Is Your Office Ready for a Kaizen Event?

Posted by on Dec 10, 2010 in Continuous Improvement, Process Improvement | 0 comments

How do you know if your office is ready for a kaizen event?  What signs should you look for?  Who should be involved?
Kaizen means, “small, continuous improvements.”  Ensuring your kaizen even is successful requires a lot of groundwork.  It begins by evaluating and understanding the current situation.
Here are some guidelines to consider before undertaking an office kaizen:
  • Who owns the process?
  • Is that person involved?
  • Does work flow uninterrupted through the process?
  • Is the process repeatable?
  • Are there disruptions, lack of information, incorrect information, etc.?
  • Whom does the process impact?
  • Who inputs or supplies the process?
  • Who is the customer of the process?
  • Is the workplace organized?
  • Are processes documented?
  • Do the documented processes resemble what actually happens?
  • What is the level of employee morale?  Are they frustrated?  Stressed?
  • What are the process metrics, how are they used, and how often are they recorded?
  • What is the attitude of the employees toward change?

Make sure the process owner or sponsor is involved and in full agreement with the process improvement activity.  Also, make sure the employees understand the goal of the improvement is to “work smarter, not harder.”  Solicit their input and suggestions on how to make the process better.
Getting everyone involved and in agreement that the process can be improved will help make your kaizen event a success.

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