RE: Continuous or continual improvement

["Alan Meekings" <alan@landmarkconsulting.co.uk>]

Jim,

I think Dr Deming used to refer to CONTINUAL improvement, rather than
CONTINUOUS improvement.

According to my dictionary, CONTINUOUS implies without interruption,
whereas CONTINUAL allows for 'unceasing' and 'persistent' efforts
towards continuity.

As you suggest in your message, CONTINUOUS improvement cannot be
sustained for long, whereas CONTINUAL improvement can be sustained for
years.  

Certainly, when I was a keen and active runner, and ran every day, I
managed to improve my racing times over several successive years - but
not in every race, and certainly not on every single day without
interruption.  

In other words, my improvement was CONTINUAL rather than CONTINUOUS.
Hence, I talk about continual improvement in my consulting work with
organisations.

Regards,
 
Alan
 
Mobile: +44 07785 258 741
Email: alan@landmarkconsulting.co.uk