What is Kaizen event? What are its main steps? Learn the easiest way of performing it on joiner job example. đ
This article covers:
- Kaizen – main idea behind
- Kaizen event main steps
- Event Main steps dowload
- Kaizen event example
- Kaizen definition
Hot news, folks. In order to help you as much as I can in your improvement efforts, I have launched non-binding consultation program. I would like to help you with:
- Lean culture implementation in your organization
- Six Sigma projects consultations
- Lean Six Sigma trainings and certifications support
- Project management theory turn into practical usage
- Your career planning
First 30 minutes of consultation for free, every additional 1 hour 10 USD.
Kaizen – main idea behind
Usually we work in our processes. We perform our daily routine. Kaizen is about stepping outside of this routine. Main idea behind Kaizen is, to encourage all people in organization to work on processes they are part of.
See the difference? âWorking IN the processâ, comparing to âWorking ON the processâ.
erik from six sigma mania
It can be short activity, where person alone, or near colleagues have some pain and are trying to eliminate it.
It can be also larger activity between departments, colleagues, suppliers and so on. Larger group of people are put together to address difficult challenge.
Improvements are made by wastes and redundancies identification and their elimination.
What is Operational Definition in project management?-read here
Kaizen event main steps
- Identify opportunities, pains to be solved,
- Assemble Kaizen team
- Understand current process
- Understand reason why problem occurs,
- Set target change,
- Work on improvements to reach targeted change,
- Sustain changes.
- Celebrate.

And link to download Kaizen event main steps. Use it, share it.
.
I do videos, blog posts, and all templates for free, in my free time. I will appreciate if you can donate me a cup of cofee, for more energy in my creation. (1 dollar counts, too đ Click on this link: I would like to support Erik in his effort
Kaizen steps in detail
- Opportunity identification: Usual method is Gemba walk. But it can be process monitoring tool like control chart, or process owner, that points out pain to be improved.
- Kaizen team: Selected project leader can choose team members. Team must be part of improved process or close to that process. If you have one person, without experiences with that process, is great too. Can be thinking out of the box and propose things, others can not see. Subject metter experts like maintenace, IT, HR does not need to be part the team. Reach them only when neede.
- Current state mapping: To be able to improve something current state, the problematic state, must be understood. It is important to not jump into solutions, when root cause is not known. Start with SIPOC, develop process map or value stream map afterwards.
- Reveal reasons: Fish bone analysis, 5Why method, Run chart, Pareto chart, Value added vs. non-value added activities identification, Histogram, Brainstorming and many other tools can be used to reveal reasons of failing process.
- Future state: Map your ideal, the future state process. It is about how new process would be great to behave. I usually use process map to do so. By knowing future state, you can identify tasks to reach it. Ask “what must be done to come as close as we can to desired state?”
- Work on tasks: Tuck up your sleeves, it is time to start improving. Make sure work is equally distributed between team members to not overload somebody.
- Sustain changes: Make sure, you did everything possible to sustain changes. That instructions are updated, peopl trained about changes, required metrics developed to monitor process and so on.
- Celebrate: It was a hard work. Safety was improved, process velocity changed, money saved. If it was time consuming activity, get together and enjoy some food, or meet on lovely place to relax and have a good times. It is so important for building great teams. Sponsor should be one who invites.
Non-Value added activities in the office identification? – read here
5 Lean principles check list download
5 Lean principles check list – is a great list of activities to incorporate lean thinking and culture in your organization. Download and distribute it in your team. Train, and demand it to embed lean. Your processes will run smoother. This is what you will get: (preview)

Kaizen event example
Letâs have joiners shop producing wooden chairs.
There is clearly defined process of making chairs. But there is something happening in âChair frame stick togetherâ step.
There are two joiners, Peter and John, working together in this process. They work is to assemble chair pieces and stick them together using glue. Both, Peter and John, has realized, that by expanding production by new products very often happens, that there are mixed details for different chairs. This creates reworks and time spent by searching right detail. Required overtimes to make work done, has pushed them to do something about it.
It was identified, there are two processes, where this mixing happens by performing Gemba walk. At cutting and at milling. The goal was obvious. How to set deliveries from these process steps without mixing parts.
Majority of the time is a commonsense usage, that drives changes.
erik from six sigma mania
Team: Machinists Jack and Jim joined Peter and John in their improvement effort. Joins milling is equal for all components. So, different components are mixed, to make delivery between cutting and milling simple. Jack and Jim has not realized, this might complicate work on next processes.
Improvement starts: Team created 3 special areas for 3 different chair type components at assemlby. They have separated components by length and width. Joiners will take all required details and move them to their area. Assembly will be much easier and faster.
Special transport boxes were created for each component type. it is easy to transport and handle. There is chair type identified on each box. And these boxes fit to special chair area at assembly. Mixing of components is decreased to minimum.
This change affected all production positively. There are 15% less reworks as it used to be. Lead time has decreased from 22 to 15 days. There were set up minimum and maximum levels of components at assembly. Detail is under minimum, triggers production on previous processes. That helps with production scheduling.
Celebration of sucess is important: Joiners shop owner was so happy with these changes. He invited whole team to the restaurant for celebration.
I do videos, blog posts, and all templates for free, in my free time. I will appreciate if you can donate me a cup of cofee, for more energy in my creation. (1 dollar counts, too đ Click on this link: I would like to support Erik in his effort
How to become the best Project Manager? – read here
I strongly recommend to have Learning to See book and Mixed model Valuestream for all managers, for all supervisors, engineers and leaders. You will be able to understand how valuestream should work, how to make value flow, and implement lean in any business, any process. It is really worth it.

If you would like to buy “Learning to see” book by Mike Rother click on this affiliate marketing link: https://amzn.to/3nrgHsJ
f you would like to buy “Creating Mixed Model VS” book by Kevin J Duggan click on this affiliate marketing link: https://amzn.to/3ZteKta
I may receive a commission if you sign up through this link. This is not affecting final product pric
Kaizen defintion
Kaizen translated as âchange for betterâ became a philosophy and lifestyle for many companies. But also for persons. Important for working concept is strong support from top management and spread through organization.
Do not be afraid to learn Kaizen. Do not be scared of heavy statistics, or using a lot of mathematics. 95% of the time I do not use it, at all. I do not like statistics. I do not like collecting data. Yes, there is a measure and analyze. But it only sounds terrible.
Do not forget to visit and subscribe my YouTube channel. I am uploading Six Sigma, Lean and Project oriented videos regurarly. So, stay tuned.
Yours sincerely Erik.