Kaizen Concepts

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Kaizen Concepts

Kaizen Concepts​

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, the participant should be able to:

  • Define Kaizen and its basic principles

  • Explain why Kaizen is an effective approach

  • Plan and prepare for a Kaizen event

  • Conduct a Kaizen event

  • Complete Kaizen follow up activities

What Is Kaizen?

A Japanese word meaning incremental continuous improvement which

involves cross-functional teams working together.  To better understand

Kaizen, consider these three steps:

  • Education – You can read about Kaizen

  • Training – You can also be taught Kaizen

  • Experience – But you really learn by doing Kaizen

Kaizen Principles…# 1-5

1.Get rid of old assumptions

2.Look for ways to make things happen

3.Say “No” to  status quo

4.Don’t worry about being perfect – Start now

5.It does not cost money to do Kaizen

A Kaizen event is a great opportunity to test some of those ideas you’ve been too busy to try

Kaizen Principles…# 6-10

6.If something is wrong, fix it on the spot

7.Good ideas come when the going gets toughest

8.Ask “Why” 5 times to get to the root cause

9.Look for wisdom from ten people rather than one

10.Never stop doing Kaizen

Whether real or imagined, we need to have a sense of urgency about continuous improvement.

Why Kaizen Works

  • We break down long established paradigms

  • We focus on improving quality, delivery and cost

  • We introduce employees to the benefits of the Lean Enterprise culture

  • We create a positive attitude towards change and success

  • We deliver useful, measurable results

  • And we accomplish it in a short time period

General Expectations – Kaizen Workshop

  • An event on the floor or in the office

  • Observe with your own eyes

  • Identify and eliminate waste

  • Take action to improve a process or product

  • Focus on results – Not talk!

-20% learning – 80% doing

Kaizen Process

  • Map things “as they are” using Value Stream Mapping

  • Measure current performance

  • Eliminate what does not add value

  • Flow Value-Added activities

  • Brainstorm and implement improvements

  • Train employees in new process

  • Test changes

  • Measure again

  • Put in controls to sustain gains

  • Present and celebrate the accomplishments!

Four Phases Of A Kaizen Event

Kaizen Events And Workplace Organization

Event Elements

Kaizen Project Selection Criteria
Getting Started – Desirable Characteristics

  • Clear and measurable outputs

  • Have management support

  • Satisfies a business need

  • Highly visible process or location

  • Availability of resources

  • A simple, easy to understand process

  • A stable repeatable process

  • A self contained process

  • An easy project – confidence builder

  • A process highlighting the workers’ contributions

Kaizen Project Selection Criteria – Undesirable

  • Out of control processes

  • Unreliable equipment

  • A machine or process that is not capable

  • An unnecessary improvement

  • Any project that immediate improvement can’t be completed due to technical or budgetary reasons

  • A process highly dependent on outside influences

  • Focuses on spending capital to make improvements

Pre-Kaizen Event Activities

  • Before the workshop

-Choose target area for event

-Develop Charter

  • Scope and boundaries

  • Definition of deliverables

-Select cross-functional team members

-Assist with logistics/resource issues

  • Eliminate roadblocks to success

-Engage the workers in dialogue about Lean Six Sigma

-Help them identify,  “What’s in it for us?”

Selecting Kaizen Participants

  • Select people who do the work in the targeted area with

-Process knowledge

-Specific skills in area or related areas

Note:  Should be people who will own the process after the event

  • Leaders

  • Influential skeptics

  • Supervisors, managers, and technical experts

  • Stakeholders impacted by the Kaizen results

Management And Employee Education

  • Educating management to understand Kaizen process is vital

  • Educating employees in the Kaizen process will assist in getting the workshop off to a running start

There’s no such thing as over communicating If we don’t tell them what’s going on, they will come to their own conclusions.

Phase 1: Evaluation

  • Opportunity

-Products and flow

-Processes

-Equipment

-Workplace organization

  • Readiness

-Need for rapid improvement

-Enthusiasm/Spirit

-Culture

  • Decision to continue

Phase 2: Planning And Preparation

  • Boundaries

-Are any areas or processes off limits?

  • Objectives

-Remember:  Small steps are better

  • Management education and expectations

  • Data collection

-Critical for monitoring success

  • Detailed plan for success

Master Checklist

  • The Master Checklist is a reliable method to schedule logistics and tasks for the Kaizen event

  • It is separated into time-oriented tasks

  • Going through the checklist will help ensure success

-See example:  Kaizen_Master_Checklist.xls

Creating The Kaizen Agenda

  • Every Kaizen may have a unique agenda

-Typical formats include 3 – 7 day events
(duration depends on the complexity of the Kaizen)

  • Focusing the agenda will increase the success level of the Kaizen

    (be sure to allow plenty of time for improvement activities)

  • Core team members should sign off on the agenda

Typical Kaizen 5 Day Event

  • Monday

-Vision, expectations and charter review

-Lean education and situation analysis (education can also be mixed in throughout the Kaizen where appropriate)

-Identify implementation teams and give assignments

-Daily report out
(Event Leader, Facilitator and appropriate management only)

  • Tuesday through Thursday

-Morning and after lunch updates (15 minutes)

-Use improvement methods, implement improvements
(simulate if necessary)

-Daily report outs (same attendees as Monday)

  • Friday

-Implement

-Check results, final report out, and celebration

Phase 3: Conducting The Event

  • Make sure the expectations are clear

  • Maintain the “spirit” of Kaizen

  • Assign teams according to process and technical knowledge

  • Keep management and other interested parties informed of progress

    during daily report outs

  • Solve issues and remove roadblocks as quickly as possible

  • Most important, take advantage of the momentum and improve the

    process during the event (quick and crude is better than slow and elegant)

Take no action and nothing will happen.

Typical Kaizen Tools

  • Value Stream Map

  • Spaghetti Chart

  • Process Maps

  • Pareto Charts

  • Fishbone Diagrams

  • Standard Work Sheets

  • FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis)

  • Takt Time

  • Load Charts

  • Waste identification tools

  • VA/NVA analysis (could be Value Stream Map)

  • Brainstorming

  • 5S – Workplace organization

Daily Report Outs

  • Tell what happened during the day (overall)

  • Inform management of the day’s progress (specific)

-What was accomplished

-Where the team needs help (support from other areas, discussion with uncooperative team member, etc.)

  • Actions/Homework for tonight

  • Plan for tomorrow

  • Identify additional training (if needed)

Final Report Out

  • Tell the story of the workshop

  • Inform the audience of the week’s events

  • What the team(s) set out to accomplish

-What was accomplished

-Follow-up actions required to make the improvements hold

  • Key learning points

Phase 4 – Kaizen Follow Up

  • It’s an ongoing process

-Hold the gains and keep moving forward

-Establish regular progress reviews

  • Critical to continued success

  • Will facilitate expansion of principles and ideas into other areas

-Management must be engaged and lead follow-up activity

Key Learning Points

Objectives Review

The participant should now be able to:

  • Define Kaizen and its basic principles

  • Explain why Kaizen is an effective approach

  • Plan and prepare for a Kaizen event

  • Conduct a Kaizen event

  • Complete Kaizen follow up activities

References

1.Standard, C. and D. Davis. Running Today’s Factory: A Proven Strategy for Lean Manufacturing.  Cincinnati, OH.: Hanser Gardner Publications, 1999.

2.Laraia, A., P.E. Moody, and R.W. Hall. The Kaizen Blitz: Accelerating Breakthroughs in Productivity and Performance.  Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.

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