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The
best way to get better, faster
"When you write the 50-page application,
you’ll learn more about your organization than
you ever thought possible. You’ll begin to see
what you are doing well, what you’re not doing
well and what you’re not doing that you thought
you were doing! The application process helps you understand
your core systems, processes, and critical linkages
across the seven Categories of the Baldrige Criteria.
You also perceive quickly where you lack these systems,
process and linkages.”
~ Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, FSM President and CEO, SSM Healthcare
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Why Apply?
The Baldrige framework used by Wisconsin Forward
Award is one of the most robust and effective management/improvement
frameworks available. TheWFA/Baldrige Criteria can help your
organization achieve its objectives and continue your improvement
journey.
Do you want to improve your organization’s
performance? Are you looking for a cost-effective way to gain
an outside perspective on your organization’s strengths
and areas needing improvement? Do you want to impact your
organization’s bottom line?
Many organizations participate in Wisconsin
Forward Award as a way to learn and improve. The WFA process
can help organizational leaders better understand what is
working well and on what they should be focusing their improvement
efforts.
But the real value of a WFA assessment is its
ability to improve performance – to drive tangible organizational
results. And a few studies have proven the value of an assessment
and systemic management framework.
Consider the evidence from one study in 2001
(see footnote 1). Organizations that won their state quality
award compared to a control group of matched companies show
superior performance:
operating profit margins of 46.8% versus 2.7%,
return on assets of 10.3% versus -5.5%, and
return on equity of 18.7% versus -5.9%.
In another similar study in 1999 (see footnote
2), award winners show tremendous growth over a control group
of similar organizations. They show:
58% faster growth in stock price appreciation,
116% faster growth in sales,
114% faster growth in total assets, and
229% growth in employees.
In fact, organizations that use a Baldrige-based
assessment show high levels and increasing trends in a variety
of indicators—financial, customer/student/patient/citizen/stakeholder,
employee, and operational.
Here are Some Other Benefits
WFA Applicants Have Shared
Gain
an independent, outside perspective. Our highly trained,
independent Board of Examiners review each application. Each
applicant receives 750-1000 of consulting hours as part of
the WFA review process.
Energize your employees by
working together toward a common goal, and getting results.
Accelerate your improvement efforts.
Or as Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, states: Get better, faster!
Focus on what is really important to
your organization and your stakeholders.
Keep Learning! Organizations
at every recognition level get a written assessment of its
strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Award Criteria
The Criteria used in the Forward Award process provide the
standard used by Examiners to evaluate, validate and provide
feedback on applicant achievement. They include seven broad
Categories and 19 Category-related Items. Applications must
respond to each Category Item. The Criteria provide a clear
perspective for comparing usual performance with high performance.
They give an unbiased view of current capability as measured
against rigorous standards. The Criteria are designed to be
a standard for excellence in organizations seeking the highest
levels of customer- driven quality, performance and competitiveness.
Taken together in an integrated manner, the seven Criteria
Categories and 19 Category Items describe what well-run companies
do.
Recognition Levels
 The
Forward Award program provides a system for measuring and
recognizing four levels of progress and growth toward performance
excellence. There are no limits to the number of organizations
which may receive recognition at any level. To achieve the
highest level of recognition -- the Forward Award of Excellence
-- an organization must be able to show outstanding achievement
in quality performance relative to the Forward Award Criteria.
The four recognition levels represent developmental steps
to performance excellence.
Commitment
This is the beginning level for organizations starting
to adopt and implement continuous improvement practices and
principles. Organizations that are starting on their quality
journey will find Forward Award program participation and
education to be very beneficial as a first learning step.
Applicants at this initial level may have used a self-assessment
to define a baseline for how the organization measures up
on the Award scoring scale. Recipients at this level receive
Commitment recognition.
Proficiency
This is an intermediate level for organizations that
are starting to effectively use continuous improvement principles
and practices. Recognition at this level is provided to organizations
which demonstrate, through their commitment and implementation
of quality and performance management, progress in constructing
sound and noteworthy processes. These organizations show a
solid approach to applying the Criteria of the Forward Award
process at the system-level, and to implementing plans and
procedures. Their accomplishments are confirmed by evidence
of developing and improving performance trends. Recipients
at this level receive Proficiency recognition.
 Mastery
This is an advanced level for organizations which
show through their skillful practice of performance management
principles, significant progress in expanding their capabilities
through improved processes of all kinds. Their achievements
are demonstrated by results, are clearly linked to quality
and performance management systems, and are directly attributable
to a systemic, well-deployed approach. Recipients may receive,
at their option, interactive personal feedback at their location
and Mastery recognition.
Excellence
The highest level of achievement, the Forward Award
for Excellence, is presented to organizations that demonstrate
excellence through their quality practices and achievements.
Recognition at this level is provided to organizations that
are outstanding examples of quality enterprises in Wisconsin,
and which can serve as role models for others. Their management
excellence with superior results is clearly evident. They
continue to learn and build upon outstanding business results
and excellent performance management systems. Organizations
achieving this level receive a site visit to verify and clarify
information assessed during the application review. At the
site visit, applicants may be asked to provide additional
information/data. The site visit does not imply receipt of
the Forward Award of Excellence. Organizations confirmed as
achieving at this level receive the Forward Award for Excellence.
Feedback
All Forward Award applicants receive a written feedback report
at the conclusion of the Forward Award process. The feedback
report identifies strengths and opportunities for improvement
relative to the Award Criteria. By identifying gaps in systems
and improvement strategies, the feedback report can assist
applicant organizations improve in a more focused way, such
as in the strategic and business planning process.
