Kaizen

Lean Manufacturing Series

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Disclaimer and Approved Use

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Current contact information can be found at: GembaAcademy.com

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Contents
1. Introduction
2. Background and History
3. Components and Implementation
a. How to Kaizen
b. The Kaizen Blitz
c. Roadblocks

4. Knowledge Check

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Introduction
Kaizen is a process of continuous incremental
improvement.
The kaizen blitz is a five-day continuous
improvement activity focused on a very specific
process.

2013 Gemba Academy LLC. All rights reserved.

Background and History

Kaizen (Kyzen)

Kai means change

zen means good (for the better)
Gradual, orderly, and continuous improvement
Ongoing improvement involving everyone

Modern Kaizen is based on the principles of the Toyota

Production System (TPS).
TPS is a system used in repetitive manufacturing, but
the philosophy can be applied to all operations.
Companies in the United States began to use the term
following the publication of Kaizen by Masaaki Imai in
1985.
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Components and Implementation

Selecting Projects
Setting Goals
The Team and Team Leader
Support and Infrastructure
The Kaizen Blitz
Potential Roadblocks
Kaizen Steps

Set the scene

Observe the current process
Develop the future state process
Implement the new process
Report and Analyze

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Selecting Kaizen Projects

Desirable criteria for initial projects

Unambiguously measurable
Management enthusiasm
A clear business need
Highly visible process
Fairly easy project
Strong environment for follow-up
Simple process
Stable and repeatable process
Allows contribution by all employees not a technical exercise
Self-contained process

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Selecting Kaizen Projects

What to avoid with initial projects

Out of control processes

Unreliable equipment
Incapable equipment
Interdependent processes
Improvement is not seen as necessary
A process that may soon be obsolete

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Types of Projects
Productivity improvements
Typical goal: improve productivity by 30%

Changeover or setup time improvements

Typical goal: reduce setup time by 90%

One piece flow

Typical goal: reduce inventory by 50%

Pull system projects

Can be difficult as initial projects get experience first!

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Setting Goals
Goals from previous slide may seem high, but:
Set goals high
To challenge the team to think out of the box
Try radically different approaches

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The Team
3 to 10 people
From across all levels and functions impacted by the
project
Include experts if they have open minds
Include people with prior kaizen experience
Include outsiders from unrelated functions to obtain
different points of view
Dumb questions often stimulate innovative thinking

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The Team Leader

Leader is not supervisor
Preferably has experience with the kaizen process
Should be biased toward change and open-minded

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Support and Infrastructure

Eliminate interruptions for team members

No cell phones
No visitors
Dedicated conference room
Eat together

Supplies
Flip charts
White board
Snacks

Management support
Team members have full support of management
Responsibilities are covered to eliminate interruptions

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Conference Room or Gemba?

Important to go to the gemba
Gemba: where the process actually occurs

Kaizen can happen right on the factory floor or

information can be gathered at the process
Conference room can be used for analysis and
discussion
Dont be afraid of going back to the gemba to challenge
and test ideas

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Kaizen Blitz
Total focus on a defined process to create radical
improvement in a short period of time
Dramatic improvements in productivity, quality,
delivery, lead-time, set-up time, space utilization,
work in process, workplace organization
Typically five days (one week) long

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Kaizen Blitz Rules

Be open to change
Stay positive
Speak out if you disagree
See waste as an opportunity
No blame environment
Treat others as you want to be treated
Ask the silly questions, challenge the givens
Creativity before capital
Understand the data and principles
Just do it!

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Potential Roadblocks

Too busy to study it

A good idea but the timing is premature
Not in the budget
Theory is different from practice
Isnt there something else for you to do?
Doesnt match corporate policy
Its not improvement its common sense
I know the result even if we dont do it
Fear of accountability
Isnt there an even better way?

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Kaizen Blitz - Agenda

Day 1: Setting the scene
Meet the team, training

Day 2: Observe the current process

Flowchart, identify waste, identify root causes

Day 3: Develop the future state process

Brainstorm and flowchart (typically the longest day!)

