Execute after the Kaizen Event

People hold Kaizen events to move a particular problem along quickly. As I had mentioned in a previous post, I had mentioned the importance of having a good project management scheme intact to accelerate the implementation and/or execution. However, what makes certain types of companies good at implementation or for that matter, even certain individuals? Read More …

A Kaizen Event is one of the most popular ways to rapidly improve a process and make the gains stick. Or is it?

If you are the facilitator of the Kaizen event you do your pre-event planning, you get the right people there, and the event goes off without a hitch. Good ideas were given, documented and ready to be enacted now it is time to close out the meeting and yes, pass the baton. But who do Read More …

Using Value Stream Mapping

Drew Locher is currently Managing Director for Change Management Associates. CMA provides various Business Improvement Consulting and Organizational Development services to industrial and service organizations. CMA will assist organizations to successfully implement Systems and Quality Management principles within their operations to improve business performance. A few nuggets from the e-book: “You could call Value Stream Read More …

The Kaizen Event, A Critical Component of Xerox’s Customer Experience

I have been approached several times for others to guest blog post on the Business901 blog. When approached by Xerox recently it was very difficult for me to refuse. Not because it was Xerox, but because of how Xerox is using Lean Sigma in the market place. They are one of the few companies that Read More …

Kaizen in the Office Environment

Mike Osterling of Osterling Consulting was my guest on the Business901 Podcast. We had the opportunity to discuss White Collar Kaizen and the differences between executing Kaizen events in production versus office environments.  Mike specializes in Lean Operations implementation and training. As Lean Manufacturing Manager for Square D Company, he led their transition from traditional Read More …

Kaizen Event sounds a lot like a GE Workout

A shorten definition for Kaizen is continuous improvement and the Kaizen Event is a short-term team based activity that focuses on a localized continuous improvement effort. The team is very often a cross-functional team that will be brought together for a short period of time, typically 2 to 5 days. A Kaizen event can be Read More …