Kaizen Event (Rapid Improvement)

Filed under: Kaizen, LeanSep 6th, 2009 | no responses

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KAIZEN improvement is a workshop that’ll enable you to effectively plan for, prepare for, execute, and follow-up on any Kaizen Event in your business enterprise.  Kaizen literally means to “take apart & make better”.  Kaizen Events are the vehicle for doing this.   Kaizen Events should always be implemented in the context of a Value Stream and under the direction of a Value Stream Leader.   Kaizen Events are always to be done by a team of people, typically 6-10, who are empowered to make all changes necessary to achieve the Kaizen Event Objectives.

Kaizens are appropriate for the production shop floor, the office, or R+D, Sales, Marketing, etc…..ANY business process that needs rapid improvement.  We have conducted successful Kaizens in manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, warehouses, and entire business processes from RFQs to Accounts Receivable.

A typcial Kaizen Event will start with the prework 30 days prior to the Event itself (Team Leader ID’d, Team Charter, Target Matrix), then followed by the “main event” itself with these 10 steps:

1.  Document Reality

2.  ID Waste

3.  Plan Countermeasures

4.  Reality Check

5.  Make all Changes

6.  Measure Results

7.  Verify vs. Kaizen Event Objectives

8.  Standardize (make the changes the new standard)

9.  Prepare Final Presentation (document & practice)

10. Make Final Presentation to Management (and celebrate accomplishments).

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define Kai-Zen
  2. Understand the 3 main phases of a Kaizen Event
  3. Learn what’s required in the Planning/Preparation Phase (prior to the Event)
  4. Learn what’s required in the Execution Phase (The Main Event itself)
  5. Learn what’s required in the Follow-Up Phase (first 30 days after the Event)
  6. Plan for an actual Kaizen Event
  7. Conduct a Kaizen Event
  8. See how Kaizen Events fit into your Hoshin Plan
  9. Understand the barriers to Kaizen and Attitudes that get in the way of Kaizen.
  10. Appreciate the power of Kaizen in your Value Streams.

Duration: 1-5 days (depending on the scope/scale of the Kaizen Event itself)

JCM Work Designs/The Lean Sigma Team can design and conduct this workshop to meet your specific needs.  Please contact us for a formal proposal.



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