Every applicant organization can request a post
feedback meeting with Examiner representatives to clarify
items in the feedback report. Both organizational teams and
Examiner representatives find these sessions satisfying and
worthwhile.
Board of Examiners
The Wisconsin Forward Award evaluation process is carried
out by our Board of Examiners.
Board members are volunteer experts from business, government,
education and other disciplines across Wisconsin who are experienced
in performance management and quality assessment processes.
The Board of Examiners is comprised of Examiners, the Editorial
Board, and the Panel of Judges.
Examiners work in teams assigned to each application and
conduct all phases of the evaluation. There are Team Leaders
(Examiners with advanced understanding of the WFA/Baldrige
Criteria, well-developed project management and team skills,
who have the responsibility for leading the Examiner team
and producing the feedback report) and Examiner team members
(with beginning to advanced understanding of the Criteria
and their application). Each team also has one or two Team
Leader back-ups with well-developed Criteria and/or team process
skills.
The Panel of Judges serves
as a technical resource to the Examiner teams throughout the
evaluation process and ensure calibration in scoring and application
of the Criteria across Examiner teams.
Award Process / Scoring
To apply for Forward Award recognition, organizations must
complete two steps.
Intent-to-Apply
Organizations submit an Intent-to-Apply Form and
related materials. The information provided enables the Forward
Award administrators to verify organizational eligibility.
The information also provides a basis for assigning Examiners.
Applicants receive confirmation of their eligibility in writing.
Application Report Package
Organizations submit an Application Report Package
that includes two key components -- an Organizational Profile
(not to exceed five pages) and responses to the Forward Award
Criteria (not to exceed 50 pages). In responding to the Criteria,
each applicant provides information and data on the organization's
quality improvement and performance management processes and
related business results.
Each application is rigorously evaluated by the Board of
Examiners. Examiners review each application relative to the
Forward Award Criteria and identify strengths of the organization
and areas for improvement. The review is composed of three
distinct processes.
Independent review
The Application Report Package is reviewed independently
by a team of at least four members of the Board of Examiners.
Consensus review
The Application Report Package is reviewed jointly
by a team of at least three members of the Board of Examiners.
To the extent possible, consensus review is conducted by the
same Examiner team which provides independent review. This
review results in a consensus score which determines the level
of recognition for which an applicant is eligible. The level
of recognition identified through the consensus process determines
whether a site visit is required, is optional, or will not
be provided. The consensus review is also the time during
which feedback reports to applicants are drafted.
Site visits
The site visit occurs prior to final score determination
and serves to clarify and verify the information received
in the Application Report Package. A site visit is required
for all organization with a consensus score at high Mastery
or at the Governor's Forward Award of Excellence level. Site
visits are also available at the applicant's request for repeat
applicants (who have submitted two or more applications in
a three-year period) previously recognized at the Mastery
level or above. Discretionary site visits may also be made
to collect more data, more accurately decide recognition level
or define strengths and opportunities for improvement for
an applicant.
Scoring of applicant responses to the Criteria and development
of feedback reports are based on several evaluation dimensions.
| Approach: |
Refers to how the applicant appropriately and effectively addresses the Item requirements—the methods used—as well as the degree to which the approach is systematic. |
| Deployment: |
Refers to the extent to which the applicant's approach is consistently applied to all areas within the organization, all customer segments, etc. |
| Learning: |
Refers to the applicant's systematic cycles of evaluation and improvement, encouraging refinement of approach and breakthrough change. |
| Integration: |
Refers to how the applicant's approach is aligned with organizational needs, your measures are complementary across processes and work units, and your plans, processes, and other actions are harmonized across process and work units to support organization-wide goals. |
| Results: |
Refers to outputs and outcomes in achieving the purposes given in Category 7, including your current level of performance, the rate and breadth of your performance improvments, your performance relative to relevant comparisons or benchmarks, and linkages to your critical organizational needs. |
The examination process and the scoring system make up a
two-part assessment system. The Criteria Items represent what
is to be evaluated. The scoring system represents how the
evaluations are made.
Confidentiality
All applications are treated as confidential. Applicants
are not expected to provide or to reveal proprietary information
regarding products, processes, or services. Examiners are
assigned in a way to avoid conflicts of interest. All Examiners
and Panel of Advisors sign nondisclosure agreements. Administrative
staff monitor the review process to ensure that the integrity
of the review process is maintained. Information regarding
participation, recognition level achieved, or successful strategies
may be released only after written approval from the a applicant.
Self Assessment
The
Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence focus on
those requirements that all organizations need to thoroughly
understand to compete in today's competitive and changing
world. They address all aspects of competitive performance
and improvement in an integrated and aligned manner. By focusing
on key processes that lead to results, the Criteria offer
a framework that can be used by any organization to tailor
its systems and processes toward ever-improving quality performance.
In this context, the Criteria can be used as a self-assessment
tool for all types of organizations, whether or not they intend
to apply for WFA award recognition. WFA offers a number of
organizational self-assessment opportunities beyond its award
program: Baldrige
Preparation Workshops; on-site self-assessment workshops
tailored to your organization's needs; and Baldrige
Express, an online Baldrige-based organizational survey
that also offers Examiner review and a feedback report that
identifies organizational strengths and opportunities for
improvement.
Wisconsin Fast Forward, a new offering in 2006, is another self-assessment tool. Focusing on the basic and overall requirements of the Criteria, the Fast Forward workbook can be used in conjunction with an application process through Wisconsin Forward Award or be used as a self-assessment tool.
1) Mark Wrolstad and Thomas
Krueger, “Study Shows that Quality Pays Winners,”
Summer 2001
2) Kevin B. Hendricks and Vinod R. Singhal, “Don’t
Count TQM Out,” Quality Progress, April 1999
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