CourseWiki/Lean and Quality/Continuous Improvement

Kaizen and Standard Work

Use small measured experiments to improve work and preserve what the team learns.

Improve a specific problem with the people doing the work

Kaizen means continuous improvement. Start with an observed problem and a small change whose effect can be checked. Invite the people performing the task to explain what makes it difficult.

For example, repeated searching for a shared measuring tool may suggest a labeled location. Measure search time and check whether the location also works for the next user. This is an illustrative experiment, not a promised productivity gain.

Use Plan–Do–Check–Act to learn from a change

Plan: define the problem, measure the starting condition and predict the effect of a proposed change.
Do: try an authorized change on a manageable scale and record what happens.
Check: compare results with the prediction, including quality and unintended effects.
Act: adopt and document an improvement, revise an uncertain idea or undo an unsuccessful change; begin the next cycle.

Plan leads to Do, then Check, then Act, with a return arrow to Plan for the next improvement cycle.

A useful result may be that the idea did not help. Keep that evidence rather than declaring success because something changed.

Use standard work as a baseline that can improve; Checklist

Use standard work as a baseline that can improve

Standard work records the current agreed method so people can repeat it and recognize departures. State the sequence, relevant timing, checks and materials needed. In repetitive production, standardized work also relates the sequence and required in-process stock to the pace of customer demand.

When an improvement is demonstrated, update the method and help everyone learn it. Do not bypass safety requirements or change controlled specifications as an informal experiment.

Record the problem and starting measure.
Describe one change and the expected result.
Test within applicable authorization and safety requirements.
Compare results and effects on other people or steps.
Update the agreed method if the evidence supports the change.

Use 5S Workplace Organization for workplace organization and Eight Wastes: TIMWOODS to name problems.

Appears in

DET 130 DET Lean Thinking and Improvement