Continuous Improvement

A formal practitioner of Continuous Improvement (CI) since 1991, Hixson has developed a sophisticated CI management system focused on improving operational performance and establishing Hixson as a great place to work. Using a holistic approach, the goal of Hixson’s Continuous Improvement is to establish a culture of quality throughout the firm, at all levels.

Hixson invests approximately 4,000 hours annually on CI efforts and through specific practices such as:

• Creating clear responsibilities for quality planning and improvement at all levels within the firm.
• Following Lean principles, practices and tools, such as defining value from our clients’ perspectives and making value flow without interruption.
• Employing a full-time Director of Continuous Improvement who supports the work of CI teams by providing facilitation, data analysis, and training on CI tools as needed.
• Focusing resources on the firm’s most important improvements through the creation of an annual Hoshin Plan, a Lean tool for setting and executing strategic objectives.
• Applying systematic, proven problem-solving methods for corrective and preventive actions.
• Capturing client feedback, lessons learned, technical knowledge, and other data to leverage improvements firm-wide.

Hixson’s CI efforts directly impact our clients by helping deliver exceptional value for our services and quality of design solutions.