Applying adult development theories to improvement science

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Quality Improvement Science
• Adult Development Theory

Background:

• Quality improvement (QI) initiatives often assume professionals possess inherent skills for effective participation.
• However, individual differences in cognitive and meaning-making capacities can impact engagement and success in improvement efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of adult development (AD) theories to enhance quality improvement (QI) practices.
• To analyze how personal development findings align with Deming's four domains of improvement knowledge.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis and discussion integrating empirical findings from adult development research.
• Examination of the relationship between personal development, quality improvement, and Deming's improvement knowledge domains.

Main Results:

• Adult development research indicates professionals exhibit diverse meaning-making approaches and problem-solving strategies.
• Complex meaning-making capacities are essential for driving transformational change and learning within improvement initiatives.
• System knowledge is identified as a developmental capacity, influencing professionals' ability to contribute to QI.

Conclusions:

• Quality improvement efforts may not fully account for the developmental variations in professionals' competencies.
• Facilitating improvement initiatives to accommodate diverse capacities is necessary for equitable contribution.
• Recognizing competence in QI as a developmental challenge is vital for both practice and future research.