iMprove: the Next Generation of Continuous Improvement guides small- and medium-sized operations to implement lean conversion practices without the need for an expensive consultant, lean master or 'sensei.' By starting the Deming cycle with three prerequisite steps--guide, focus and solve--Ellis expands the traditional PDCA approach to GFSPDCA, to more easily identify and select the operational areas that need improvement. Using real-world examples from manufacturing, health care, product development and customer service, Ellis covers methods used to implement lean operations, including: PDCA/Deming/Shewhart; Lean Six Sigma; Flow improvement; Metrics A3 Process; Fishbone/Affinity/Matrix Diagrams; Agile/Lean project management. This book is a valuable resource for engineering managers, project managers, process improvement professionals and owners/managers of small- to medium-sized operations looking to implement lean conversion. Teaches lean conversion for small- and medium-sized businesses and departments in businesses of any size that want to start lean conversion Presents a 'how to' format with extensive use of real-world examples Adds clarity to the Deming/PDCA cycle by starting the process with three new steps - guide, focus and solve - that help improve the implementation process Develops a new visual, the M-Cycle, with a vertical scale for roles (sponsor, owner, team) and horizontal scale for time, to help understand this new approach.