Understanding Continual, Constant, and Continuous Improvement
While leading a training session on ‘ISO 9001 QMS
Awareness,’ I was explaining the standard’s requirements for continual
improvement when a participant raised a question: “What’s the deal with
‘continual improvement’ in ISO 9001? How does it differ from ‘continuous’ or
‘constant’ improvement?” It’s a great question—and one that comes up often.
These terms are frequently used interchangeably, but they carry distinct
meanings that can shape how we approach progress in quality management and
beyond. Let’s break it down with clarity and a fresh perspective for 2025.
What Do These Terms Really Mean?
Though ‘continual,’ ‘constant,’ and ‘continuous’
improvement all suggest progress over time, they differ in how that progress
unfolds:
Continual Improvement
- Think of this as climbing a staircase. It’s progress made through a series of
steps—each one building on the last—with pauses to assess and adjust. In
practice, it’s the heartbeat of quality management systems like ISO 9001, where
regular audits or reviews spark incremental gains.
Example - A company revises its processes quarterly
based on performance data.
Constant Improvement
- Picture a conveyor belt humming along at a fixed speed. This is steady,
unchanging progress without breaks—reliable but rare in dynamic environments
where adaptability matters.
Example - A machine consistently churning out parts
at the same quality level.
Continuous Improvement
- Imagine water flowing downhill without stopping. This is seamless,
uninterrupted enhancement—an ideal often chased in lean methodologies or
tech-driven fields.
Example - Real-time software updates rolled out to
users without downtime.
Why ISO 9001 QMS Standard Picks ‘Continual’
The ISO 9001 standard—updated to its 2015 version
as of 2025—sticks with ‘continual improvement’ for a reason. Clause 10.3 calls
for organizations to identify opportunities and act on them over time,
reflecting the reality of quality management: progress isn’t a constant stream
but a cycle of planning, doing, checking, and acting (PDCA). W. Edwards Deming,
a pioneer in quality, favored ‘continual’ to capture this broader, step-wise
approach, while ‘continuous’ often implies a narrower, unbroken flow within a
specific process.
Summing It Up: A Quick Comparison
Here’s a snapshot of the differences:
| Term | Definition | Key Trait | Example |
|-----------------------|--------------------------------------|-----------------------|------------------------------|
| Continual Improvement | Step-by-step progress
with pauses | Reflective breaks | Regular process audits |
| Constant Improvement | Steady progress at a fixed pace | Unchanging rhythm | Consistent machine output |
| Continuous Improvement| Uninterrupted, flowing
enhancements | Seamless flow |
Real-time software updates |
Applying These Concepts Now
These distinctions aren’t just academic—they play
out in real-world scenarios:
Continual Improvement - Dominant in management
systems like ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, where organizations review metrics at set
intervals (e.g., monthly or annually) and tweak processes accordingly.
Constant Improvement - Fits controlled settings,
like a production line with fixed output goals, though it struggles to adapt to
sudden shifts.
Continuous Improvement - Shines in tech, where
DevOps teams push live updates to enhance systems without interrupting service.
So, Does the Debate Matter?
In training rooms and boardrooms, you’ll hear
‘continual’ and ‘continuous’ used as if they’re twins. Some argue ‘continual’
encompasses ‘continuous,’ while others see them as equals. For many quality
consultants, the distinction’s a non-issue. I’d argue it’s nice to know the
etymology—‘continual’ for recurring with breaks, ‘continuous’ for unbroken
flow—but it’s not the hill to die on. What matters most? Results. The real win
is fostering an improvement culture—however you label it—and delivering value to
the organization.
Wrapping Up
Whether it’s the deliberate steps of continual
improvement, the steady hum of constant progress, or the relentless flow of
continuous enhancement, the goal is the same: get better. For quality
professionals implementing ISO 9001 QMS or any management system, focus less on
debating terms and more on promoting a mindset of progress. Support it, apply
it, and move forward—because in the end, it’s the outcomes that count.
Best wishes,
Keshav Ram Singhal
