Kaizen - Continuous Improvement

Kaizen


What is Kaizen

 - Kaizen comes from two Japanese words: Kai (improvement) and Zen (good), which translates to “continuous improvement”.

 - Kaizen is an approach to activity organization based on common sense, self-discipline, order and economy.

 - Kaizen refers to any activities that continually improve all business functions or processes and involves every employee from the CEO to the assembly line workers.

 - By improving standardized processes and programs, kaizen aims to eliminate waste.

Kaizen - Continuous Improvement


Kaizen Process

The continuous cycle of Kaizen activity has six steps:

1. Identify a problem or opportunity

2. Analyze the process

3. Develop an optimal solution

4. Implement the solution

5. Study the results and adjust

6. Standardize the solution

Why to Implement Kaizen

 - Teams take responsibility for their work and are able to make improvements to enhance their own working experience.

 - Kaizen is about creating an atmosphere of teamwork and change, where new ideas are encouraged which increase employee satisfaction.

 - Kaizen improvements enhanced the quality of services. It helps businesses implement, new process improvements, boost efficiency and enhance time management.

 - Kaizen minimize accidents and other related injuries.

 - Kaizen reduces wastes in business processes.

Who does kaizen?

History of Kaizen

 - Kaizen first surfaced during the effort to rebuild Japan after World War II. At the time, several U.S. business consultants collaborated with Japanese companies to improve manufacturing. The collaboration resulted in the development of several new management techniques, one of which was Kaizen.

 - In 1986 Masaaki Imai (Japanese organizational theorist and management consultant) introduced to the Western world the Japanese term Kaizen and made it famous through his book "Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success'. Again in 1997 Imai introduced an evolved form of Kaizen in his book Gemba Kaizen.


Kaizen Elements

1) Teamwork

2) Personal Discipline

3) Improved morale

4) Quality

5) Improvement suggestions

Kaizen elements

Principles of Kaizen

 - Consider the process and results.

 - The need to look at the entire process of the job at hand and to evaluate the job so as to find the best way to get it done.

 - Kaizen must be approached in as such a way  that no one is blamed.

 - If something goes wrong, correct it.

 - Accept, no excuse and make things happen.

 - Before making decision ask "why" five times to get the root cause.

 - Empower every employee to take part in problem solving.

 - Improvement has no limits so never stop trying to improve.

 - Get information and opinion from multiple people.


Kaizen Umbrella

 - Kaizen is now used mostly as an umbrella term that encompasses several core values and philosophies.

 - All these elements under umbrella focus on quality control, inventory management, orientation/training, discipline, product optimization, standardization, and cooperation, the key principle behind a kaizen remains continuous cyclical improvement.

 - Using elements listed under the umbrella, companies can systematically improve processes, reduce waste, and identify cost savings. These will ultimately strengthen current advantages while eliminating weaknesses, creating a better managed and maintained business.

Kaizen umbrella

5W and 1H of Kaizen

 - The goal of kaizen is production without waste by improving standardized activities and processes. 

 - There are 80% loss in every process and the value of the process is less than 20%.

5W and 1H of kaizen

Categories of Kaizen

 - Different Kaizen categories are Productivity, Quality, Safety, Cost optimization, Morale, Delivery and Environment.
categories of kaizen

What is Kaizen Eyes?

 - Kaizen eyes see opportunities to improve. These eyes are a skill that can be developed through technique and practice.

 - To develop kaizen eyes

 1. Put yourself in someone else's role.

 2. Visit different places.

 3. take pictures.

 4. draw value stream map.

 5. Check the process.

 6. Audit the standard work.

 7. generate logic puzzles.


Standard Steps in Kaizen

 1) Select the theme.

 2) Plan the schedule.

 3) Grasp the present situation.

 4) Establish the target.

 5) Analyze the cause and identify corrective action.

 6) Implement corrective action

 7) Evaluate the result

 8) Standardize and follow-up.


Difference between Kaizen and Innovation

difference of kaizen and innovation

1 Comments

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  1. Thank you for sharing vital information.

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