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Continual Improvement or Continuous Improvement?
Posted by Don Reed
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In essence, according to my dictionary, the terms are interchangeable. I have heard some explanations that continuous implies not interrupted while continual implies prolonged succession.  Merriam-Webster on-line makes that distinction as well, using the example of showers over the weekend. Continuous showers means the rain will never stop. Continual showers means that the rain will start and stop regularly over the weekend.
So continual seems to be the term that is most appropriate when it comes to organization’s improving. Improvement typically happens in spurts or stops and starts; improvement doesn’t constantly happen without interruption.
More importantly, however, continual is the appropriate term for organizations employing the ISO 9001 QMS. The ISO 9001 Standard always uses the term “continual improvement,” so that is the term I have come into the habit of using just to be consistent with the language in the standard.
It is interesting, though, that continual improvement has the more appropriate implication and is used in the ISO 9001 Standard, yet continuous improvement has become the more frequently used term.
Now you know why I prefer continual improvement. Which do you use? Should we continue to use them interchangeably, or recognize the subtle differences?
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March 24th, 2009 at 8:22 am
Quite simply, those of us who love linguistics will always differentiate, and we will recognize others who are like us when we come upon them. The rest of the world will use continuous, as it is easier to pronounce.
March 27th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
An interesting take on it; thanks for the comment. But I am somewhat unsure, however, that just being easier to pronounce explains the much more frequent use of continuous over continual. But perhaps it is that simple.