The Four Rules of Work Design

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Via Medscape (free registration required), The Four Rules of Work Design (as applied to medical practice):

Rule 1 Addresses How People Work: All activities must be highly specified as to content, sequence, timing and expected outcome.

Rule 2 Addresses How People Communicate: All communications must be highly specified and direct, with clear yes-no signals back and forth.

Rule 3 Addresses How Pathways Are Constructed: The pathway for every service or product must be predefined, highly specified, simple and direct - with no loops or forks.

Rule 4 Addresses How Improvements Are Made: All improvements must be made using data-driven scientific methods, as close to the work as possible, by the people who do the actual work and under the guidance of a teacher or coach.