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Are you new to QI? Explore the resources below to learn about the science behind QI, how to form a QI team, and how to manage change within your unit, department, or organization.

The QI process begins with identifying and understanding the problem you are trying to solve. Your QI team will partner with patients and providers to identify a problem, understand the current state of the process, and identify the root causes of the problem.

Key activities include:

• Writing a problem statement summarizing the problem you are trying to solve
• Mapping the current state of relevant processes and patient journeys with staff and patients
• Identifying the root causes of the problem with input from staff and patients and by observing processes in real time
• Generating a measurement plan to determine what data you will collect to further understand root causes and track improvement
• Collecting data and displaying it visually using run charts and control charts to understand variations in performance

Tools and resources

• QI Science Guide
  Learn about approaches to QI: the Model for Improvement, Plan-Do-Study-Act-Cycles, Lean, and more.
• QI Charter Tool
  Outline the purpose, scope, team, measures, and targets necessary to achieve success.
• Communication Plan Tool
  Plan how to communicate about your QI project at each step to optimize stakeholder awareness and buy-in.
• Problem Statement Tool
  Summarize the problem that your QI team is trying to address.
• Fishbone Tool
  Reflect on the different components of a system and brainstorm how they may contribute to a problem.
• 5 Why's Tool
  Continuously ask "Why is this happening?" to identify how components of a system may contribute to a problem.
• Measurement Guide
  Learn about the importance of collecting data for QI, how to select indicators, collect data, and analyze results.
• Measurement Plan Tool
  Plan the measurement of the performance of processes surrounding the problem to identify and understand contributing factors.
• Pareto Chart Tool
  Determine which causes have the most impact on your problem to help you decide which to address first.
• Run Charts Tool
  Learn how to interpret your data using run charts.