Day 4: Implement the new process

Plan, communicate, implement, modify

Day 5: Report and analyze

Performance vs expectations

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Setting the Scene

Identify the customer
Define the project scope
Write a concise statement that expresses the scope, boundaries,
and expectations of the project
Agree it is reasonable within the timeframe allotted

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Identify the Customer

Value added is always determined from the customers
perspective.
Who is the customer?
Every process should be focused on adding value to the
customer.
Anything that does not add value is waste.
Some non-valued added activity is necessary waste
(NVA-R)
Regulatory
Legal

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Observe the Current Process

Crucial first step in process improvement
Deep understanding of the existing processes and
dependencies
Identify all the activities currently involved in
developing a new product
Observe the process first hand
Flowchart the process
Take measurements time, yield, travel distance
Identify Value Added (VA), Non-Value Added Required
(NVA-R), and Non-Value Added (NVA)
Generally creates more questions than answers
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Types of Waste

Overproduction
Excess inventory
Defects
Non-value added processing
Waiting
Underutilized people
Excess motion
Transportation

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Flowchart

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Identify VA, NVA-R, and NVA

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Identify Root Causes

Flow Charts
Cause and Effect Diagrams
Check Sheets
Histograms
Pareto Charts
Scatter Diagram
Control Charts

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Develop the Future State

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Brainstorm and Analyze

Kaizen team brainstorming to develop new process
Post improvement ideas on map or by category

Workflow
Technology
People / Organization
Procedures

Develop detailed future state map

New workflow
Value Add and Non-Value Add
Cycle times
Identify Kaizen bursts (immediate radical change)

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Implement the New Process

Plan

What specific changes need to occur

In what sequence
Resources needed get commitment
Impact on existing activities and functions
Responsibilities

Communicate
Who, what, when

Implement
Execute the plan

Modify

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Implement the New Process

Think global / systems optimization

Maximum impact to process
Speed of implementation create small victories
Cost-benefit analysis

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Implementation Plan
Will new skill sets be required, and how to achieve
them?
Is the current organization structure sufficient?
Are there cultural issues?
Is there potential for push back?
Any implications for suppliers?
Implications for customers?
Implications for team members?
Do current technologies support the new process? Are
they available and cost justifiable?
Technology is an enabler, not a solution.
Does the reward system support the new process?
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Execute
Develop a concise, achievable milestone plan
Communicate the plan to everyone
Suppliers
Team members
Customers

Track activities in public

Celebrate small victories and publicly analyze failures

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Check and Sustain

Meet regularly (weekly?) to review status of open
implementation items
Re-evaluate Future State regularly (quarterly?) for
additional improvement
Track results on a public Kaizen Board

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Typical Results
40 60% reduction of lead time
10 15% productivity improvement
10 20% reduction in rework
Improved communication between functions and
departments
Clearly defined customer needs throughout the value
stream
Improved customer satisfaction

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33

Knowledge Check

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Kaizen is a process of continuous incremental

improvement.

oA) True
oB) False

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35

What are some desirable criteria for initial

kaizen projects? (Mark all that apply)
1. Unambiguously measurable
2. Management enthusiasm
3. A clear business need
4. Stable and repeatable
process
5. Self-contained process

2013 Gemba Academy LLC. All rights reserved.

36

What should you avoid with initial kaizen

projects? (Mark all that apply)
1. Out of control processes
2. Unreliable equipment
3. Incapable equipment
4. A process that may soon
be obsolete
5. Simple process

2013 Gemba Academy LLC. All rights reserved.

37

What are some types of kaizen projects?

(Mark all

that apply)

1. Productivity
improvements
2. Changeover or setup
time improvements
3. Pull system projects
4. One piece flow

2013 Gemba Academy LLC. All rights reserved.

38

What are some kaizen blitz rules?

(Mark all that apply)

1. Be open to change
2. Speak out if you disagree
3. Don't ask silly questions
4. Understand the data and
principles
5. Treat others as you want
to be treated

2013 Gemba Academy LLC. All rights reserved.

39

What are some potential roadblocks to kaizen?

(Mark all that apply)

1. A good idea but the

timing is premature
2. Theory is different from
practice
3. Not our business let
someone else analyze it
4. Not in the budget

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Match the kaizen step with the appropriate

description by dragging the description to the
step.
Kaizen Step

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

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Description
A. Implement the new
process
B. Setting the scene
C. Report and analyze
D. Observe the current
process
E. Develop the future
state process

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Who should be on a kaizen team?

(Mark all that apply)

1. People from across all

levels and functions
impacted by the project
2. Experts if they have
open minds
3. People with prior kaizen
experience
4. Outsiders from
unrelated functions to
obtain different points
of view

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42

What are the typical results of a kaizen blitz?

(Mark all that apply)

1. 40 60% reduction of
lead time
2. 10 15% productivity
improvement
3. 10 20% reduction in
rework
4. Improved
communication between
functions and
departments

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Congratulations!!!
You have completed the course.
Visit Superfactory (www.superfactory.com) for more
information on manufacturing excellence.

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