Key Steps for Preparing a Performance Excellence NW (Washington State Quality Award) Lite Application
Step 1. File an Intent to Apply With PENW/WSQA
You can download the Intent to Apply form is available for download from the PENW website at www.performanceexcellencenw.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/PENW-WSQA-Intent-Apply-Form.pdf
Step 2. Obtain PENW/WSQA Lite Application Criteria
Make sure you use the 2019-2020 Lite Criteria. There are two sources for the PENW Lite Criteria.
- Baldrige Excellence Builder. This document lists only the Lite questions and is available for download from the Baldrige website at www.nist.gov/baldrige/products-services/baldrige-excellence-builder
- Malcolm Baldrige Excellence and Criteria for Performance Excellence. This document includes all the detailed Baldrige Criteria questions which include the Lite questions. It is available to download from the Baldrige website at www.nist.gov/baldrige/products-services/baldrige-excellence-framework. The detailed Criteria questions provide more information as to the intent of some vague Lite questions.
Learn more about the PENW/WSQA Lite Criteria
Step 3. Draft Lite Application
Begin drafting your Lite Application. Responding to the Lite Criteria questions by:
- Describing your processes for doing what the Criteria questions ask
- Describing your processes by addressing each of the 2019-20 Scoring Criteria by which examiners evaluate and score your application
- Providing quantifiable numerical results that show the effectiveness of your processes
- Providing results that address each of the 2019-20 Scoring Criteria by which examiners evaluate and score your application.
Learn more or register for the Lite Application Development Workshop
See our article “Lite Application Development Made Simple”
Click here to see a few Lite Application Drafting Tips
Step 4. Submit Lite Application
Submit your Lite Application to PENW by the date you specified on your Intent to Apply.
According to the PENW website: “Email one electronic copy to AskUs@PerformanceExcellenceNW.org and mail 3 paper copies to Performance Excellence NW PO Box 5941 Kent, WA 98064-5941.” It is best to check the PENW website for the current address as this address sometimes changes.
Evaluators review and score your application and provide feedback on how well your organization is doing what Criteria say you should be doing.
Step 5. Receive Feedback Report
PENW provides you with a Feedback Report and score that indicates how well your organization is doing what Criteria say you should be doing – best practices.
The Feedback Report lists your organization’s strengths relative to the Lite Criteria questions. It also presents your opportunities for improvement (OFIs) relative to the Criteria questions.
Step 6. Improve Performance
Many organizations focus on remedying the OFIs to improve overall organizational performance. Your Feedback Report may have 30-45 OFIs. How do you prioritize which OFIs are really the most important ones to rectify? Refer to the following article for tips to effectively identify and prioritize the OFIs to remedy.