Lean - Kaizen Events

Lean: Kaizen Events

Making IMMEDIATE improvements through ACTION over analysis.

  • Focused on improving the value stream and achieving flow
  • Driven to resolving a specific problem or a specific goal
  • Focused on a specific area or process (either plant or office)
The Key Concepts

What is a Kaizen Event?

A Kaizen event is a focused effort used to “make a leap” A multi-functional team is formed and for a 3-5 day period they focus on resolving a problem.

What will the team do?

  1. Identify problems & areas of waste
  2. Ask Why?, Why?, Why?, Why?, Why?, Why?
  3. Figure out ways to fix the problem or eliminate the waste
  4. Implement solutions

4 Basic Steps

  1. Describe the opportunity
  2. Form & Train the Team
  3. Set Goals / Collect baseline data
  4. Take immediate action – No recommendations! – Just do it.

Measure Result & Sustain

  • Document the results against the event objectives using the target sheet
  • Did the waste get eliminated?
  • Will the improvements contribute to the annual Goals?
  • Next Kaizen Event

These May Help!

Kaizen Events
Kaizen Forms

You will need Adobe Reader to view the above Form document

Get Adobe Reader