Kaizen Training

Kaizen Blitz is an event that organizations use to make rapid changes and improvements. This event includes breakthrough activities which are carried out over a four or five day period to change performance standards now, instead of waiting for a later date when things might be done better.

Generally, special teams are created and the members are relieved of other duties to focus entirely on the event. If you are interested in having this event, the members of your Kaizen team must be empowered to make changes without asking constantly for permission. Find out more about the process or road map for Kaizen Blitz.

 

Kaizen Blitz Road Map

A typical Kaizen blitz or event will follow the process of the PDCA cycle in which a facilitator or consultant leads the workshop. How this work is that the team members will go through the cycle a number of times and make the necessary changes for improvements.

The first day of the event usually focus on reminding team members about the process, 5S, seven wastes and other tools. After that, the process maps and the expected improvements will be reviewed.

Depending on the areas to be improved, the main team can be divided into sub-teams to examine different components of the desired objectives. Each blitz will be different because the objectives and departments are different. The aim of the Kaizen blitz is to come up with many ideas and solutions for improvements.

It’s important to keep the momentum going during the event so that the team will not get stuck or lose sight of the main purpose. For instance, the team could review the existing stock quantities and so on when they are waiting for a particular equipment to be relocated overnight by the maintenance crew. There are a many things that the Kaizen team can think about to improve a blitz event.

Any changes made to the process and layouts must be tested carefully by the team to identify potential problems. Furthermore, everyone should agree on the new standardized methods of working.

Once the kaizen blitz ends, the team would prepare a presentation with factual data and projected savings to show management exactly what was achieved. The Kaizen event facilitator would return in about one month time to review the outcomes of outstanding actions. The new processes will also be assessed along with the objectives and measures.

In the end, the improvements made during the Kaizen Blitz should change the standards of the organization. The supervisor or manager would ensure that everyone is following the new standards, plus verification points will be required monthly or weekly to ensure that the changes are effective.