Process Change vs Process Improvement vs High-Performance Process Improvement
- Markus Pastinen
- Jun 12
- 3 min read

What is the distinction between process change (I), process improvement (II) and high-performance process improvement (III)?
Basically, process change is when you change anything in the process without any actual structured approach, resulting in a negative, neutral or positive outcome in the process ("ad hoc improvement").
Process improvement, on the other hand, is when you improve the productivity of the targeted process using some kind of structured approach ("doing things right; cp. lean, six sigma, kaizen). No performance requirements to the methods applied.
Finally, high-performance process improvement is when you improve in a systematic and result-oriented way both the effectiveness ("doing the right things") and productivity ("doing the things right") of the process under strict quality, time and cost constraints. This means that also the improvement work itself has to be effective and productive.
So what is the practical difference? To get an idea of the different implications of running the improvement efforts in Mode I, II or III, think about the hot air balloon in the picture and consider what are the implications to that setting running the improvement efforts in Improvement Modes I-III:
Mode I (process change): appoint a new Captain to the balloon, order everyone to jump, improve the communication practice between the persons, organize a "fun day" to increase motivation and well-being of the staff, hire a social media person to make updates to social platforms, hire a motivational coach to boost the spirit in the hot air balloon basket, get rid of one of the persons, hire one person more, cut of half of the ropes, paint the basket, make a new hole to the balloon, lower the walls of the basket by 30% to decrease weight, etc.
Mode II (process improvement): repair the balloon envelope, ensure adequate heating, lighten the load, check weather conditions (flying in cool, calm weather helps the balloon lift more easily due to better air density). These measures were also the suggestions of AI (ChatGPT).
Mode III (high-performance process improvement): check first whether a hot air ballon is fit for the purpose or should you go for another transportation solution (e.g. a car). If the balloon is really the preferred choice, consider alternatives to a hot air balloon. If the hot air balloon is still the best alternative, do the things in Mode II, but prioritize the efforts according to the real-life impact and available resources (incl. money, time, skills, change resistance). Use dedicated education and training methods and solutions to assure (key person) commitment and the performance of the implementation. Before lifting, disconnect the anchor, and fix the floor that was not properly attached to the hot air balloon basket (the use of critical tacit knowledge not available in digital format). Assure that the crew knows constantly how to operate the craft optimally (incl. safety equipment and gear). Assure also the lasting of required resources throughout the operation.
Running the company's improvement efforts in Improvement Mode I, II or III has conseqently far-edged consequences regarding the long-term improvement of the company performance and valuation.
The methods and solutions developed and delivered by Vistalize are designed from the outset to run in Mode III. The way to enhance the improvement effectiveness is done via the VISTALIZER Report improvement plan. The way to enhance the improvement productivity (efficiency) is based on the app VISTALIZER for Enterprises and related services (education and training services; strategy, essay and PDCA review). With these two solutions applied in tandem, you can swiftly start to operate a high-performance process improvement process, delivering constantly a high process improvement yield to the selected company setting.
For a thorough discussion of the concepts and methods of high-performance process improvement, you may want to check out the book with the same title available in our Web Shop and many others.
Interested in running your company's improvement efforts in Mode III? Just send a message using the contact form or send your request to pdca@vistalizer.com. Let's have a chat!
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