Tools
There are a range of quality improvement tools which will help with your project.
The tools are tried and tested and different tools will help you at different stages of your project.
They will help you to:
- Identify what your quality improvement issue is
- Understand the problem
- Develop a clear strategy
- Test your idea
- Implement your idea
- Maintain the momentum
- Measure the difference your project improvement project has made.
QI bitesize
Watch our short animations to get a quick understanding of some of our tools (more coming soon).
QI digital toolkit
Some of the main QI tools are here in our QI digital toolkit booklet. Please take a look (use the arrows at the bottom to turn the pages). We also have our QI bitesize animations on this page to help you. In addition there is our tools library below.
Tool library
There is a short description of some of the quality improvement tools below, with links through to NHS Improvement ACT Academy online library of quality, service improvement and redesign (QSIR) tools to find out more.
- All tools
- KCHFT
- NHSI
15 seconds 30 minutes
15 seconds 30 minutes (15s30m) aims to help anyone identify how they could spend a few extra seconds on a task now which will save someone else 30 minutes or more later on.
Brainstorming
To generate lots of new ideas try a brainstorming session. This is a group creative technique to gather a list of ideas.
Digital toolkit
Find some of the main QI tools in our digital toolkit booklet. Use the arrows at the bottom to turn the pages.
Driver diagrams
This is a tool which can help you plan your quality improvement project activities.
Fishbone diagrams
KCHFT version Download Fishbone diagram template NHSI version A fishbone diagram, also called a cause and effect diagram, or an Ishikawa diagram, is a visualization tool for categorizing the potential causes of a problem, in order to identify its root causes. The design of the diagram looks like a skeleton of a fish, hence the name. Download …
Fresh eyes
This tool will help to generate new ideas. It encourages looking at a situation with fresh eyes, or from a new or different perspective.
Illustrated introduction to QI
Here is our illustrated introduction to quality improvement (QI) The drawings were created as part of our first QI conference, held in July 2019. The booklet explains some of the concepts of improvement work.
Life QI quick guide
Life QI is an online quality improvement (QI) platform that makes it easy for teams to run QI projects and organisations to report on QI activity.
Pareto
A Pareto chart is a type of chart which contains both bars and a line graph. It displays categories of data in descending order. A Pareto chart will highlight the most important among a set of factors.
Plan your project
Use our project plan templates for your project. There is a full version and a short version.
Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycles
You can use PDSA cycles to test an idea, by trialling a change on a small scale and assessing its impact.
Prioritisation matrix
Use this prioritisation matrix template to help with your quality improvement project.
Process mapping
Process mapping allows you to create a visual picture of how something currently works, capturing every step.
Project idea template
A project idea template to help you when you start a quality improvement project.
Project on a page template
Start filling this in when you first begin your quality improvement project.
Run charts
Run chart is a line graph of data plotted over time. It will help you find trends and patterns. It is a simple way to help analyse information.
Six thinking hats
Six Thinking Hats® will help you look at things from different perspectives.
SMART aims
SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound – and SMART aims can be used to provide a structured approach to developing and designing a work plan.
Stakeholders
KCHFT version Download Stakeholder map template NHSI version This involves speaking with all those whose interests should be taken into account, who might include clinicians, administrative colleagues, patients and user groups. A stakeholder analysis lets you identify everyone who needs to be involved in your project and how their needs or interests need to be …
Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts
A Statistical Process Control (SPC) chart helps to see what is different to the norm. It charts changes over time and shows data plotted in time order.
Sustainability model
This diagnostic tool helps to identify strengths and weaknesses in implementation plans.