preimprovement

Preimprovement is a phase in improvement science and management that refers to the activities that occur before a formal improvement project begins. It aims to establish a clear baseline, define the problem, assess readiness, align stakeholders, and determine data needs and constraints that will shape later interventions. The term is not universally standardized and is used variably across domains.

Typical activities in preimprovement include problem framing, stakeholder analysis, baseline measurement planning, high-level process mapping, data collection planning, risk and feasibility assessment, and the development of an improvement charter or plan. The goal is to reduce uncertainty and increase the likelihood that subsequent improvement efforts will be effective and aligned with strategic goals.

Outputs of preimprovement usually include a clearly stated problem and objective, a defined scope, a set of metrics and baselines, a data collection plan, identified resources and governance, and a preliminary risk assessment. These outputs guide the design and implementation of the actual improvement interventions.

In practice, preimprovement is used in healthcare quality improvement, manufacturing, software development, and organizational change to prevent premature optimization and to ensure readiness. Criticisms include potential delays, misapplication as analysis paralysis, or duplication with early discovery phases; success depends on disciplined execution and clear ownership.

Related concepts include discovery phase, pre-project planning, readiness assessment, and baseline analytics.