Service improvement
Rowan Ellis
Improving a service one small change at a time
A concrete example of mapping a process, finding where people get stuck and testing a clearer first step.
Northbridge · 18 June 2026
Professional Practice
Conference 2026
Practical examples, useful evidence and time to compare approaches with colleagues.
Illustrative conference scene · AI-generated
Thursday 18 June 202609:45–15:00 · Registration from 09:15
Northbridge Conference CentreRoom 3 · Northbridge
Plan your visitAbout the conference
A one-day conference for colleagues who support service improvement, operations and professional practice.
The day brings practical examples together with discussion of the evidence behind them. Compare approaches, examine a small change in an everyday process and identify an idea you could test in your own work.
Morning sessions focus on service improvement and working with evidence. Table discussions, parallel examples and a closing panel give participants time to consider what those ideas mean for their teams.
Speakers
Evidence in everyday work
Morgan Lee
Working with evidence from everyday operations
How questions, waiting times, feedback and staff observations can inform a decision when their context is understood.
Welcome and final reflections
Priya Shah
Welcome and orientation
Introducing the day’s programme and bringing the conference together through final reflections and feedback.
Programme
Thursday 18 June · Programme from the event materials
Registration and coffee
Events team
Foyer
Registration and coffee
Events team
Session details
Sign in at the registration desk. Staff will direct you to Room 3 and the refreshment area.
Welcome and orientation
Priya Shah
Room 3
Welcome and orientation
Priya Shah
Session details
An introduction to the day: practical examples, discussion, feedback and next steps.
Improving a service one small change at a time
Rowan Ellis
Room 3
Improving a service one small change at a time
Rowan Ellis
Session details
Follow a service team’s response to repeated questions. Map the process, find the point where people become stuck and test a clearer first step. The speaker brief allocates 25 minutes, including questions.
Working with evidence from everyday operations
Morgan Lee
Room 3
Working with evidence from everyday operations
Morgan Lee
Session details
Examine questions, completion or waiting times, feedback forms and staff notes. Check what was counted, when it was counted and what is missing before deciding what to test. The speaker brief allocates 25 minutes, including questions.
Table discussion
Facilitated discussion
Room 3
Table discussion
Facilitated discussion
Session details
What small change could make an everyday process easier to understand? What would you need to know before acting on a pattern in your data? What should a team record so a decision remains understandable later?
Lunch
Events team
Foyer
Lunch
Events team
Session details
Lunch and a chance to continue conversations with colleagues.
Parallel examples
Various contributors
Rooms 2 and 3
Parallel examples
Various contributors
Session details
Consider two practical examples: clarifying a service’s first step to reduce repeated questions, and using feedback to identify an unclear label. Discuss which is closest to a problem in your own work.
Closing panel
Contributors to be confirmed
Room 3
Closing panel
Contributors to be confirmed
Session details
What makes a small improvement worth testing? How do teams keep useful evidence connected to everyday work?
Final reflections and feedback
Priya Shah
Room 3
Final reflections and feedback
Priya Shah
Session details
Identify one idea you want to explore and complete the conference feedback form. The day closes at 15:00.
Closing panel contributors and final room allocation are still to be confirmed.
Plan your visit
Northbridge Conference Centre
Room 3, 14 Example Street, Northbridge, NB1 2CD.
Arrival and registration
Registration opens in the foyer at 09:15. Bring your registration confirmation and check the programme before travelling. The conference runs from 09:45 to 15:00.
Access and quiet space
Step-free access is available from the main entrance. A quiet room is planned and can be requested; the final route to it and the contact arrangements still need confirmation. Tell the events team about any access requirements before travelling.
Room arrangements
Morning sessions use cabaret-style tables for discussion. The afternoon panel uses theatre-style seating. Parallel examples are listed in Rooms 2 and 3, with final room allocation still to be confirmed.
Early response summary · 18 June 2026
What people said
Early responses describe practical examples and useful opportunities to compare approaches. They also suggest giving more time to questions and making the parallel-session choices clearer.
Examples connected to everyday work
Early comments describe the practical examples as relatable to the work people do.
Space to compare approaches
Responses mention the value of comparing different ways of working.
More time for discussion
Some responses ask for longer discussions and more opportunities to ask questions.
Clearer session choices
Early comments describe difficulty choosing between the parallel sessions.
This summary reflects the first collection of approximately 50 paper responses. Later feedback and transcription checks are not yet included. Comments are summarised rather than quoted.
Practical information
Presentation materials
Whether the presentation slides will be shared after the conference is still to be confirmed. The events team will provide an update when that decision has been made.
Feedback and follow-up
The conference feedback deadline is 25 June. The events team will review responses and prepare a short summary, with follow-up actions considered before another event is planned.
Before travelling
Bring your registration confirmation, check the programme and tell the events team about access or dietary requirements. Final contact arrangements should be checked in your joining information.