Deliverology
| Pages | 43-57 |
| Date | 06 February 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-11-2016-0078 |
| Published date | 06 February 2017 |
| Author | Lee E. Nordstrum,Paul G. LeMahieu,Karen Dodd |
| Subject Matter | Education,Curriculum, instruction & assessment,Educational evaluation/assessment |
Deliverology
Lee E. Nordstrum
RTI International, Edina, Minnesota, USA
Paul G. LeMahieu
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Stanford, California,
USA, and
Karen Dodd
Kentucky Department of Education, Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
Abstract
Purpose –This paper is one of seven in this volume elaborating different approaches to quality
improvement in education. This paper aims to delineate a methodology called Deliverology.
Design/methodology/approach –The paper presents the origins, theoretical foundations, core principles
and a case study showing an application of Deliverology in the Kentucky Department of Education in the USA.
Findings –The core principles underlying the approach are embodied in its guiding questions: What is our
system trying to do? How are we planning to do it? At any given moment, how will we know whether we are
on track to succeed? and If we are not on track, what are we going to do about it?
Originality/value –Few theoretical treatments and demonstration cases are currently available on
commonly used models of quality improvement in other elds that might have potential value in improving
education systems internationally. This paper lls this gap by elucidating one promising approach. The paper
also derives value, as it permits a comparison of the Deliverology approach with other quality improvement
approaches treated in this volume.
Keywords Quality improvement, Deliverology
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Deliverology is a quality improvement method that emphasizes organizational goals and
planning for their accomplishment (Barber et al., 2011). The method challenges leaders of
organizations, educational or otherwise, to answer four guiding questions:
(1) What is our system trying to do?
(2) How are we planning to do it?
(3) At any given moment, how will we know whether we are on track to succeed?
(4) If we are not on track, what are we going to do about it?
These four questions are “answered” by leaders and stakeholders by walking through the
routines and processes embedded in 15 elements of the delivery framework (US Education
Delivery Institute, 2015).
There are several distinctive characteristics of the approach. First, while the framework
in its current form comprises 15 elements, it is exible enough to accommodate differences
between organizations or the implementation approaches that they are currently using
(where they are thought to be effective in meeting the organization’s goals). Second, the
method attempts to build upon what organizations are currently doing well and the work
that they have already undertaken, rather than beginning from scratch. Third, the method
assumes that organizations (and the people that comprise them) are capable of being
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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Deliverology
43
QualityAssurance in Education
Vol.25 No. 1, 2017
pp.43-57
©Emerald Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/QAE-11-2016-0078
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