IMPQI109 – Implement and evaluate an improvement programme in food and drink operations

Overview

This standard covers the skills and knowledge needed for implementing, monitoring and recording improvements.

This can apply to equipment, materials, quality, product, productivity, personnel, working conditions, cost, hygiene, and the environment.

You will need to agree objectives for an improvement programme, and implement and evaluate the programme.

This standard is relevant to you if your role requires you to implement and evaluate improvements in food and drink operations.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

1. establish systems of measurement and analysis to develop an improvement
2. establish the current performance in relation to existing targets
3. gather feedback from those affected in order to agree objectives for an improvement programme
4. agree the objectives for improvements with the relevant people
5. initiate the improvement in a planned and controlled manner
6. co-ordinate effectively the activities which are necessary to implement the improvement
7. establish methods to monitor improvement and enable evaluation to take place
8. gather sufficient information to enable you to evaluate the effectiveness of the improvement
9. maintain effective communication with those affected by the improvement
10. analyse information and make adjustments to improvement as necessary
11. provide sufficient information to enable an agreed improvement to be incorporated as standard working practice

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand

1. the criteria for establishing new improvement targets and objectives
2. why effective planning is essential when implementing improvements
3. how to adjust improvement plans and reasons for making adjustments in the event of unforeseen circumstances
4. why it is important to set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound (SMART) objectives to achieve improved performance
5. follow current legal and regulatory requirements for hygiene and environmental standards or instructions
6. how to gather, analyse and evaluate ongoing performance data
7. how to gain staff commitment to participate in improvement programmes
8. how to encourage and enable the provision of feedback by those involved in the performance improvement process, and why this is important
9. how to develop and implement an effective and realistic improvement plan
10. the methods available for monitoring and controlling resources
11. the range of effective costing techniques available
12. how to ensure that recommendations are sufficiently detailed to enable effective implementation of the results from the improvement plan
13. how to evaluate performance improvements against objectives
14. how to communicate performance improvement decisions according to best practice and organisational and legal requirements
15. the effects of performance improvement on personnel, plant, product and the working environment

Keywords: food; drink; improvement; productivity; working; conditions