Getting to Know about Kaizen Training

Posted by John Robert on February 24th, 2016

If you are at all familiar with Lean management, the term Kaizen is familiar to you as well. Originating with the developers of the Toyota Production System which is at the heart of the Lean methodologies, the Kaizen concept is not only integral to the success of the Lean management; it is one element that sets it apart from other productivity and management systems.

Kaizen, in simplest terms, refers to a system that is constantly improving. More than that, though, in practical terms, it refers to a system where constant incremental improvement is an essential element of the system itself. Not an afterthought or a reaction, but a methodical process of discovering ways to improve the system and implementing the changes required to make it happen.

In many Lean installations, this constant striving for improvement is often placed on the back burner once the main work of the implementation is done. After all, you've changed quite a lot so far. And while it may take a bit of cool down time before you can really look for additional changes to make, Kaizen should not be ignored. Kaizen training is a valuable resource for you when trying to make a truly self improving system.

Enna.com has several courses in among its lean products that can help you to implement this critical but often overlooked element of Lean management. The training videos can also help you get back on track to a fully actuated system.Kaizen videos available include:

• Quick and Easy Kaizen: This video should be a good refresher or even first start in the area of Kaizen. It is a recording of a presentation made by Kaizen expert Norman Bedek outlining how every employee in a company can be, and must be, an agent of change and improvement.
  In addition, Bedek discusses topics like

◦     Saving your company money

◦     How to use the Kaizen Quick and Easy package

◦     How each employee can make positive changes to their work area and even their team or department

◦     Details about the two pillars of the Toyota Production System

• Kaizen Coordination Management: This two part series goes into depth regarding the Lean Committee, a critical and powerful tool for maintaining Kaizen in your company. It specifically outlines the steps required for launching a successful Kaizen event:

◦     Part 1: Kaizen Event Design and Support: This video discusses the formation of the Lean committee which will oversee and manage the Kaizen event. Topics discussed include:

▪     What a Lean committee is and how to choose the managers of the lean committee

▪     Establishing goals and objectives for the event

▪     Communicating key information for the event with the rest of the company

◦     Part 2: Kaizen Event Composition and Management: This video discusses how to create the Lean Committee and what is required for to prepare for a successful Kaizen event, a process that covers months of schedule activities leading up to the actual event itself. Topics discussed include:

▪     What technical support is required

▪     What facility support will be needed

▪     Pre-event discussions

▪     A discussion of how to determine which employees should attend the event.