LEAN Continuous Improvement
Kaizen
Kaizen – a Japanese term, meaning to break apart or change (kai) for the better
(zen). It is a philosophy, methodology and tool for analyzing, understanding and
improving processes. It is a tool in the Lean toolbox aimed to reduce waste,
increase efficiency, save money and increase customer satisfaction.
Kaizen event – team/staff members meet, map the current process, identify inefficiencies and
build a new process that is far simpler, faster, better and less costly. The typical Kaizen event
will span five steps as team members focus on the overhaul of a core work process; the
compressed time frame ensures continuity and efficiency. Kaizen events typically include the
following activities:
 Training
 Defining the problem/goals
 Documenting the current state
 Brainstorming and developing the future state
 Implementation
 Developing a follow-up plan
 Presenting results
 Celebrating successes
Step 1
Learning
Learn Kaizen
methodology
Step 2
Discovery
Finish mapping
current process
Begin mapping
current process
Develop ideas
for improvement
Kaizen Event
Step 3
Improvement
Design new
process
Step 4
Implementation
Review and refine changes
Step 5
Results
Present results
and changes
Calculate
measureable
impact
Develop
implementation
plans
Schedule followups
The Kaizen team typically involves 10+ members, including staff who works the process,
managers or supervisors of the process, customers or other stakeholders and possibly an
outsider with no knowledge of the process to offer a fresh perspective.
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LEAN Continuous Improvement
Kaizen
Kaizen Event Timeline
(1) What to do BEFORE a Kaizen event:
 Present and overview of Lean and Kaizen to management
 Conduct a pre-scope to review potential issues, core processes and
improvement opportunities
 Meet with management in a scoping session
 Collect and analyze baseline data
 Conduct customer satisfaction survey
 Conduct “voice of the customer” focus group
(2) What to do DURING a Kaizen event:
 Present analysis of current process data
 Present results of customer satisfaction survey
 Provide just-in-time training on Lean principles and tools
 Identify and document all steps in the current process
 Analyze current process to uncover value-added steps and non-valueadded steps
 Identify, rate and reach consensus on best ideas for improvement
 Create and reach consensus on new ideal process steps
 Use various Lean tools as needed to increase speed and reduce waste
throughout the process
 Create and implementation plan for the new process, with action
registers for communication, training, IT involvement, etc.
 Develop a scorecard/dashboard of meaningful measures to track
implementation progress
 Guide preparation of report-out presentation to deliver to leadership
(3) What happens AFTER a Kaizen event:
 Craft a summary of the event and communicate to all stakeholders
 Conduct follow-up meetings to review progress
 Conduct a second customer satisfaction survey 6-9 months after the
event to identify progress
 Recognize successful teams
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LEAN Continuous Improvement
Kaizen
Kaizen Event Setup Checklist
A. Project Selection – Pick a process that:
□ 1. Is mostly under your control.
□ 2. Has an impact on the lives of your customers.
□ 3. Addresses some “shared pain” across your organization.
□ 4. Is repetitive.
□ 5. Has other “kaizen compatible” characteristics such as:
□ a. Relates to key business issues
□ b. High visibility
□ c. Leadership is receptive – has managerial consensus on importance
□ d. Crosses functional and department boundaries
□ e. Cooperation between stakeholders is highly probable
□ f. Can serve as an example for other products or processes
□ g. Is a definable process – has multiple steps and clear start and stop points
□ h. Process not currently being changed
□ i. Process not part of another process improvement project
□ j. Not a process currently in review
B. Participant Selection
□ 1. Representative of each area that deals with the process (15 people max)
□ a. Staff (associates) – people doing the work
□ b. Middle managers
□ c. Leadership – for opening and report out
□ 2. Facilitator
□ 3. Participant from a previous Kaizen event
□ 4. Potential participant for future Kaizen event
□ 5. Outside organization, external expert (process or Lean knowledge)
□ 6. Missing participants to cover the broad stakeholder group
C. Leadership Support – Leader “to-do’s”
□ 1. Show interest – attend events, respond to emails, notice changes
□ 2. Ask questions – have team members explain their thinking and actions. Learn about
Lean through your teams
□ 3. Challenge proposed changes – the normal criteria of logic, good judgment and cost
effectiveness still apply
□ 4. Provide sincere praise for results, as well as the process and progress
□ 5. Ask for more improvements – this shows respect for the efforts already made
□ 6. Beware of backsliding – how will improvements be maintained
□ 7. How will improvements be measured?
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LEAN Continuous Improvement
Kaizen
□ 8. Support logistics –
□ a. Send out initial communication “call to action”
□ b. Confirm dates and schedule
□ c. Secure space
□ d. Schedule and pay for meals
□ e. Arrange for Kaizen facilitator fee
D. Pre-Kaizen Event Process Data – provide/collect the following types of “real” (non-anecdotal)
data before the Kaizen event. Pick a few easy numbers to get.
□ Time:
□ How many days/hours/minutes does the whole process take?
□ How long is a well-measured part of the process?
□ How many transactions are in process at any point in time?
□ How many transactions are completed every day/hour/minute?
□ How many process steps are there?
□ Are transactions completed individually or in batches?
□ How big is a batch?
□ Quality:
□ What are typical errors that are made in the process? How frequent?
□ How often does rework occur?
□ Is the process repeatable?
□ Do standards exist?
Cost:
□
□ How many people “touch” the transaction?
□ How many departments touch the transaction?
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