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peacewong
Hello everybody.
Who can tell me how to do Kaizen Blitz? Thanks a lot.
Who can tell me how to do Kaizen Blitz? Thanks a lot.
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wmarhel
I would recommend that you either find somebody local who is practicing and see if you can attend one of their events. Another option is to hire a "good" consultant to come to your company and facilitate an event. You might even want to look at a "train-the-trainer" option.
If you want a book, you can always try the, "Kaizen Desk Reference Standard". It's okay in my opinion, but this is something that you really need to experience first-hand in my opinion.
Wayne.
It's interesting. I agree it seems like an oxymoron, but I suppose it's okay to carefully make a targeted little Kaizen project called "blitz" meaning "event".
Here is a web site that quickly describes it.
This site offers a helpful-looking little timeline. This one applies a project focus on the subject and describes the management aspect.
I am not affiliated with any of these companies.
Here is a web site that quickly describes it.
This site offers a helpful-looking little timeline. This one applies a project focus on the subject and describes the management aspect.
I am not affiliated with any of these companies.
antoine.dias
Quite Involved in Discussions
Thanks Jennifer for the links.
" Blitz " does not mean " event " as you indicate.
It means " Lightning " or " flash " - So Kaizen blitz means " a quick Kaizen event " as opposed to the normal " several weeks event of Kaizen ".
For the OP : the explanations on the links provided by Jennifer are a good starting point. If you have more specific questions afterwards, I am sure you will get help here.
Best regards,
Antoine
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wmarhel
There are two terms: Kaikaku and Kaizen.
KAIKAKU: Radical improvements or reform that affect the future value stream. Often these are changes in business practices of business systems.
Is really more related to the week-long event than is kaizen. Here is an article.
KAIZEN: (改善, Japanese for "change for the better" or "improvement", the English translation is "continuous improvement", or "continual improvement"). It is today closely associated with the Toyota Production System.
I think the term kaizen was more attractive and/or easier to understand (although there still seems to be plenty of disagreement about what it is or isn't after more than two decades worth of literature).
The kaizen event is also a large selling tool for many consultants who basically come into an area of your company and cherry-pick all the low hanging fruit. Given the myriad number and quality of the companies the members of The Cove have experienced, is there any doubt that improvements can't be shown. Yet the sad part is, many of the ideas generated during these kaizen events are the same thing the workers in that area have been screaming about for years.
Wayne
KAIKAKU: Radical improvements or reform that affect the future value stream. Often these are changes in business practices of business systems.
Is really more related to the week-long event than is kaizen. Here is an article.
KAIZEN: (改善, Japanese for "change for the better" or "improvement", the English translation is "continuous improvement", or "continual improvement"). It is today closely associated with the Toyota Production System.
I think the term kaizen was more attractive and/or easier to understand (although there still seems to be plenty of disagreement about what it is or isn't after more than two decades worth of literature).
The kaizen event is also a large selling tool for many consultants who basically come into an area of your company and cherry-pick all the low hanging fruit. Given the myriad number and quality of the companies the members of The Cove have experienced, is there any doubt that improvements can't be shown. Yet the sad part is, many of the ideas generated during these kaizen events are the same thing the workers in that area have been screaming about for years.
Wayne
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Bill Pflanz
On the ASQ Discussion Board, Akio Miura has discussed the meaning of Japanese quality terms. As a native Japanese, he not only understands literal translation but the meaning of the terms in their culture. Here are some of his thoughts on Kaizen.
In addition, he also says:
In general, he feels that kaizen has been misunderstood and not used correctly even in Japan.
Bill Pflanz
In addition, he also says:
In general, he feels that kaizen has been misunderstood and not used correctly even in Japan.
Bill Pflanz
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duecesevenOS - 2009
I have read this in a few different places so now I'm a little curious if it's accurate or not. I was told that a better definition of Kaizen wasn't necessarily continious improvement. It could be better clarified by the root of "zen" in the word. Zen being an "ideal state" or "state of perfection." So a good translation for kaizen would be improvement (everyone seems to agree that you are trying to improve things for kaizen
) towards perfection.
I personally, really like this definition because it goes well with all of the TPS concepts that I've learned or taught. I think that if you translate it this way a "kaizen blitz" isn't necessarily an oxymoron. I personally think that a kaizen blitz can be a VERY good thing. They can energize people and really show a commitment to improvement. A kaizen blitz will definitely help in pushing a process towards perfection. Unfortunately pursuing perfection is a never ending goal so a kaizen blitz (no matter how successful) can only be a small step in an overarching kaizen policy. That's where the small, incremental changes on a daily basis come into play.
Just because I like this definition doesn't necessarily mean that it is accurate so....
) towards perfection.I personally, really like this definition because it goes well with all of the TPS concepts that I've learned or taught. I think that if you translate it this way a "kaizen blitz" isn't necessarily an oxymoron. I personally think that a kaizen blitz can be a VERY good thing. They can energize people and really show a commitment to improvement. A kaizen blitz will definitely help in pushing a process towards perfection. Unfortunately pursuing perfection is a never ending goal so a kaizen blitz (no matter how successful) can only be a small step in an overarching kaizen policy. That's where the small, incremental changes on a daily basis come into play.
Just because I like this definition doesn't necessarily mean that it is accurate so....
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peacewong
Thanks a lot.
Tim Folkerts
Trusted Information Resource
While I certainly agree that "blitz" has its roots in the German word for "lightning", the meaning (at least in American English) had evolved.
During WWII the word gained two meanings. "Blitzkrieg" ("lightning warfare") was the intense (and rapid) attack strategy of Germany. "The Blitz" was the term given to the intense (but prolonged) bombardment of London.
The term has come to mean any intense (and usually brief) "attack". A "media blitz" would be a whole bunch of ads in a short time in order to get a product known. in American football, a "blitz" is when extra people are sent in to "attack" the quarterback.
So a "kaizen blitz" would imply an intense but brief kaizen activity where extra people are committed to an improvement effort.
Tim F
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