1 tools for kaizen projects

8/2/2019 1 Tools for Kaizen Projects

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March 2011

THE WORKPLACE CHALLENGE NEWSLETTER

WORKPLACE CHALLENGE1

Tools for Conducting a Kaizen Project

The purpose of the Workplace Challenge Programme (WPC) of Productivity SA is to help South

African enterprises to implement Lean / World-class / Best Operating Practices / Continuous

Improvement Programmes in a Networking context.

The purpose of the WPC Newsletter is to share the lessons learned among enterprises that are

busy implementing these practices and principles.

Between 2006 and 2010, the Japan Productivity Center (JPC), as partner of Productivity

SA and other Pan African Productivity Association members (Botswana, Kenya, Zambia

and Mauritius) presented a few very useful productivity improvement techniques to theWorkplace Challenge Change Facilitators.

Following the KP Sheet Method, a Kaizen Project involves 10 Steps:

1. Identify *Kaizen Projects for Quality Improvement (* Short term project and Mid term

project)

2. Set Kaizen Goal based on prioritisation of problems

3. FocusonspecicdefectstobeaddressedbylookingattheCurrentSituation

(Genjitsu)

4. Uncovering causes of defects

5. Formulate Hypotheses about the real causes of defects based on actions 3&4

In this March 2011 Issue of our Newsletter we would like to tell you of One such technique,

the Kaizen Project Method which the JPC presented to Productivity SA during 2009 and

2010. As you may know, Kaizen is the Japanese word for Continuous Improvement. We

would like to present you with a summary of the Kaizen Project Method and demonstrate

its application by means of one recent case study.

The Kaizen Project (KP) Method

At the heart of the Kaizen Project method is the KP Sheet which is a short and powerful

Problem Solving Framework, developed by the Japan Productivity Center (JPC). It is

similar to the A3 process of the Lean Manufacturing discipline. It is a simple means ofsummarizing and communicating about a Kaizen Project.

The KP Sheets purpose is to Guide a Problem Solving Team (Kaizen Team), and to help

Display ( to management and other stakeholders) simply and with impact:

The various Problems experienced by the team

The Root Causes of problems as determined by the team

The Actions planned and taken by the team to solve the root causes of problems

The Direct Results of the actions

The Impact of the actions on people, costs etc.

Future Continuous Improvement actions


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March 2011



6. Gatherfactsanddata,andconductexperimentstoConrmHypothesesrightorwrong

7. Take counter action to improve the situation

8. Measure Direct Result of Kaizen Actions

9. Measure Other Effects of Kaizen Actions

10. Take action to prevent return to previous state

Lets look at these steps one by one:

Step 1. Identify *Kaizen Projects for Quality Improvement

To be able to deal effectively with company problems (especially quality problems), the JPC

suggests a Small Kaizen Team be appointed. Let us look at each of these steps in some more

detail.The JPC advises that we need to evaluate the companys current situation to prioritize problems to

target through Kaizen Projects

*(Continuous Improvement Projects). Key questions to ask oneself are:

Whichqualitydefectsaretroublingthecompany?

Arethereanyproductsproducedbytheenterprisewherequalityisunstable?

Step 2. Set Kaizen Goal based on prioritisation of problems

Usuallyweselecttheproblemswiththehighestscoresoutof10todealwiththroughthe

Kaizen Project Method.

AgreeonthegoalsofKaizenforQualityImprovement.

Atthispointanygoalmaybeseenastoosteepbecausepeoplemayhavegrownusedto

thespecicproblem,butitisimportanttosetagoaltomotivateteammembersinvolved


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March 2011



StartllinginthedifferentpiecesofinformationontheKPSheet(KaizenProject

(Summary) Sheet) (see attached image) This becomes a valuable communication

instrument, because it will show the whole Kaizen Project at a glance

Thewordingofeachstep(especially4,5,and6)mayhavetoberewrittenfromtimetotime

during the project as a result of new insights or investigations, but this is normal in Kaizen

Projects.

Step3.Focusonspecicdefectstobeinvestigated

To be able to understand everything around the defects troubling the organisation it is important for

the Kaizen Team to Make Observations of the Current Situation (JPC Calls the Current Situation

Genjitsu).TomakesenseofonesObservations,threeactionsmightbehelpful

CollectsamplesofNormalandDefectProducts(Genbutsu):Makesureyoucandistinguish

between Normal Products and all types of Defects. One can collect samples for a period of

1 month, 1day or 1hr etc. Keep Samples of Defect Products (Genbutsu) for future reference.

ClassifytheDefectProductsbytypeandcountthenumberofeachtype. CalculatetheDefectRate(defectperproduct)foreachtypeandproducestatistics.

AnalysedefectsstatisticsanddrawParetodiagram.AParetodiagramhelpstoidentifythe

20% of the products that make up 80% of the defects. If one can solve the real cause of this

defect,youwouldsolve80%oftheproblem.UponinterpretingthebluelineonthePareto

diagram below it becomes clear that Defect 1 represents about 60% of the problem, and

Defect 1, 2 and 3 together, make up 90% of the problem.

