|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe to Our Newsletter &
Get Loads of FREE Lean Content!
|
- Home
- Lean Training System
- Products & Services
- Lean Information
- Key Lean Terms
- About Velaction
|
|
Be Flexible in Your Kaizen Project |
|
The success of a kaizen project is closely correlated to its proper, thorough planning. But there is also a need to avoid going into a kaizen project with pre-conceived notions of specific changes.
Those two opposing factors can create a situation where a team starts diving into a kaizen project and realizes that there is a better option to get bigger gains. For example, a team may be doing a kaizen project on the collections process, and realize that their time would be used more effectively working on the methods of doing credit checks. Or they may discover that the goals were set too aggressively, or maybe not aggressively enough.
Be Flexible in Your Kaizen Project
In these cases, the team leader needs to exhibit some flexibility. The planning process is imperfect. It makes sense that when several people start diving into the details of an operation process and turning over all the rocks hiding the hidden processes, they may uncover an opportunity that the team leader did not identify while doing the kaizen charter. Those instances call for some flexibility on the part of the team leader.
When making changes, the team leader should weigh several factors.
- Is the team capable of doing the adjusted kaizen project?
- Are there any pitfalls to adjusting the scope or boundaries?
- Does the revised kaizen project require any additional resources or coordination?
- Are there already plans to improve the other process?
This list is far from complete. It is intended only to give an idea of the types of things to consider.
But I do have one word of warning. Make sure that big changes to a kaizen project are the exception rather than the rule. If every project has some major changes, it is a signal that there is a flaw in the kaizen planning process.
So, what do you do to avoid problems in kaizen planning? I’d love it if you’d share your tips and tricks for getting kaizen project planning done right the first time.
Share Your Thoughts |2 comments|
© 2009-2012 by Velaction Continuous Improvement, LLC. All rights reserved.
Other Information You May Be Interested In...
- Kaizen Planning and Chartering Training Module Regardless of the size of your kaizen project, the foundation for success is laid during the project planning phase. Included in this class is selecting a kaizen project, planning,...
- Kaizen Planning and Chartering Student Guide Learn more about our Kaizen Planning and Chartering Student Guide. This student guide is part of our Lean Training System. Pages: 5 Regular Price: $7.99 ...
- Kaizen Planning & Chartering Lean Training on PowerPoint The foundation of any Lean project is laid during the kaizen planning phase, which closely parallels the 'Define' step of Six Sigma's DMAIC. This class covers key training on...
- Kaizen Process Training Module Group Essentially, the kaizen process is simply a problem solving methodology. Whether the improvement is an on the spot daily improvement, or a more formal week long kaizen blitz event (or...
- Blitz, Kaizen A blitz is an intensive project, typically a week long, with focused gains in mind. The term kaizen or kaizen event are sometimes used interchangeably with blitz. Kaizen, in a...
- An Overlooked Benefit of Kaizen Events Everybody sees kaizen events as an opportunity to make an improvement. Most people also see them as an opportunity to train teams. But few regard them as a way to...
Login
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Register to get access to great user only content...
A Downloadable Lean Reference Guide
*Hundreds of Pages*
*Customizable*
Lean Forms and Tools
*25 Free Forms*
User Updates
*New Content Updates*
*User-only specials*
Checking Your Lean Progress
(5/23/2012, 9:10 AM-10:00 AM PDT)
 |
PowerPoint Presentations From $8.99 |
 |
DVDs of Narrated PowerPoint Presentations From $24.99 |
 |
Lean Tutorials From $8.95 |
 |
Lego Exercises From $69.00 |
 |
Improvement Forms FREE |
 |
Webinars FREE and Up |
| Download FREE Lean Training Now! |
|
|
|
NOTE: You will receive a confirmation email with a link that you'll have to click to activate your subscription. Once complete, you'll have access to your free downloads. We promise never to sell, rent, trade, or share your email with any other organization! |
Learn more about what's going on in the Lean community, and right here at Velaction. Plus, check out our special offers.
[...] Be Flexible in Your Kaizen Project dal blog Gotta Go Lean di Jeff Hajek: Cosa fate quando a metà progetto scoprite fatti non considerati all’inizio che lo capovolgono completamente? (traduzione automatica) [...]
I think what is important to note here, Jeff, is the importance of roles in the Kaizen process. You have the management sponsor who it the high level champion of the cause. The lean champion to infuse best practices and teach countermeasures. The team leader who owns the content and outcome. Facilitator who owns the process of interactions during event. Then you have process owners and subject matter experts. This balance you speak of between planning and getting the job done is achieved when the team leader and the facilitator are different people forcing negotation.