tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16711894.post2440886821973551518..comments2023-08-03T11:16:11.202-04:00Comments on Got Boondoggle?: In Defense of Kaizen EventsMike Wroblewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451872136821100772noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16711894.post-32041066199900057792010-08-23T16:00:51.661-04:002010-08-23T16:00:51.661-04:00I think the best system is one in which the frontl...I think the best system is one in which the frontline leadership and staff are involved in deciding and will dedicate themselves to. This means using PDCA to develop your system. I have personally seen system-driven kaizen crash and burn because mid-level management absolutely hated it - partly because no one asked them if they wanted it - it was rammed down their throats. They also resented the strain on staffing in a small facility. Both valid reasons for rejecting it.<br /><br />Whatever system is employed, it needs to be one that people embrace and that they have a say in how it will be deployed, whether it is point kaizen or system-driven kaizen.Mark Welchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16711894.post-43219280056141700692010-08-20T15:09:04.227-04:002010-08-20T15:09:04.227-04:00Hi Mike,
Very nice post. I applaud you for taking...Hi Mike,<br /><br />Very nice post. I applaud you for taking what is now, in many circles, a politically incorrect position. I am with you. This is not and "either or" situation but a "both and." <br /><br />The end goal is a culture of continuous improvement, learning, growth and profit. Most folks typically start with event-based activity driven by value stream improvement plans and the like. This is called system-driven kaizen - powerful good stuff. Later, we should progress to principal-driven kaizen which is system-driven PLUS daily kaizen. This is the gold-standard.<br /><br />A lot of folks don't sustain their kaizen event gains because of a number of reasons, but often the biggest is that they do not have a sufficient lean management system in place. Of course, this is no reason to throw the baby (hey, great picture) out with the bath waster. We should just learn to implement and rigorously maintain good lean management systems. Kaizen events don't kill people, people...<br /><br />Keep the faith.<br /><br />Best regards,<br />MarkMark R. Hamelhttp://gembatales.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16711894.post-49860334915336501112010-08-20T08:47:22.812-04:002010-08-20T08:47:22.812-04:00Pretty bold of you to take this position in spite ...Pretty bold of you to take this position in spite of so much written of late coming from the other side of the fence. I respect that. Here's a link to a post on the TWI blog that I really enjoyed that made a lot of sense to me. At my organization we started with kaizen events and the ones that mainly stuck employed physical changes that would have taken a lot of effort to reverse. Procedural changes didn't stick because of the resistance. I don't believe we made much progress with cultural change or lean learning, either. Anyway, here's the link: <br /><br />http://trainingwithinindustry.blogspot.com/2010/07/kaizen-teian-first-kaizen-event-last.htmlMark Welchnoreply@blogger.com