Why do many improvement projects give only marginal results?

The standard ways to:
– identify the needed actions, 
– focus the improvements, 
are NOT adequate. 

We usually start with a list of gaps between the current situation and the desired situation. 

The gaps are then quantified. 
Items at the top of the list are taken as the targets for improvement.

This approach leads, at best, to marginal improvements. 

We make an erroneous assumption that the gaps are not interdependent. 

If we understand the interdependencies, we realise the gaps are effects of a deeper cause. 

We call these effects which we don’t like as Symptoms or undesirable effects (UDEs).

Trying to deal with these symptoms does NOT lead to the recognition of what actions should be taken. 
Actually, it leads to many actions that should not be taken.