Conducting Successful
Kaizen Events
Enterprise Lean
Cristine Leavitt
November 12, 2013
Learning Objective
• Learn the steps
and tips for
planning and
conducting a
successful Kaizen
event.
Page 2
Agenda
• What is a Kaizen event?
• Planning the event
• Holding the event and
implementing changes
• Monitoring results
• Sustaining standard
work and ensuring
continuous
improvement
Plan
Act
DO
Check
Page 3
What is a Kaizen Event?
Lean
Transformation
Strategy
Leadership
Performance Measures
Training
Project Portfolio
7 Wastes 5S
Kaizen
Standard Word
Increasing Organizational Value
• A 3-5 day facilitated event that engages a team to
remove “waste” from a process.
Planning Phase
Select
Project
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Meetings
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
Select the project (define the business issue)
Define project scope
Set goals & complete a project charter
Define and prepare the team
Schedule meetings
Collect information and data
Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!
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1. Select the Project
Select
Project
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Meetings
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
Consider the following criteria:
• Alignment
• Impact
• Need
• Willingness
• Ability
6
Improvement Project Types
7
Defining Project Type
8
Project Selection Tips
• Clear start and end points (can be described
as a process)
• Easily identifiable internal and external
customers
• Improvement can be measured
• Start with quick wins before tackling larger
projects
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2. Scope the Project
Select
Project
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Meetings
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
• Define what is IN scope
– What is the first step of the process?
– What is the last step?
• Define what is OUT of scope
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Scoping Tips
• How big is too big? (rule of thumb; if there are
10 or more functions, reduce the scope)
• Adjust the scope if you do not have the current
state process documented by mid-morning of
Day 2
• Use a SIPOC diagram
Supplier
Inputs
Process
Outputs Customer
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3. Set Goals & Complete a Project
Charter
Select
Project
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Meetings
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
• Establish SMART goals (time,
defects, FPY)
• Set the bar high! (50%
reduction in lead time)
• Goals should be clear, and
easy to communicate
• Goals should be set by the
project sponsor
• Complete a project charter
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A3 – Project Charter
13
4. Define and Prepare the Team
Select
Project
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Meetings
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
Team Roles:
1. Sponsor
2. Team leader
3. Facilitator
4. Team members
Commitment is needed from everyone!
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Sponsor Responsibilities
• Create or ratify project scope and goals
• Select the team leader, facilitator, and team
members (often with team leader)
• Invite team members and communicate project to
key stakeholders – transparency is key!
• Kickoff the event with words of support
• Stay involved with the team and attend check-in
meetings at the end of each day
• Attend final presentation and recognize team
• Ensure improvements are implemented and
sustained
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Team Leader Responsibilities
• Assist on scope, goals, and defining team
members
• Gather process information and data
• Schedule kickoff and event meetings and
venues
• Help the facilitator with team member
involvement
• Lead check-in meetings
• Coordinate implementation of action plan
• Trouble shoot and bring issues to sponsor’s
attention
• Monitor progress and performance
• Ensure standard work is followed and
sustained and results achieved
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Facilitator Responsibilities
• Help the sponsor and team leader define and
prepare for the kaizen event
• Facilitate the event
• Train on Lean principles and tools
• Work with the team to provide deliverables
• Support implementation and sustainment
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Team Member Responsibilities
• Knowledge and expertise on the current
process (may also want a person from outside
of the process to provide a fresh perspective)
• Use data to understand and solve problems
• Ability and willingness to participate – are
they open to change or a CAVE dweller?
• Create and abide by team ground rules
• Develop project deliverables (future state
process, action plan, report out presentation)
• Implement action plan and sustain
improvements
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5. Schedule Meetings
Select
Project
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Meetings
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
• Reserve rooms and peoples schedules 4-6 weeks
prior to the event (including Kick-off meeting)
• Event venue criteria:
–
–
–
–
Isolated - quiet for work and not disturbing others
Lots of available wall space
Technology for training
Provides access to process materials and resources
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6. Collect Information and Data
Select
Project
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Event
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
Team leader collects process data:
• Volumes (# processed per month, year)
• Current metrics relevant to the process (time,
first pass yield, rework, customer satisfaction)
• Forms/databases used in the process
• Defects – External, re-work
• Customer needs and requirements (CTQ)
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7. Hold Kick-Off Meeting
Select
Project
Define
Scope
Set
Goals
Engage
Team
Schedule
Event
Collect
Info.
Hold
Kickoff
Purpose: Get everyone on the same page
• Sponsor Kickoff (business issue and anticipated
customer and staff benefits)
• Review project charter & roles and
responsibilities
• Answer questions
• Sign Project Commitment
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Communicate!
• Identify key audiences for the
project and what they may need
or want to know and how best to
deliver the information
– Eg: Let leaders and staff know that
you are engaging a team to
recommend changes to improving
the process; share the process goal
and timeline; who is involved, and
who they may contact with
questions, concerns and advice.
Communicate before, during and after the event
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Planning Advice
• Use a project charter and sign charter
• Do not use a kaizen event to address employee performance
issues
• Include someone from outside the process on the team
• Clarify team member time commitment before, during & after
• Educate/coach sponsors to manage their expectations
• Solicit input from staff and stakeholders upfront
• Provide an avenue to report concerns, questions, and
improvement ideas before, during and after the project
• Publicize the project – it shouldn’t be a secret!
