---
title: "Improvement loops with KPIs"
course: "OPMT 130 · Run operations that work"
unit: "Improving the system"
lesson: 30 of 37
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/improvement-loops-with-kpis
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Improvement loops with KPIs

Lesson 30 of 37 in **Run operations that work** (OPMT 130), unit "Improving the system". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Apply a PDCA-style cycle (plan, do, check, act) to a realistic small-business improvement, naming what each step contains.
- Choose a confirming KPI that would show the improvement worked — including at least one measure of designed-in quality or variation (e.g., defect rate, first-time-right rate, throughput per shift) — and a balancing KPI that would catch a side effect moving in the wrong direction.

## Teaching notes
Use the Tasklane scenario — plan a PDCA loop and choose a confirming KPI and a balancing KPI (e.g., first-response time and reopened-ticket rate). At the Check step, give the student mixed or contradictory results (e.g., the confirming KPI improves while the balancing KPI worsens) so the Act decision requires real judgment rather than an obvious 'it worked'.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 30 complete: Improvement loops with KPIs."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "AI for KPI monitoring" (lesson 31 of 37), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/ai-for-kpi-monitoring.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Root cause analysis
Next lesson: AI for KPI monitoring