Baldrige Assessments

The Baldrige Criteria

A systems Perspective

These criteria are developed by the Baldrige National Quality Program Office within NIST (the National Institute for Standards and Technology).

Categories and Items

Each of the numbered boxes is referred to as a 'Category', and represents a subsystem of the overall management system. Each category contains two or more 'Items' , as shown below.

1. Leadership

1.1 Senior Leadership
1.2 Governance and Social Responsibilities

2. Strategic Planning

2.1 Strategy Development
2.2 Strategy Deployment

3. Customer and Market Focus

3.1 Customer and Market Knowledge
3.2 Customer Relationships and Satisfaction

4. Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management

4.1 Measurement, Analysis, and Review of Organizational Performance
4.2 Information and Knowledge Management

5. Human Resource Focus

5.1 Work Systems
5.2 Employee Learning and Motivation
5.3 Employee Well-Being and Satisfaction

6. Process Management

6.1 Value Creation Processes
6.2 Support Processes and Operational Planning

7. Business Results

7.1 Product and Service Outcomes
7.2 Customer-Focused Results
7.3 Financial and Market Results
7.4 Human Resource Results
7.5 Organizational Effectiveness Results
7.6 Leadership and Social Responsibility Results

Further Information

The complete criteria is an 84-page document, which is refined and updated every year. It is available in three different versions, for business, health care and education. You can download them here:

2006 Business Criteria for Performance Excellence

2006 Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence

2006 Education Criteria for Performance Excellence

To visit the Baldrige Program website click here…