Deliverology

Introduction

Deliverology is a quality improvement method that emphasizes organizational goals and planning for their accomplishment (Barber et al. , 2011). The method challenges leaders of organizations, educational or otherwise, to answer four guiding questions:

1. What is our system trying to do?
2. How are we planning to do it?
3. At any given moment, how will we know whether we are on track to succeed?
4. If we are not on track, what are we going to do about it?

These four questions are "answered" by leaders and stakeholders by walking through the routines and processes embedded in 15 elements of the delivery framework (US Education Delivery Institute, 2015).

There are several distinctive characteristics of the approach. First, while the framework in its current form comprises 15 elements, it is flexible enough to accommodate differences between organizations or the implementation approaches that they are currently using (where they are thought to be effective in meeting the organization's goals). Second, the method attempts to build upon what organizations are currently doing well and the work that they have already undertaken, rather than beginning from scratch. Third, the method assumes that organizations (and the people that comprise them) are capable of being reflective about their improvement efforts yet rarely do they have the opportunity or guidance to do so. Through structured review and reflection, Deliverology tries to honor what organizations are already doing, while providing a common and predictable structure, consistency and rigor for their work.

This paper describes the Deliverology method of quality improvement and presents a case showing the method in a particular practice context: the Kentucky Department of Education.

History of Deliverology

Deliverology was developed as an approach for the UK Government, at the time when the nation was led by Prime Minister Tony Blair, to deliver on its campaign promises with regard to effective public services. In 2001, Blair established the Prime Minister's delivery unit (PMDU) to ensure that promises made to British citizens would be kept during his tenure. The PMDU, under the leadership of Sir Michael Barber, put in place a set of routines and problem-solving techniques that together comprise the delivery framework. By the end of Blair's second term in 2005, approximately 80 per cent of the...