ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the Continuous Improvement Service at Sheffield Hallam University and describes its journey, from recognising a need within the institution and harnessing the initial idea, through to the creation of a dedicated Continuous Improvement Team. It focuses on how support was gained from senior leaders, how a foundation of Lean tools and techniques was used to tailor the service to meet the needs of customers, plus the challenges, successes and lessons learned along the way. In November 2016, exactly 18 months from its inception, the Business Case to formalise the service, and recruit two full-time staff for an 18-month trial period, was approved. The development of the formal service offer was followed by a ‘soft-launch’ through internal communication channels and local networks. The sessions received an excellent response from staff involved and the outcomes generated through each prompted the faculty to invest in three graduate interns to lead on the implementation of actions.
