Kaizen
Kaizen is an approach
to creating continuous improvement based on the idea that small, ongoing
positive changes can reap major improvements. Typically, it is based on
cooperation and commitment and stands in contrast to approaches that use
radical changes or top-down edicts to achieve transformation. Kaizen is core
to lean manufacturing, or The Toyota Way. It was developed in the manufacturing sector
to lower defects, eliminate waste, boost productivity, encourage worker purpose
and accountability, and promote innovation. As a broad
concept that carries myriad interpretations, it has been adopted in many other
industries, including healthcare. Kaizen is a compound of two Japanese words that
together translate as "good change" or "improvement," but
Kaizen has come to mean "continuous improvement" through its
association with lean methodology.
Kaizen has its origins in post-World War II
Japanese quality circles. These circles or groups of workers focused on
preventing defects.
Ten
principles of Kaizen
Because executing Kaizen requires
enabling the right mindset throughout the company, 10 principles that address
the Kaizen mindset are commonly referenced as core to the philosophy. They are:
1.
Let go of assumptions.
2.
Be proactive about solving problems.
3.
Don't accept the status quo.
4.
Let go of perfectionism and take an attitude of iterative,
adaptive change.
5.
Look for solutions as you find mistakes.
6.
Create an environment in which everyone feels empowered to
contribute.
7.
Don't accept the obvious issue; instead, ask "why"
five times to get to the root cause.
8.
Cull information and opinions from multiple people.
9.
Use creativity to find low-cost, small improvements.
10.
Never stop improving.
How
Kaizen works
Kaizen is based on the belief
that everything can be improved and nothing is status quo. It also rests on
a Respect
for People principle. Kaizen involves identifying issues and opportunities, creating
solutions and rolling them out -- and then cycling through the process again
for other issues or problems that were inadequately addressed. These following
seven steps create a cycle for continuous improvement and give a systematic
method for executing this process
Other approaches:
A similar cycle of Kaizen is
distilled into four steps -- plan,
do, check, act, or PDCA. It is also known as the Shewhart cycle or Deming
cycle.
Kaizen
5S framework
A 5S framework is a critical
part of the Kaizen system and establishes an ideal physical workplace. The 5Ses
focus on creating visual order, organization, cleanliness and standardization
to improve profitability, efficiency, service and safety. Below are the
original Japanese 5Ses and their common English translations.
·
Seiri/Sort (organize) -- Separate necessary workplace items from
unnecessary ones and remove unnecessary items.
·
Seiton/Set in order (create orderliness) -- Arrange items to
allow for easy access in the way that makes the most sense for work.
·
Seiso/Shine (cleanliness) -- Keep the workspace clean and tidy.
·
Seiketsu/Standardize (standardized cleaning) -- Systematize
workplace cleanup best practices.
·
Shitsuke/Sustain (discipline) -- Keep the effort going.
Comments