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Welcome Case Study Map

Main Topics


		Solve Problems
		Focus on the User
		Build Teams
		Manage the Process

Problem Solving Concepts


		Identify the Problem
		Describe the Problem
		Analyze the Problem
		Plan the Solution
		Implement the Solution
		Evaluate the Solution

Tools for Monitoring and Evaluating the Solution


		Indicator Matrix
		Prioritization Matrix
		Defining Standards
		Control Chart

Defining Standards

What is it?

Before you can evaluate whether the problem has been solved or not, or the performance of your organization, you need to define the standards against which you will compare the process.

Who uses it?

The management and the team.

Why use it?

All processes have some form of variation. If you want to reduce the amount of variation in a process, you need to compare the results of the process with a standard.

Variation can exist for two reasons:

Common causes are flaws inherent in the design of the process.
Special causes are variations from standards caused by staff errors.

Most variations in processes are caused by flaws in the system or the process, not by staff errors. Once you realize this, you can stop blaming the employees and start changing the systems and processes that cause the employees to make mistakes.

The standards are used to assess the quality of the process and to provide staff with guidelines for evaluating their performance.

When to use it?

After planning the solution to a problem, and before monitoring or evaluating the solution.

How to use it:

There are two methods of defining standards:

You can use international or national standards or norms. For example, WHO's Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI), or the Safe Motherhood Project.
You can define the standards locally:

Use the goals and norms from your team's own planning process, employing tools such as the program matrix or strategic planning process.
Standardize the process through consensus by using a focus group of users or team members.
Use control graphs to help you determine statistical indicators of the process.

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