Step 2.1

Step 2.2

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Step 3.1

Step 3.3 -

Step.5.1

Step 3.2

Step5.2

Step 6&7


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Step 4. Uncovering causes of defects.TheJPCsuggests4usefultechniquestohelptheKaizenteamtogettotherootcauseofthe

problem:

Lookat(SamplesofNormalandDefectProducts(Genbutsu)

ObserveManufacturingSpace(5M&EorMen,Machine,Materials,Method,Measurement

& Environment) (Genba)

AnalyseDistributionofProductQualityData,or

AnalysesimultaneousdataofProductionFactors(5M&E)vsQuality

Step4.1BylookingatSamplesofNormalandDefectProducts(Genbutsu)willhelptheKaizen

Team to understand the real nature of defects, and as such will help to determine the Causes of

Defects. Consider the following example:

Step4.2ObservingGenba(ManufacturingSpace)(focusingon5M&E)canbedonebymeansof

atouroftheProductionFacility,bytakingPhotosorVideosandbytalkingtoOperatorsorTeam

Leaders

Step4.3CheckingtheDistributionofProductQualitydatamayhelptodeterminewhythedefect

productsarebeloworabovethestandardspecications:


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Step4.4.BycheckingSimultaneousDataofProductQuality,5M,andEnvironmentFactorsonecan

often see patterns which may indicate the reason for certain defects. See the diagram below:

Step 5. Formulate Hypotheses about causes of defects based on actions of step 3, 4.1,

4.2, 4.3 and 4.4

TheJPCreliesonthetriedandtestedFishboneDiagramtoguidetheKaizenTeamsbrain

storming,butonecanalsouseotherHypothesistechniquessuchasthe5Whytechniquetothink

whydifferentDefectscanhappen,andthinkingthroughwhattheRootCausesofdefectsare?The

FishBoneCharthelpstheteamtofocusagainon5M&E


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The5WhytechniqueusedbytheWorkplaceChallengeProgrammealsohelpstheKaizenTeamto

focuson5M&E:

Step 6. The JPC experts stressed the importance of gathering facts and data, and

conducting experiments to prove Hypotheses right, or wrong, in other words making sure

of the Root Cause before embarking on an expensive solution that might prove ineffective!

The key is to conduct an experiment and to gather data with the purpose of making sure

whether we found the real cause(s). This should again be done for each type of defect, and again

focusingon5M&E.Considerthediagrambelow:


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Step 7. Take counter action to improve the situation

Once the Kaizen Team is sure of the Root Causes of Defects / the problem, they can do a

Brainstorming session to come up with ideas of counter actions to eliminate the Root Cause(s) and

so improve the situation. Then of course they must agree on actions to be taken (Kaizen Contents)

to address the real cause(s), and then the last step is to carry out the actions as planned.

Step 8. Measure the Direct Result of Kaizen Actions

The direct quality result the Kaizen Team wants from Kaizen actions, is a reduction in the number of

defects produced. Less defects means less customer complaints.

Step 9. Measure Other Effects of Kaizen Actions

TheJPCdistinguishesanumberofareasofOtherEffectswheretheKaizenProjectmayhavehad

an effect. While monitoring the impact of the Kaizen Project one should look for effects in the areas

ofEconomiceffect(prot&loss);Improvementinhumanrelations;Improvementinpeoplesability/

skill;orImprovementinteamwork.

The WPC Programme measures impactinveeasilydenableareasfollowingtheacronym

QCDSM:


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Q = Quality this can be done by measuring the number of Defects as in step 8, or by

counting a reduction in the number of customer complaints

C = Cost.Thiscanbedonebymonitoringthecostofproductionandspecicallythecostof

defects,andevenincreasesinprot

D = Delivery, meaning improvements in lead times as a result of a reduction in rework

S = Safety. Maybe the defects were caused by an unsafe procedure. Then a reduction in

injuries may be regarded as a result of the Kaizen Project

M= Morale or People. This can be measured in aspects like absenteeism, number of

grievances or improvements in skills level

Step 10. Take action to prevent a return to previous state and to ensure Continuous

ImprovementWhen the Kaizen Team has dealt with the 20 % problems causing the 80% of the defects ( refer

back to step 3) they can turn their attention to the remaining problems to attempt reducing defects

to zero. They can do a Kaizen Project focusing on those other causes.

They should also remember that once they turn their attention away from the problem they have

solved recently, it may resurface if they do not take action to sustain thesolution, especially if the

problem was rooted in human nature.

Therefore, to prevent a relapse, the JPC Consultants advise the Kaizen Team to:

FormulateaPointCard(.ThissimplymeansRevisingtheWorkStandardorStandard

Operating Procedure

EducatetheWorkersonthePointCard(RevisedWorkStandard)

Consider the diagram below-

Presentation

In presenting the Results and Actions followed during the Kaizen Project to management or other

stakeholders, the KP Sheet (see Diagram between steps 2 and 3) and every step mentioned above

can be captured in a Power Point presentation.

By simply creating internal links between the slides, the Kaizen Team can present the whole Project

with impact by using the KP Sheet as the central slide and jumping to the different slides

displaying each of the 10 steps of the Kaizen Project.

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