Making Small Improvements Using a Kaizen System

Last week we covered the positive results of using lean tools to reorganize a production area.   The Bizmanualz manual and CD production area achieved a 75% reduction in finished product inventory, a 50% reduction in production time, as well as improved machine capabilities and reduced errors.

Sometimes segments and departments need major reorganization efforts, but obviously it can be counter productive to constantly go around reorganizing departments.  There are also ways to promote improvement that doesn’t involve radical change or reorganization.  Kaizens are one method we use at Bizmanualz to foster an atmosphere of improvement.

Small Improvements Add Up

Kaizen, translated literally, means good change.  Kaizens represent a philosophy whereby organizations, and the individuals within it, undertake small, incremental, continual improvements of all aspects of organizational life.  

A kaizen program encourages employees to spot and implement improvements around the workplace, no matter how small.  Not only does this program put a systematic method in place that implements and communicates employees suggestions for improvements, resulting in a more productive workplace, it also

• Creates an atmosphere were employee suggestions are valued
• Makes employees more vigilant in looking for improvements
• Creates awareness that even small improvements are important
• Provides a system where such improvements are communicated to other employees

Kaizens at Bizmanualz

The kaizen system at Bizmanualz is very simple and straight-forward.  An employee recognizes a positive change or an opportunity for improvement.  They complete a form that describes the change in detail, with a brief description of what was occurring before, the specific improvement, and what occurs now, after the improvement.  Then, the kaizen is announced and explained at the next meeting, and the completed form is posted in an obvious and highly visible place so everyone can see and take note of the improvement. 

The Bizmanualz Kaizen Wall

Another important facet of the Bizmanualz kaizen process is that kaizen goals are set for each employee.  In practical terms, this means that a number of kaizens revolve around very small improvements that do not have drastic impacts.  Setting kaizen goals and even creating a stream of small kaizens, however, helps promote an atmosphere where employees are always looking for things to improve, and it is through this improvement mindset that breakthrough advances can occur.

If It Saves a ½ Second, It’s Worth Improving

At Bizmanualz we have had kaizens that improved the visual workplace, as well as kaizens that keep newer magazines in the lobby.  We have had kaizens that improve customer order forms, purchase order processing, and kaizens that moved coffee cups closer to the coffee pot.  While some might have a more significant impact than others, all kaizens are important because they promote the environment of improvement.

A Purchase Order Kaizen: Information about purchase orders was stored in two different places in two different formats (Word and Excel). This kaizan consolidated the information in one place, along with using Excel features to automatically copy information entered into one place to all other relevant places.

 Remember, when implementing a kaizen system:

• Design improvement into everyone’s job.
• Build a structure to implement ideas
• Celebrate small employee successes 
• No idea is too small

Next week we will talk about using objectives and measurements in our improvement journey.

To learn more about using process improvement programs for your organization, attend the next Implementing Lean Thinking or How to Align a System of People and Processes for Results class. If you are eager to learn more about creating more order out of the chaos you are feeling at work, then the How to Create Well-Defined Processes class is right for you.

ISO 9000 Quality Auditor classes are forming now for Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor. Call for information on having your own private in-house classes today.

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Posted on Monday, August 13th, 2007 under Business Process Improvement

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

Originally published by Bizmanualz, Inc. under the title Making Small Improvements Using a Kaizen System.

This and more articles like this can be found at www.bizmanualz.com. This article may be reprinted freely as long as this resource box is left intact.