Continuous Improvement
At Hixson, our goal is to foster a culture of quality throughout the firm at every level. And we do that by treating continuous improvement as an ongoing team effort, not a one-off project. My name is Greg Hammond and I’m the president and CEO of Hixson Architecture, Engineering and Interiors. Hixson has been investing in continuous improvement since 1991. Emphasizing CI is a core competency within our firm.
Based on the principles of total quality management, continuous improvement at Hixson, more than anything else, is a mindset that we apply to incrementally improve our firm. Our approach is centered around three core values: to be the employer of choice, create impenetrable client loyalty, and contribute to our communities. CI’s sole purpose is to help us realize that vision. My name is Beth Robinson and I’m the Vice President and Director of Continuous Improvement at Hixson.
Here we’re committed to refining and enhancing our processes to improve how we deliver projects to our clients and also how we interact with each other in our work. And we do that through a structured CI program with specific principles, practices, and tools. From strategic planning and systematic problem-solving methods to project monitoring and data tracking, our CI program is focused on making value flow efficiently to our clients while also making the day-to-day work experience more enjoyable for our associates.
By creating a culture where every person at every level is encouraged to pursue and implement improvements, we’ve accumulated decades worth of advancements in innovation, productivity, and effectiveness. This CI mindset drives us to make better-informed design decisions and provide exceptional value for our clients. Equally important, we’re able to engage and support our associates by fostering a culture where they can directly influence our success, making Hixson a truly great place to work.
At Hixson, CI is integral to everything we do. That means we’re always learning from the past so we can do better in the future. There’s no question that our focus on continuous improvement has helped drive our firm’s growth and also created positive outcomes for our clients. We are confident that CI will continue to be critical to our future success. (upbeat music)
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.
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