Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Assessment
You should use this file to complete your Assessment.
The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a USB
drive
Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly
When youve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference
Then, go to www.vision2learn.com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My
Study area make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and
Assessment number.

Please note that this Assessment document has 11 pages and is made up of 4
Sections.
Name:

Section 1: Continuous improvement techniques [LO1]

This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 1: Know about continuous
improvement techniques (Kaizen).
Learning objective
1.1 Identify the main Kaizen principles and their application

Place in Assessment
Question 1, Page 1
Question 2, Page 2,3,4,5

1. What are the four main Kaizen principles? Identify each one below. [1.1]

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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
2. Read the case study below.
Case study
A toaster manufacturer, Spring Morning, is experiencing a decline in profits as a result of
the struggling economy. The business cant control the economy but they can look at their
own operations and attempt to be as responsible and as lean as possible to prepare for an
uncertain future.
Read the bullet points below to learn more about how Spring Morning operates:

Spring Morning has been an active business for 4 years and has continued to
manufacture its toasters in the same way, using the same raw materials.
Many staff have left the company during this time, citing their main reason for leaving
as feeling undervalued by management.
Another issue amongst staff is the lack of training being made available.
Equally, the management has issues with staff. Certain teams within the business are
showing a poor attitude to work.
One team in particular are causing problems for management due to their refusal to
work flexible working hours. Many people have been at the company since it was
created and are stubbornly refusing to change their shift patterns.
The management is also experiencing difficulties with younger members of staff who
have messy work stations and are lacking professionalism in the workplace as a
result of this.
The office secretary continually takes long breaks.
The business has introduced one noticeable change despite its apparent reliance on
traditional methods. This year, the company have started using their production
plants to create car exhausts, with new production teams entering toaster production
plants.
An important issue to be addressed is the over production of toasters. In the
struggling economy statistics suggest that the toaster market is shrinking rather than
growing at the current time.

Table
Complete the table below to show how Kaizen techniques can make Spring Morning a
leaner company. Use the bullet points listed below to help structure your answer. In your
answer you should consider:

How Kaizen techniques could be applied to different parts of the business

The setting of defined goals
Identifying problems in the work area
Types of waste
How Kaizen techniques would benefit the business. [1.1]

What problems
are identifiable
in the work
area?

Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved.

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Identify types of
waste within the
company.

How could
Kaizen
techniques be

Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved.

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
applied to
different parts of
the business?

What goals
should be set to
make the
business
leaner?

How could
Kaizen

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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
techniques
benefit the
business?

Now that you have completed Section 1 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.

Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved.

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Section 2: Principles and techniques of workplace organisation [LO2]

This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 2: Understand the principles and
techniques of workplace organisation.
Learning objective

Place in Assessment

2.1 Explain areas of weakness in workplace organisation

and suggest improvements

Question 1, Page 6

1. Using the table below, explain possible areas of weakness in the workplace outlined
in the scenario and suggest any improvements that could be made. Your answer
should reference each of the 5S or 5C improvements areas. [2.1]
Scenario
In the last 12 months Patna Publishing, a local publishing company, has experienced rapid
growth. However, as they are still based out of their original office, such growth has brought
with it a number of issues. To support the companys expansion they have had to take on 15
new members of staff but space issues have meant that teams are often split up or scattered
across the office. Also, new computer equipment has been purchased for all new members
of staff which has caused software incompatibility issues with the older computers used by
current employees. The office itself lacks a dedicated stationary and storage cupboard which
means items of stationery, along with order and invoice forms, are stored haphazardly in
different cupboards and boxes are scattered all over the place. Finally, in the past little effort
has been made to train employees about desk organisation and cleanliness, meaning many
work stations are dusty and cluttered with old paperwork.

5S/5C improvement areas

Areas of weakness

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Suggestions for improvement

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Now that you have completed Section 2 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.

Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved.

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Section 3: Use visual indicators to improve the work environment [LO3]

This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 3: Be able to use visual indicators
to improve the work environment.
Learning objective
3.1 Identify elements that contribute to good visual
management in the workplace
3.2 Prepare appropriate visual indicators

Place in Assessment
Question 1, Page 8
Question 2, Page 8, 9

1. Identify elements that contribute to good visual management for each of the
following stages. [3.1]
Preparing to implement visual management techniques (VMT)

Implementing VMTs

Utilising VMTs

2. Prepare appropriate visual indicators for one of the scenarios below. Complete the
table below explaining how you would go about doing this. Your answer should
include which materials could be used, examples of possible visual indicators and
why your chosen visual indicators are appropriate. [3.2]

Scenario A
Workers in the canteen of a large office building must carry out hygiene checks three times a
day once in the morning, once at lunch and once in the afternoon. To ensure this is done
properly, staff are looking to implement a visual system that clearly displays to others
whether these checks have been carried out or not.

Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved.

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Scenario B
In the print room of an office, there is a wide selection of different paper sizes available that
run out at different times. To help the office manager know when to order more paper of a
specific size it has been decided that there will be a new VMT introduced so that they can
tell at-a-glance when paper is about to run out.

Scenario C
New recycling bins have been implemented at a local supermarket however the visual
displays have proved unclear and confusing to customers, causing waste to be placed in the
incorrect bin. As a result, new visual indicators are being developed that are clearer and
easier to follow.

Scenario:
Which materials could be
used

Examples of possible visual

indicators

Why chosen visual

indicators are appropriate

Now that you have completed Section 3 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.

Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved.

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Section 4: Eliminate variance from processes in the workplace [LO4]

This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 4: Know ways to eliminate variance
from processes in the workplace.
Learning objective
4.1 Describe the benefits of standard working methods

Place in Assessment
Question 1, Page 10

4.2 Prepare a standardised work document suggesting how

to eliminate variance to process

Question 2, Page 10, 11

1. Describe the benefits of standard working methods. [4.1]

2. Using the table below, prepare a standardised work document that suggests ways to
eliminate variance for a chosen process where you work. Alternatively, choose one of
the following processes: [4.2]
-

Safe preparation of food at a fast food restaurant

Operating a supply lift in a supermarket
Locking up an office for the weekend

Your standardised work document should include factors such as:

-

Types of material used

Description of the process (inputs/outputs)
How work flows
Layout of the area
People involved
Kind of actions that occur
Time taken
Any tools used.

Work process document

Name:
Work process:
Step no.

Step

Tools used

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Notes

Time

10

Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques

Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques

Total

Now that you have completed Section 4 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.

Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved.

11