Förbättringsteam

Förbättringsteam is a term used in Swedish organizations to describe a temporary or ongoing cross-functional team dedicated to analyzing and improving processes, workflows, and performance. It is commonly employed in manufacturing, IT, healthcare, and public administration to increase efficiency, quality, and customer value by removing waste and variability.

The team typically includes 4–8 members from different functions, led by a process owner or facilitator. Members bring domain knowledge and operational insight, while the team operates under a defined charter, scope, milestones, and required resources. Projects are often time-bound with clear goals and measurable success criteria.

Work methods include mapping current processes, collecting data, root-cause analysis (for example 5 why, fishbone diagrams), and applying Lean or Six Sigma tools. They plan and run pilots, standardize successful changes as standard work, and monitor results with chosen metrics such as cycle time, throughput, defect rate, and cost.

Outcomes include reduced lead times, waste elimination, improved quality, and higher customer satisfaction. Successful teams foster cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing. Common challenges are resistance to change, insufficient data, unclear ownership, and difficulty sustaining improvements without ongoing governance and leadership support.

The concept emerged from Lean manufacturing and ongoing continuous improvement practices. In organizations, förbättringsteam is an approach to formalize and coordinate improvement efforts rather than relying on individual initiatives.