Essentially meaning "continuous improvement", kaizen targets human resources and processes so as to anchor an industry for long-term and successful operation. Kaizen is a Japanese term coined in the period after World War II when businesses were trying to cope with the effects of the war. "Kai" translates to the word "change", and "zen" means "good". Kaizen produced significant results for companies like Toyota and has become a popular production philosophy all over the world.

Tools of Kaizen


PDCA Cycle

A prominent example of Kaizen is the implementation of a process called PDCA cycle. This is the Plan, Do, Check, Act method. The first step in PDCA is execution of the plan and accumulation of data, which will be used later for comparisons. When results are achieved, they are then checked and compared to the expected output. The results are then discussed and refined, to come up with a new plan. The application of the new plan is the last step of the cycle, then it begins again with tests and data accumulation. If the process is recurring and the data is measurable, then every cycle leads to improvement.


Quality Circles


Circles are teams that focus on identifying, analyzing and proposing solutions to work problems. It is composed of students and/or workers with a team leader and encourages development and expression of individual ideas rather than delegating individual jobs. This helps to focus on resolving problems, rather than pointing fingers when a mistake is made. Japanese businesses usually consider a production line as an already established quality circle in that the quick identification of a problem in the first phase of production can reduce major problems down the line. Each worker is provided training on trouble-shooting abnormalities that arise in their work station. If each station executes quality control, reduction of expenses and time creates an impact.


What is Kaizen training

Kaizen is built on a 5S framework with elimination of waste and standardization at the forefront. 5S lays down a strong foundation for future Kaizen activities. 5S establishes an organization system in which everyone in the workplace participates to remove clutter and set spaces efficiently. While a space is cleaned and organized with 5S, managers should encourage operators and frontline workers to make improvement suggestions. This kind of system makes it much easier for people to spot improvement opportunities hiding in plain sight while promoting teamwork and self-discipline.


Kaizen Events

Although many companies choose to practice the Kaizen philosophy in their every day activities, Kaizen events can come in handy for bigger projects. A Kaizen event (also known as a Kaizen blitz) is a scheduled improvement process that takes place over the course of a few hours, days, or may even stretch into a couple weeks. An event team is established and assigned a focus.

Kaizen events are used for a number of ways including process changes, layout changes in the facility, waste elimination, and standardization. Definitively establishing the scope of a Kaizen event is key to the success of the blitz. Improvement projects often start with a reasonable scope, but overtime become too large and unmanageable. During the planning phase, the Kaizen team will need to choose an area or process for improvement and identify the scope of the event.

Kaizen & Continuous Improvement

The Kaizen mindset of continuous improvement makes for a more productive and efficient workplace by implementing small changes and emphasizing the involvement of all employees. Kaizen establishes a consistent process for improvement, defines the organization’s goals, and gives managers the tools they need to reach those goals.

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