Kaizen The Right Way!

Kaizen The Right Way!

Most organizations, after learning lean, sponsor Kaizen events as the way to become a lean enterprise. Although strategically this might be the right approach, the specifics of the “right way” to conduct a Kaizen event need to be examined.

The right, standard, best practice way of conducting an event is:

1. Do the prework: Team Charter, Kaizen Matrix, Event Area Profile, A3 (this normally happens 30 days prior to the scheduled event iteself).

2. Execute the Kaizen Itself:
a) Document Reality
b) ID Wastes
c) Plan Countermeasures (to the wastes)
d) Check Reality
e) Make Changes
f) Measure Results
g) Verify vs. Kaizen Objectives
h) Standardize the Changes
i) Prepare Management Presentatin
j) Make Management Presentation
k) Celebrate Accomplishments

3. Manage Follow-Up Actions
a) 5-Day Over sized Task List
b) 30-Day Over sized Task List

IF all 3 steps are performed correctly, you will have a very successful event.

Often, we find companies doing these just as “drive by Kaizens” or “kamakazi Kaizens”, leaning they just do them for the sake of Kaizen. The “right way” also includes doing them as planned changes to the value stream.

Also, we find many companies compromise the preparation stage of the Kaizen. They do not do a good job of:
a) Identifying a Team Leader
b) Planning ahead of time for the event itself
c) Involving management in the preparation phase
d) Providing the proper resources for the event
e) Making it part of their management job
f) Following through on the 5-day and 30-day Task Lists

So it’s not strange that many companies fail on their Kaizen efforts.