequences of your action - positive and negative.
- More effective teamwork and increased motivation and momentum to continue improvement
Step 7 - Create Opportunities
This step is futures focused.
It is about being able to envision multiple futures - futures we can create or futures that will happen to us, regardless of what we do.
Create new observations, questions, ideas and opportunities for achieving successes, improvements and innovations that will help prepare for, or create, these possible futures.
Use the results from Results Assessment and critical and creative thinking to synthesise specific opportunities to create future results.
It is about being able to envision multiple futures - futures we can create or futures that will happen to us, regardless of what we do.
Create new observations, questions, ideas and opportunities for achieving successes, improvements and innovations that will help prepare for, or create, these possible futures.
Use the results from Results Assessment and critical and creative thinking to synthesise specific opportunities to create future results.
As your skill in using the CI&I process and tools improves it will be easier to take on multiple and simultaneous improvement and innovation focuses. Research shows that there is a synergy to be gained from undertaking multiple improvement focuses simultaneously. People who do so create significantly more successes, improvements and innovations than those who focus on only one improvement focus at a time.