• Provide sponsor check-ins to obtain guidance and avoid zingers!
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Event & Implementation Phase
1. Map and characterize the current state process
2. Observe the process (e.g. strengths and
weaknesses/wastes)
3. Brainstorm improvements
4. Map and characterize the future state process
5. Create an action plan
6. Set performance measures
7. Share results with stakeholders
8. Implement the action plan
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1. Map & Characterize the Current
State Process
People
(job
functions)
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2. Observe the Process
Strengths
• Where does the process
work well?
• What are value-added
steps?
Weaknesses (OFI)
• Where are the 7 wastes?
1. Overproduction
2. Waiting
3. Transportation
4. Extra processing
5. Inventory
6. Motion
7. Defects
* Underused creativity!
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3. Brainstorm Improvements
• List lots of ideas (big, bold ideas - no cost ideas)
• Rank and prioritize ideas
• Select ideas to include in future state process
High Impact / Low $
High Impact / High $
Low Impact / Low $
Low Impact / High $
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4. Map & Characterize the Future State
Process
Current State
Quantity
Time
Future State
Quantity
Tasks
Waits
Handoffs
File/Store
Decisions
Totals
% Change = (Current hours – Future hours)/Current hours) x 100
• [ ] % reduction in lead time
• [ ] % reduction in task time
Time
5. Create an Action Plan
What
Who
When
Status
1.
2.
3.
4.
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6. Set Performance Measures
• If you do not have performance measures, create
performance measures during the event.
• Track performance on a regular basis to see
whether you are achieving expected performance
levels.
• Use both qualitative and quantitative measures
(critical 2-4 measures).
• Use visual measures to quickly communicate
progress, enhance standard work, and facilitate
issue identification and resolution.
• Typical measures: Lead time, FPY, # errors/defects
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7. Share Results with Stakeholders
• Hold a report out presentation where team
members present project goals and
recommended changes to key stakeholders
• Ask questions
• Celebrate!
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8. Implement the Action Plan
• Include in your action plan how and when you
will monitor performance.
• Have a strategy for identifying and resolving
issues, including resistance
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Event and Implementation Advice
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Create & enforce team ground rules
Provide just-in-time training
Reduce the project scope - if you need to
Prioritize ideas based on impact & ease of
implementation ($)
Provide snacks and have fun during the event!
Make the action plan accessible and easy to change
and name the person who will complete each task
Expect and plan for challenges
Hold yourself and others accountable
Reward and recognize people for bringing up issues
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Monitoring Phase
• 30, 60, & 90-day status meetings with sponsor
• Validate whether changes achieved project
goals
• Document future state process
• Manage resistance
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Monitoring Advice
• Hold weekly or daily action plan status meetings
• The sponsor should assure that the action plan is
being implemented
• If the team runs into resistance that has stalled their
efforts the sponsor needs to get involved – go to the
Gemba (See, Ask, Lean, Show Respect)
• Monitor the demeanor of staff – are they energized
or disheartened?
• Focus action plan discussions on yellow and red
status tasks
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Continuous Improvement Phase
• Adopt, adapt, or abandon the approach.
• Document the future process and centrally
store process maps – transfer process
sustainment to process owner
• Include in the action plan how and when you
will review the process.
• At least annually revisit the process to assess
opportunities for improvement (OFIs).
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Continuous Improvement Advice
• Sustaining improvement is often the most
difficult part – make sure people do not slip
back to the “old way of doing things”
• Expect to improve a process multiple times (35 times) to remove wastes and get closer to
the “Ideal”
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Kaizen Event Results
Kaizen Event
Results
SSB: Assistive &
Reduced technology evaluation assessment from 70 to 19 days
(73% time reduction), 66% reduction in forms, standardized report
forms, developed standard definitions, and enhanced supervisor
ability to track progress and troubleshoot.
Adaptive
Technology Kaizen
Event
TAA Projects:
1) Customer
Application Kaizen,
2) Purchase &
Payment Redesign
UI: Customer
Service Center
Kaizen (General
Mills & DEED)
UI: Phone Agent
Problem Solving
Project (General
Mills & DEED)
• Kaizen: reduced application process from 83 to 39 days (53%).
• Redesign: reduced purchase/payment from 72 to 38 days (47%).
• Reorganized customer caseloads, formalized internal
discussions on unusual customer cases, improved
policy development process, improved training process.
Eliminated duplicate requests for status updates from the
Customer Service Center staff and resulted in reducing status
updates from 25 days to 1 day (96% time reduction)
Fishbone analysis: 50% reduction in supervisor time spent bringing
additional agents on line (saved 2500 hours per year).
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For More Information
• Enterprise Lean
‒ Dept. of Administration, State of Minnesota
‒ MN.gov/Lean | Lean@state.mn.us
• Mary Jo Caldwell |Director of Enterprise Lean
‒ Office: 651.201.2560 |
Mary.Jo.Caldwell@state.mn.us
• Cristine Leavitt | Lean Expert
‒ Office: 651.201.2567 |
Cristine.Leavitt@state.mn.us
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