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Power point on the questions one can pose regarding the usability of the PDCA cycle in times of transition.
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THE PDCA-CYCLE MIGHT NOT BE APPLICABLE in situations where change is unplanned or emergent. In situations of planned change the Deming cycle is used worldwide and proven to be very effective. However in an emergent change process the PDCA might not be the applicable. These emergent changes increase. In those cases, like Lao Tzu said: ‘A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving’. Studying cultures that have another view on planning might help to find a new approach that fits in times of emergent change. Experiences in Africa lead to a new model for change called ACCRA (c). It also has reflection-in-action as its core. But it requires attention to people, considering the context and showing commitment as well along the whole process. This article describes the design and first experiences with a new approach for improvement in emergent change processes.
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In een aantal eerdere blogs heb ik aangegeven wat de problemen kunnen zijn met de PDCA-cyclus in snel veranderende omgevingen. Plannen pinnen ons te veel vast, de cyclus is te traag, de waarde van meten wordt overschat en de personele factor (hoe krijgen we medewerkers in beweging voor verbetering?) wordt onderschat. Mooi, maar wat dan wel?
The SPRONG-collaboration “Collective process development for an innovative chemical industry” (CONNECT) aims to accelerate the chemical industry’s climate/sustainability transition by process development of innovative chemical processes. The CONNECT SPRONG-group integrates the expertise of the research groups “Material Sciences” (Zuyd Hogeschool), “Making Industry Sustainable” (Hogeschool Rotterdam), “Innovative Testing in Life Sciences & Chemistry” and “Circular Water” (both Hogeschool Utrecht) and affiliated knowledge centres (Centres of Expertise CHILL [affiliated to Zuyd] and HRTech, and Utrecht Science Park InnovationLab). The combined CONNECT-expertise generates critical mass to facilitate process development of necessary energy-/material-efficient processes for the 2050 goals of the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA) Climate and Energy (mission C) using Chemical Key Technologies. CONNECT focuses on process development/chemical engineering. We will collaborate with SPRONG-groups centred on chemistry and other non-SPRONG initiatives. The CONNECT-consortium will generate a Learning Community of the core group (universities of applied science and knowledge centres), companies (high-tech equipment, engineering and chemical end-users), secondary vocational training, universities, sustainability institutes and regional network organizations that will facilitate research, demand articulation and professionalization of students and professionals. In the CONNECT-trajectory, four field labs will be integrated and strengthened with necessary coordination, organisation, expertise and equipment to facilitate chemical innovations to bridge the innovation valley-of-death between feasibility studies and high technology-readiness-level pilot plant infrastructure. The CONNECT-field labs will combine experimental and theoretical approaches to generate high-quality data that can be used for modelling and predict the impact of flow chemical technologies. The CONNECT-trajectory will optimize research quality systems (e.g. PDCA, data management, impact). At the end of the CONNECT-trajectory, the SPRONG-group will have become the process development/chemical engineering SPRONG-group in the Netherlands. We can then meaningfully contribute to further integrate the (inter)national research ecosystem to valorise innovative chemical processes for the KIA Climate and Energy.