Tweet

Kaizen, Kaizen, Kaizen - Why so many?

Written by: Joe Dager

Article Overview: Make sure that your team has the expertise and authority to address these five principles. The purpose of a Kaizen is to dig deep, find water. Don't settle for routine improvements. If you want your creative juices to flow, push yourself to eliminate and make radical improvement of 200% or more. Seek cost reductions of half or more. Go for it!

Kaizen, Kaizen, Kaizen - Why so many?

A shorten definition for Kaizen is continuous improvement and the Kaizen Event is a team based activity that focuses on a continuous improvement. The team is very often a cross-functional team that will be brought together for a short period of time. I think a great way to use Kaizen is for nibbling on the sides and taking off a little at a time. A Kaizen event will allow you to dig deeper.

I use an analogy very often in marketing: It may be easier to dig sideways but you seldom find water that direction or it takes a long time. Digging deeper brings better results. I try to get a customer to focus on their target market. So many times, we believe that trying other markets is the best way to increase sales. However, the most effective way is to search our current customer's need and focus there. A little trick that may be useful is the 5 principles of Lean Thinking:

1. Specify the value of the process.
2. Identify the value stream
3. Allow value to flow without interruptions.
4. Let the client pull value from the process
5. Continuously pursue perfection.

When you review these principles, they can provide a great way to start brainstorming and a great start to your Kaizen Event. They can also serve as a way to determine the team that you may need for the event. Make sure that your team has the expertise and authority to address these five principles. The purpose of a Kaizen is to dig deep, find water. Don't settle for routine improvements. If you want your creative juices to flow, push yourself to eliminate and make radical improvement of 200% or more. Seek cost reductions of half or more. Go for it!

Related Articles
  Kaizen
  Kyaizen An Old New Quality Concept
  The Basics in Lean Manufacturing Tools
  MAKING QUALITY PAY-OFF BIG!
  Lesson #3: When we see something that could be done better, we do it

Article Tags: creative juices, improvements, kaizen, radical improvement



Related Forum Posts


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Stay Employed In A Down Economy

The Importance of Master Data Management (MDM)

Selling with Humor (and a Sorry Butt)

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.