2 min read To achieve success with Kaizen – the Japanese philosophy of change for the better – it’s beneficial to adopt some of the tools in the continuous improvement toolbox. Kaizen Newspaper A kaizen newspaper is a document that lists current ideas, problems, solutions, and responsible parties. The newspaper is usually in spreadsheet or chart format and it is posted so everyone can see it. The document also indicates which phase of the PDCA cycle an idea …
2 min read Lean manufacturing aims to eliminate wastes and improve productivity, primarily by operating on a pull system known as just-in-time (JIT) production. The JIT method is opposite to push systems on the spectrum of supply chain management and can often be the barrier for a company going Lean. In a push system, production is scheduled to meet the forecasted rate of demand. Also known as mass production, the push method has been around for centuries and …
5 min read Implement Kaizen Continuous Improvement in 5 Steps or Less Kaizen, the Japanese term underlying the concept of “continuous improvement,” continues to dominate work flow theory and the training that improvement professionals receive when they look for ways to bring their charges ‘to the next level’. Of course, the traditional tools and teachings of Kaizen are time-proven and ultimately brilliant in their own right, but there are undoubtedly other factors that can influence the effectiveness of …
3 min read SDCA (Standardize, Do, Check, and Act) with LEAN principles. The SDCA cycle is simply a refinement of the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, and Act) cycle. The goal of both processes is to stabilize production. Many companies use this process to improve their product or service. Here is what your company may want to know about this process. 1. LEAN Marketing with SDCA Marketing cycles can be improved with iterative processes. Customer value is most often …
3 min read What is Jishuken? For those that work in a Lean inspired organization, the term “kaizen” is one of the more popular terms heard when someone talks about improvement. Kaizen though, is more of a philosophy than an actual activity. Jishuken however, is an actual activity within the kaizen philosophy that is driven by management and involves identifying specific areas in need of continuous improvement. An easy way to think of jishuken is to think of …
3 min read When a large manufacturing plant in Iowa decided to implement Kaizen into their facilities they had plenty of questions and hurdles to overcome. The organization, which produces agricultural and construction-related equipment saw the continuous improvement process known as Kaizen as a means to improve business. The process for them didn’t come easy and creating a sustainable process became a challenge, but a Kaizen story like any story, is always good to review. The following information …
3 min read Not Your Average Safety Calendar I recently stumbled upon the Kaizen Safety Cross and found the concept to be an efficient and creative way to regulate your workplace safety program. There’s never a bad time to talk about safety in the workplace. As our habits harden into our molds, we often overlook the little things we do everyday that could be a threat to our safety and others. However, unlike other facets of our business …
2 min read Have you been thinking of trying your hand at a kaizen event? If so, take the time to do it right. Kaizen can be extremely beneficial and yield surprising results when done with passion. Many people assume that kaizen events need to be planned right down to every last detail, in fact some kaizen events even feature the use of special T-shirts embellished with motivational kaizen lingo to boost employee morale. This is all fine …
4 min read To Blitz, Or Not To Blitz First, let’s establish an agreement regarding some of the terminology we will be using in the following article. To begin with, for all intents and purposes, we need to agree that Kaizen and continuous improvement are essentially the same thing, and while the name originates from the Japanese language and it has many different meanings, we use continuous improvement as the term best suited for our discussion. A well …
2 min read Kaizen Lean Supplies First, we will establish that Kaizen is a daily activity where the purpose goes beyond easy productivity improvements. It is also a process that, when done correctly, cultivates the workplace into an arena of peace, efficiency and of less waste. Kaizen, a two part Japanese word meaning “change” and “good”, is also not a static word but one that denotes action and movement. Because most of us are not normally taught or …
