This course provides students with a set of tools and methodologies to plan and initiate a Problem Solving or Quality Improvement project. The first module presents methods for selecting, scoping and structuring a project before it is even initiated. It also introduces the project classifications of implementation and discovery. The second module describes the A3 problem solving methodology and the tool itself. Further in that same module, the student is shown tools to identify problems in flow, defects, and waste and to discover causes, brainstorm, and prioritize interventions. Module 3 shows a methodology within the implementation class. These methods are designed to overcome emotional and organizational barriers to translating evidence-based interventions into practice. The fourth and last module looks at one more way to approach improvement projects in the discovery class. These tools are specifically for new, out-of-the-box design thinking.
Offered By
About this Course
What you will learn
Describe approaches for selecting and scoping a patient safety or quality improvement project.
Compare and contrast QI/PI approaches: A3 Thinking, Design Thinking, and Translating Research into Practice (TRiP).
Create a project charter or A3 using SMART goals.
Explain the usage of several root cause identification tools in the course of running a project.
Skills you will gain
- Project Management
- Design Thinking
- Quality Improvement
Offered by

Johns Hopkins University
The mission of The Johns Hopkins University is to educate its students and cultivate their capacity for life-long learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Project Selection Strategy and Tools You Can Use
In this module, you will see the process for defining, scoping, selecting and prioritizing improvement initiatives. Further, you will learn necessary team characteristics and organizational support structures.
A3 Thinking
In this module, you will be introduced to the process and format of A3 problem solving. You will learn the key components of an A3 for to define and start an improvement project to maximize your chances of success. Additionally, a set of tools will be covered that are commonly used in the actual improvement project, which will identify underlying process issues and their root causes.
Translating Research Into Practice
This module explains the Translating Research into Practice (TRiP) model. It is a methodology to facilitate the adoption and use of evidence-based therapies. This model itself uses a collaborative knowledge translation model for wider sharing of knowledge into practice.
Design Thinking
In this module, we will cover a process called Design Thinking. It is a human-centered design approach that fosters out-of the-box thinking to create innovative solutions. The process builds the design iteratively in a highly collaborative team approach. The five steps of design thinking will be covered: Learn, Define, Ideate, Protype, and Test.
Reviews
- 5 stars84.09%
- 4 stars9.09%
- 3 stars4.54%
- 2 stars1.51%
- 1 star0.75%
TOP REVIEWS FROM PLANNING A PATIENT SAFETY OR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (PATIENT SAFETY III)
Great course helped me a lot to learn how to start A3 project
Fantastic course content. Marvellous mentors. Very grateful to both mentors and Coursera. I would recommend this course to every health at each level.
The assignment looked easy and simple at first. But when you started working on it and saw how it was being scored, it was way more comprehensive than I thought. Job well done to organising team!
Grate learning opportunity. I have learned how to initiate A3 project and design thinking very clearly. very clear simple videos. Thank you very much
About the Patient Safety Specialization
Preventable patient harms, including medical errors and healthcare-associated complications, are a global public health threat. Moreover, patients frequently do not receive treatments and interventions known to improve their outcomes. These shortcomings typically result not from individual clinicians’ mistakes, but from systemic problems -- communication breakdowns, poor teamwork, and poorly designed care processes, to name a few.

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