LEAN/Kaizen concept

Lean Manufacturing and Kaizen

Most processes, physical - like a production process - or administrative - like a purchase or project process, can be much more efficiently performed. The more efficient the process becomes, the less resources are consumed to get the requested output. A lean process only consumes a minimum of resources beside what is adding a substantial value to the output.
We talk about "added value" and "waste".

Added value is the category of resources such as labour, material, machining etc that results in a higher value of the product or service that is produced - that the customer is willing to pay more for it.
It is not the same as added cost but added cost is often called "added value" regardless whether the added cost actually increase the value or not.

When using resources that does not increase the value, it is waste.

It is as simple as that and by holding on to that definition one will automatically start to reflect upon a lot of activities that previously was considered completely natural.
The very introduction of the waste/added value view is a small but important first step to become lean.

The Kaizen philosophy and it's waste elimination concept is a powerful way of completing that journey.

One explanation of the word Kaizen is that it consists of two Japanese words, "Kai" and "Zen". "To break apart and investigate" and "to improve upon the current situation", which very good describes the basic ideas and approach.

There are some common elements in most Kaizen concepts, no matter what trademark they come by:

	Education, training and coaching in Kaizen work for operators rather than doing it for them
	Structured documentation of the current situation
	An analysis focusing on the waste
	Improvement ideas
	Quick practical idea test or simulation
	Implementation and improvement documentation

Education, training and coaching
There are three groups that need three different levels of education when introducing Lean and Kaizen:

Group one includes all persons in the company or the part that is focused. The education is a basic orientation about the philosophy and the purpose is to create a common understanding about the ideas and what activities that can be expected in the areas where the method is applied. This common understanding will reduce the need for the persons actively involved in Kaizen implementation to explain and get acceptance from people not yet directly involved.

Group two includes the persons involved in the processes currently focused. They need understanding and training in the practical procedures to document, analyse and improve the process.

Group three is a small group that shall become internal consultants and Kaizen facilitators. They need education also on how to manage a Kaizen project and skill training in facilitating such projects and workshops.

onTrack management also provide such education and training.