Kaizen Approach

A key element of the Toyota Production System (TPS) is kaizen. Although literally translated to simply mean ‘improvement’, in a lean context, the Japanese word has come to symbolize a somewhat bolder concept.

Kaizen is a team based approach towards implementing process changes in small increments. Its goal is to identify waste by forcing production problems to surface so that they become visible for everyone to see. Once identified, such problems are solved with worker consensus.

While this sounds simple and straightforward, from an execution point of view, it requires great effort from both workers and managers to become comfortable with this new work method. It requires workers to lead change efforts themselves with engineers and managers fulfilling a team member role. Also, action is taken immediately on the shop floor without hours of analysis.

Since changes are small in scope, individual mistakes can be easily corrected. However, since they are made in rapid succession, results are evident in days.

It can be said that kaizen is the bedrock of a successful lean transformation. By following a kaizen mindset, the production system gets stronger as trust at all levels grows.

Kaizen Rules

To ensure that the kaizen mindset is being followed and that every individual's creativity is being fully utilized, the following three rules are commonly prescribed:

1. Spend no money

2. Add no people

3. Add no space

In practice, results will be just the opposite; kaizen will reduce costs, space requirements and cycle time.  Of course, since it is continuous, as soon as one set of problems are solved, new problems surface which must be overcome.  By going through this process, the production system becomes stronger and stronger.

Typical Results of Kaizen

1. 65% reduction in work-in-process

2. 50% reduction is manufacturing space

3. 45% improvement in throughput time (lead-time)